あらたまの年月かねてぬばたまの
夢に見えけり君が姿は
夢に見えけり君が姿は
- Roma-ji
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Aratama no toshitsuki kanete nubatama no ime ni miekeri kimi ga sugata wa
- English Translation
-
Through the rough-jewel
years and months together,
in the jet-black night
you have come to me in dreams,
your form has come to me
- Meaning
- For years and months on end, your figure has come to me in my dreams at night.
- Commentary
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Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2956
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
A woman sings that for years and months the beloved's figure has appeared in her dreams night after night. It speaks of unchanging love for one who has kept appearing in dreams through the years.
The poet is unknown. Book Twelve, titled the second part of "Love Poems Exchanged Old and New," gathers love poems by people whose names have not come down to us, arranged by category.
Line one, "aratama no," is a pillow word for "toshi," year.
Line two, "toshitsuki kanete," means "over years and months."
Line three, "nubatama no," is a pillow word for "ime," dream. Placing pillow words in both lines one and three creates a solemn rhythm.
Line four, "ime ni miekeri," means "you have appeared in dreams."
Line five, "kimi ga sugata wa," means "your form," closing the poem by inversion.
- Author
- Unknown
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Ime ka to kokoro madoinu tsuki maneku karenishi kimi ga koto no kayoeba
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Ima yori wa kou tomo imo ni awame ya mo toko no he sarazu ime ni mie koso