九月のその初雁の使にも
思ふ心は聞こえ来ぬかも
思ふ心は聞こえ来ぬかも
- Roma-ji
-
Nagatsuki no sono hatsukari no tsukai ni mo omou kokoro wa kikoekonu kamo
- English Translation
-
In the ninth month's days,
by the first geese of the year
as your messengers,
might your thoughts toward me, my lord,
not come to reach me here?
- Meaning
- Even by way of the first wild geese of the ninth month, might word of your gracious thoughts of me not reach me here?
- Commentary
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Book Eight Autumn Love Poems 1614
Headnote: "A poem presented to the Emperor by Prince Sakurai, governor of Tōtōmi"
Prince Sakurai, at his post as governor of Tōtōmi, presented this poem to the Emperor, wishing that by way of the first geese of the ninth month he might hear of the Emperor's gracious thoughts of him. Drawing on the tale of geese carrying letters, it expresses his devotion to the Emperor from a distant land. The next poem is Emperor Shōmu's reply.
The author, Prince Sakurai, was a member of the imperial family in the Nara period who served as governor of Tōtōmi. He was later granted the surname Ōhara no Mahito.
The first line names the ninth month of the lunar calendar, when the geese arrive.
The second line means "of those first geese," the first to come that autumn.
The third line means "even as messengers carrying letters," from the tale of geese as messengers.
The fourth line means "your thoughts of me."
The final line is a wish formed by the negative "nu" with "kamo": might they not come to be heard?
- Author
- Prince Sakurai
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Aki no no o asa yuku shika no ato mo naku omoishi kimi ni aeru koyoi ka
- Next Poem
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Ō no ura no sono nagahama ni yosuru nami yutakeku kimi o omou konokoro