我が背子は相思はずとも敷栲の
君が枕は夢に見えこそ
君が枕は夢に見えこそ
- Roma-ji
-
Waga seko wa aiomowazu tomo shikitae no kimi ga makura wa ime ni mie koso
- English Translation
-
O my dearest one,
even if you love me not,
on the spread bedclothes,
your pillow, at least, I pray,
let me see it in my dreams
- Meaning
- Even if you, my love, do not love me, let me at least see your pillow in my dreams.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Love Poems 615
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Five poems sent by Princess Yamaguchi to Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi"
Even if he does not love her, she wishes that at least his pillow might appear in her dreams. Drawing on the belief that a person appears in one's dreams as a sign of their love, she voices a poignant, touching wish to see at least his pillow, even without his love.
The author, Princess Yamaguchi, is a woman of whom little is known, apparently one of the women who exchanged love poems with Ōtomo no Yakamochi.
First line, "O my dearest one," calls to her lover.
Second line, "even if you love me not," uses the concessive tomo: even if you do not love me.
Third line, "on the spread bedclothes," is shikitae no, a pillow word for "pillow."
Fourth line, "your pillow, at least, I pray," means your pillow.
Fifth line, "let me see it in my dreams," uses koso, a final particle of wish: may it appear in my dreams.
- Author
- Princess Yamaguchi
- Source
- Manyoshu
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