空蝉の世の人言の繁ければ
忘れぬもののかれぬべらなり
忘れぬもののかれぬべらなり
- Roma-ji
-
Utsusemi no yo no hitogoto no shigekereba wasurenu mono no karenu beranari
- English Translation
-
In this fleeting world
people's talk has grown so thick
that, though I do not
forget you, it seems that we
shall wither and drift apart.
- Meaning
- The gossip of this fleeting world has grown so thick that, though I do not forget you, it seems we are bound to drift apart.
- Commentary
-
Book Fourteen Love Poems IV 716
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
Because the world's gossip is so loud, the speaker says, though he has not forgotten her, his visits seem likely to fall off. Using words associated with plants, "shigekereba" (being thick) and "karenu" (withering), the poem shows a relationship being pushed apart by gossip.
The gossip sung of in 702 through 704 of this book appears here as something that actually drives the lovers apart. "Kare" joins withering and parting, as in 686 and 704 of this book.
The first line, "utsusemi no," is a pillow word for "yo" (world). It links to the "semi" (cicada) of the preceding poem.
The second line, "yo no hitogoto no," means "the talk of people in the world."
The third line, "shigekereba," means "since it is so thick," a definite condition carrying the image of thick-growing plants.
The fourth line, "wasurenu mono no," means "though I do not forget," "mono no" being a concessive particle.
In the final line, "karenu beranari," "kare" is a pivot word joining drifting apart and the withering of plants, an associated word with "shigekere" in the third line. "Beranari" is an auxiliary meaning "it seems that," much used in early Heian poetry.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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