万代に心は解けて我が背子が
捻みし手見つつ忍びかねつも
捻みし手見つつ忍びかねつも
- Roma-ji
-
Yorozuyo ni kokoro wa tokete waga seko ga tsumishi te mitsutsu shinobikanetsu mo
- English Translation
-
Forever, I thought,
and my heart was all unbound;
now I look upon
the hand you pinched, my love,
and cannot hold back my longing
- Meaning
- Thinking it would be forever, I opened my heart to you; now, gazing at the hand you once pinched, I can no longer bear my longing.
- Commentary
-
Book Seventeen 3940
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Twelve poems sent by Lady Heguri to Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi, Governor of Etchū"
Looking at the hand her lover pinched when they had opened their hearts to each other forever, she cannot hold back her longing—a poem tracing a memory of meeting. This is one of twelve poems that Lady Heguri entrusted to messengers from time to time and sent to Yakamochi, who had left the capital as Governor of Etchū. Gazing at her own hand, which bears the trace of their intimate time, she cannot suppress her yearning for the one who has gone.
The poet, Lady Heguri, was a woman of the Heguri clan whose life is otherwise unknown. She was one of the women who exchanged love poems with Yakamochi.
The left note reads, "The above twelve poems were sent from time to time by passing messengers; they were not sent all at once."
First line, "yorozuyo ni": "for ten thousand ages," suggesting a vow forever.
Second line, "kokoro wa tokete": "my heart melted open," the two having opened their hearts to each other.
Third line, "waga seko ga": "my beloved," meaning Yakamochi.
Fourth line, "tsumishi te mitsutsu": tsumu means to pinch with the fingertips; gazing at the hand her lover pinched when they met.
Fifth line, "shinobikanetsu mo": shinobu means to endure; "I cannot bear it," closing with emotion.
- Author
- Lady Heguri
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Sato chikaku kimi ga narinaba koime ya to motona omoishi are zo kuyashiki
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Uguisu no naku kuratani ni uchihamete yake wa shinu tomo kimi o shi matamu