紅の薄染め衣浅らかに
相見し人に恋ふるころかも
相見し人に恋ふるころかも
- Roma-ji
-
Kurenai no usuzome koromo asaraka ni aimishi hito ni kouru koro kamo
- English Translation
-
Like a robe dyed pale
in the crimson safflower,
so lightly once
I met with you, and yet
these days I long for you
- Meaning
- Like a robe dyed a pale crimson, I met you only lightly, yet these days I find myself longing for you.
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts through Things 2966
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts through Things"
Using the pale color of a robe lightly dyed crimson as an introduction, the poet sings of growing love for someone met only casually. The surprise of a shallow meeting turning into deep love is expressed through shades of color.
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, "kurenai no," refers to the color dyed with safflower.
Line two, "usuzome koromo," is a lightly dyed robe; with line one it forms an introduction leading through the paleness of the color to "asaraka ni," lightly.
Line three, "asaraka ni," means "lightly, casually." Poem 2970 in this book uses the same device, "asara no koromo asaraka ni."
Line four, "aimishi hito ni," means "for the one I met."
Line five, "kouru koro kamo," means "these days I long for," showing surprise that a casual love has deepened.
- Author
- Unknown
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Tsurubami no awase no koromo ura ni seba ware shiime ya mo kimi ga kimasanu
- Next Poem
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Toshi no heba mitsutsu shinoe to imo ga iishi koromo no nuime mireba kanashi mo