をみなへし佐紀沢の辺の真葛原
いつかも繰りて我が衣に着む
いつかも繰りて我が衣に着む
- Roma-ji
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Ominaeshi sakisawa no he no makuzuhara itsu kamo kurite waga kinu ni kimu
- English Translation
-
Maidenflowers bloom
by the marsh at Saki, where
the kudzu fields spread;
when shall I reel in its vines
and wear it as my robe?
- Meaning
- The kudzu fields beside the marsh of Saki—when shall I reel in their vines and wear them as my robe?
- Commentary
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Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1346
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Grasses"
The speaker wonders when he will be able to reel in the kudzu vines beside the marsh of Saki and wear them as his robe. The kudzu field stands for the woman he loves, and reeling in the vines to wear as a robe for making her his wife, expressing his longing for the day of their union.
It is one of the poems on grasses. Saki lies north of the Heijō capital. Likening union to wearing a robe echoes "would there were a girl to dress me" in poem 1344 in this book. The poet is unknown.
The first line uses "ominaeshi," maidenflower, as a pillow word for Saki, from "saku" (to bloom).
The second line refers to the marsh of Saki north of the Heijō capital.
The third line names a field thick with kudzu; "ma" is a word of praise.
The fourth line, "when shall I reel in its vines," asks when he may draw them in.
The final line, "and wear it as my robe," refers to garments woven from kudzu fiber.
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Tsune naranu hitokuniyama no akizuno no kakitsubata o shi ime ni mishi kamo
- Next Poem
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Kimi ni niru kusa to mishi yori waga shimeshi noyama no asaji hito na kari so ne