ころを経て逢ひ見ぬ時は白玉の
涙も春は色まさりけり
涙も春は色まさりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Koro o hete aiminu toki wa shiratama no namida mo haru wa iro masarikeri
- English Translation
-
When for so long
we have been kept apart,
my tears, white pearls,
in springtime, too, deepen
and take on richer hues
- Meaning
- When so long has passed without our meeting, even my tears, like white pearls, take on a deeper color in the spring.
- Commentary
-
Book Nine Love Poems I 545
Headnote: "Sent to a woman he loved but could not meet."
The poet says that when so long has passed without meeting, even his tears like white pearls take on a deeper color in spring. Overlaying the deepening hues of plants in spring, he conveys a grief so great that his tears turn crimson.
According to the headnote, he sent it to a woman he loved but could not meet. The next poem is Ise's reply, and the two form a pair of exchanged poems.
The poet, called "the Posthumous Chancellor," is Fujiwara no Tokihira. A son of Fujiwara no Mototsune, he rose to Minister of the Left and is known for having Sugawara no Michizane exiled to Dazaifu. Because the title of Chancellor was conferred on him after his death, he is called the Posthumous Chancellor.
The first line, "Koro o hete," means "after a long time has passed."
The second line, "aiminu toki wa," means "when we do not meet."
The third line, "shiratama no," means "of white jewels, pearls," a figure for tears.
The fourth line, "namida mo haru wa," means "my tears too, in spring," overlaid with the deepening colors of spring plants. "Hito kouru namida wa haru zo" in the first and second lines of the next poem takes this up.
The last line, "iro masarikeri," means "grow deeper in color," referring to tears turning crimson with grief.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Tokihira
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Konome haru haru no yamada o uchikaeshi omoiyaminishi hito zo koishiki
- Next Poem
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Hito kouru namida wa haru zo nurumikeru taenu omoi no wakasu narubeshi