郭公はつかなる音を聞きそめて
あらぬもそれとおぼめかれつつ
あらぬもそれとおぼめかれつつ
- Roma-ji
-
Hototogisu hatsuka naru ne o kikisomete aranu mo sore to obomekaretsutsu
- English Translation
-
Little cuckoo, since
I first heard your faint, soft notes,
I have come to wonder,
taking voices not your own
for yours, again and again
- Meaning
- Ever since I first heard the cuckoo's faint voice, I keep mistaking voices that are not its own for it, again and again.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Summer Poems 189
Headnote: "When she had gone out to view a procession, another carriage came alongside, and after they had exchanged a few words, she sent this."
Since first hearing the cuckoo's faint voice, she keeps wondering whether other voices are its own. Likening the one with whom she exchanged a few words at the procession to a softly singing cuckoo, she conveys a heart that cannot forget that voice.
According to the headnote, she had gone out to view a procession, another carriage came up beside hers, and after exchanging words she sent this poem.
The poet, Ise, was the daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage, governor of Ise, and served Empress Onshi, consort of Emperor Uda. She won Emperor Uda's favor and later bore Nakatsukasa to Prince Atsuyoshi. She is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
The first line, "Hototogisu," likens the person with whom she briefly exchanged words to the cuckoo.
The second line, "hatsuka naru ne o," means "its faint voice," expressing the few words they exchanged.
The third line, "kikisomete," means "since I first heard," with "somu" meaning to begin.
The fourth line, "aranu mo sore to," means "even other voices as that one," describing how she takes any voice for his.
In the last line, "obomeku" means to be unsure and puzzled, "re" is spontaneous, and "tsutsu" expresses repetition: "I keep wondering."
- Author
- Ise
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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