天の川い向ひ立ちて恋しらに
言だに告げむ妻と言ふまでは
言だに告げむ妻と言ふまでは
- Roma-ji
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Amanogawa imukai tachite koishira ni koto dani tsugemu tsuma to iu made wa
- English Translation
-
The Heavenly River—
standing face to face across,
longing as I do,
I will send at least my words,
till the time I call her wife.
- Meaning
- Standing face to face across the Heavenly River, out of longing, I will at least send her words—until the time I can call her my wife.
- Commentary
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Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2011
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
In this poem the Herdsman, facing the Weaver across the Heavenly River, vows at least to send words until the time of meeting comes and he can call her wife. It shows a heart that, while waiting for the meeting, tries to keep their bond through the exchange of words. Like 2006 and 2008, it is a poem about sending words.
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a court poet of the Asuka period, active under Empress Jitō and Emperor Monmu. The left note records that this poem comes from the Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection, and it is uncertain whether it is Hitomaro's own work or a poem by someone else that he recorded.
The first line, "the Heavenly River," names the river dividing the stars.
In the second line, "imukai tachite," "i" is a prefix: standing face to face.
The third line, "koishira ni," means out of longing.
In the fourth line, "koto dani tsugemu," "dani" means at least and "mu" expresses intention. The poem breaks here.
The last line, "until I call her wife," gives the time limit at the end by inversion.
- Author
- Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
- Source
- Manyoshu
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