言に出でて云はばゆゆしみ朝顔の
穂には咲き出ぬ恋もするかも
穂には咲き出ぬ恋もするかも
- Roma-ji
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Koto ni idete iwaba yuyushimi asagao no ho ni wa sakidenu koi mo suru ka mo
- English Translation
-
Should I put in words,
say it out, how fearful, grave!
Like the morning-glory,
never blooming openly,
such a love it is I feel.
- Meaning
- To put it into words would be too fearful—so mine is a love that never blossoms openly, unlike the asagao flower.
- Commentary
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Book Ten Autumn Love Poems 2275
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Love Expressed Through Flowers"
This poem says that because it would be too fearful to put into words, the speaker's love never blossoms openly, unlike the asagao flower. Like the preceding poem it brings up the asagao, singing of a hidden love not shown outwardly. Whereas the preceding poem resolved not to let love show, this one depicts someone already loving without showing it, so the two portray hidden love through the asagao.
The first line, "putting it into words," is hypermetric.
In the second line, "iwaba yuyushimi," "yuyushi" means awesome, to be avoided, and "mi" marks cause.
The third line, "like the asagao," names the comparison.
In the fourth line, "ho ni wa sakidenu," "ho ni izu" means to show outwardly: that does not blossom openly.
In the last line, "koi mo suru ka mo," "ka mo" is exclamatory, closing with a sigh over hidden love.
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Koimarobi koi wa shinu tomo ichishiroku iro ni wa ideji asagao no hana
- Next Poem
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Karigane no hatsukoe kikite sakidetaru yado no akihagi mi ni ko waga seko