吉野川川波高み滝の浦を
見ずかなりなむ恋しけまくに
見ずかなりなむ恋しけまくに
- Roma-ji
-
Yoshinogawa kawanami takami taki no ura o mizu ka narinamu kōshikemaku ni
- English Translation
-
The Yoshino River—
its waves are running high, and so
the bay of Taki
shall I end without seeing it,
though I'll long for it, I know?
- Meaning
- The waves of the Yoshino River are so high—will I have to leave without seeing the bay of Taki, though I know I will long for it later?
- Commentary
-
Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems 1722
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three poems by Gennin"
Because the river waves are high, the speaker fears he may leave without seeing the bay of Taki, though he knows he will long for it afterward.
This is the third of three poems by Gennin. The bay of Taki is thought to be an inlet of the river near Miyataki.
The author, Gennin, is otherwise unknown; some take the name to be that of a monk. According to the left note, this poem comes from the Hitomaro Collection.
The first line, "the Yoshino River," repeats the third line of 1721, linking the group.
The second line, "its waves are running high, and so," uses the causal suffix mi.
The third line, "the bay of Taki," names the place he longs to see and runs to six syllables.
The fourth line, "shall I end without seeing it," contains the question particle ka, forming a kakari-musubi with mu.
The final line, "though I'll long for it, I know?" uses koishikemaku, a nominalized form of "to be longed for."
- Author
- Gennin
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Kurushiku mo kureyuku hi kamo yoshinogawa kiyoki kawara o miredo akanaku ni
- Next Poem
-
Kawazu naku mutsuta no kawa no kawayagi no nemokoro miredo akanu kawa kamo