逢ふまでの形見も我は何せむに
見ても心の慰まなくに
見ても心の慰まなくに
- Roma-ji
-
Au made no katami mo ware wa nani semu ni mite mo kokoro no nagusamanaku ni
- English Translation
-
A keepsake to hold
until we meet again—
what use is it to me?
Though I look upon it, still
my heart finds no comfort there.
- Meaning
- What good to me is a keepsake meant to last until we meet again? Looking at it brings my heart no comfort.
- Commentary
-
Book Fourteen Love Poems IV 744
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
Even if a keepsake is left to tide one over until the next meeting, looking at it brings no comfort—so the poem sings of the emptiness of keepsakes. It carries the thought that a keepsake does not fill the loneliness of not meeting, but only deepens the longing.
Taking up the "keepsake" of the preceding poem, it forms a pair with the next poem, 745, sharing the phrase "au made no katami." Where this poem laments the powerlessness of keepsakes, the next sings of a keepsake turned into scraps of seaweed floating on tears.
The first line, "au made no," means "until we meet again," the same line that begins the next poem.
The second line, "katami mo ware wa," means "a keepsake, to me."
The third line, "nani semu ni," means "what use is it?", and the poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "mite mo kokoro no," means "even looking at it, my heart."
The final line, "nagusamanaku ni," means "finds no comfort," "naku ni" expressing an adversative exclamation and giving the reason for the third line in inverted order.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Ōzora wa koishiki hito no katami ka wa mono omou goto ni nagameraruramu
- Next Poem
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Au made no katami tote koso todomekeme namida ni ukabu mokuzu narikeri