うつつにはさらにもえ言はず夢にだに
妹が手本を卷き寝とし見ば
妹が手本を卷き寝とし見ば
- Roma-ji
-
Utsutsu ni wa sara ni mo e iwazu ime ni dani imo ga tamoto o makinu to shi miba
- English Translation
-
In the waking world
I could never say it out;
in a dream, at least,
if I saw myself asleep
pillowed on my dear one's sleeve
- Meaning
- In waking life I cannot even say it; if only I could see myself, at least in a dream, asleep with my head on your sleeve.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Love Poems 784
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three poems sent by Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to a maiden"
In waking life he cannot even speak of it, but if only in a dream he could see himself asleep pillowed on her sleeve. It ends unfinished, leaving the unfulfilled wish to linger.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito and a poet thought to have been deeply involved in compiling the Man'yōshū. He later rose to the rank of Middle Counselor.
First line, "In the waking world," means in reality.
Second line, "I could never say it out," runs to eight syllables: I cannot say it at all. The poem breaks after this line.
Third line, "in a dream, at least," uses dani, "at least."
Fourth line, "if I saw myself asleep," means her sleeve.
Fifth line, "pillowed on my dear one's sleeve," means if I saw that I slept on it, breaking off to leave the wish hanging.
- Author
- Otomo no Yakamochi
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Ototoshi no sakitsu toshi yori kotoshi made kouredo nazo mo imo ni aikataki
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Waga yado no kusa no ue shiroku oku tsuyu no mi mo oshikarazu imo ni awazu areba