classic waka stream

うつつには言も絶えたり夢にだに
継ぎて見えこそ直に逢ふまでに
Roma-ji

Utsutsu ni wa koto mo taetari ime ni dani tsugite mie koso tada ni au made ni

English Translation
In waking life
even your words have ceased;
in dreams at least
keep coming to me still
until we meet face to face
Meaning
In waking life even your messages have stopped; at least in dreams, keep appearing to me until we meet face to face.
Commentary
Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts Directly 2959

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts Directly"
Since even messages have ceased in reality, the poet asks the beloved to keep appearing in dreams until they can meet in person. Through the contrast of reality and dream, the poem holds on to hope of reunion.
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, "utsutsu ni wa," means "in reality," the same opening as poem 2850 in this book.
Line two, "koto mo taetari," means "even your words have ceased," and the poem pauses here.
Line three, "ime ni dani," means "at least in dreams."
Line four, "tsugite mie koso," means "keep appearing to me."
Line five, "tada ni au made ni," means "until we meet face to face," the same final line as poem 2846 in this book.
Author
Unknown
Source
Manyoshu
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