み吉野の玉松が枝ははしきかも
君が御言を持ちて通はく
君が御言を持ちて通はく
- Roma-ji
-
Miyoshino no tamamatsu ga e wa hashiki kamo kimi ga mikoto o mochite kayowaku
- English Translation
-
From fair Yoshino,
this branch of jeweled pine—
how dear it is to me,
coming here to me and bearing
the words you send, my lord!
- Meaning
- How dear to me is this lovely branch of pine from Yoshino, coming here and bearing your words to me!
- Commentary
-
Book Two Love Poems 113
Headnote: "A poem presented by Princess Nukata when a moss-grown pine branch was broken off and sent from Yoshino"
Prince Yuge broke off a moss-grown pine branch at Yoshino and sent it with a poem, and she responds by treasuring the branch itself.
Treating the pine branch as a messenger bearing the prince's words, she delights in the exchange of feeling traveling between Yoshino and Yamato. Following the preceding pair of poems, it closes the Yoshino sequence.
The author, Princess Nukata, is said to have been a daughter of Prince Kagami. She was first loved by Prince Ōama, the future Emperor Tenmu, and bore him Princess Tōchi; later she is said to have served Emperor Tenji. She is the leading woman poet of the early Man'yōshū.
In the first line, "miyoshino no," mi is an honorific prefix.
In the second line, "tamamatsu ga e wa," tama is honorific and refers to the moss-grown pine branch. Pine is also a tree of long life.
The third line, "hashiki kamo," means "how dear," and the poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "kimi ga mikoto o," means "your words," those of Prince Yuge.
In the final line, "mochite kayowaku," kayowaku is the nominalized form of kayou: "that it comes bearing them," closing with wonder.
- Author
- Princess Nukata
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Inishie ni kouramu tori wa hototogisu kedashi ya nakishi aga moeru goto
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Aki no ta no homuki no yoreru katayori ni kimi ni yorinana kochitaku ari tomo