我が心いつ習ひてか見ぬ人を
思ひやりつつ恋しかるらん
思ひやりつつ恋しかるらん
- Roma-ji
-
Waga kokoro itsu naraite ka minu hito o omoiyaritsutsu koishikaruran
- English Translation
-
This heart of mine—
when did it learn such a thing?
For one never seen
it goes out in longing,
and finds itself in love
- Meaning
- When did this heart of mine learn such a thing? Turning my thoughts toward one I have never seen, I find myself in love.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 603
Headnote: "Sent to a woman for the first time."
The poet wonders when his heart learned such a thing, for it thinks of and longs for someone he has never seen. Expressing wonder at his own heart in love with one unseen, he conveys his feelings for her.
According to the headnote, this was the first poem he sent to the woman. It is the third of the three poems sent at the start of a courtship and, like the opening poem, 601, sings of longing for one never seen.
The poet, Ki no Tomonori, was a cousin of Ki no Tsurayuki and one of the compilers of the Kokin Wakashū. He is one of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals, and his "hisakata no hikari nodokeki haru no hi ni" is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
The first line, "Waga kokoro," means "my heart."
The second line, "itsu naraite ka," means "when did it learn," with "ka" an interrogative particle.
The third line, "minu hito o," means "one I have never seen." Like "sora ni kouru" in the opening poem, 601, it speaks of love for one unseen.
The fourth line, "omoiyaritsutsu," means "sending my thoughts far toward her," with "tsutsu" expressing continuation.
The last line, "koishikaruran," means "I wonder why I long for her," closing with the attributive "ran" in answer to "ka" in the second line, a kakarimusubi pattern.
- Author
- Ki no Tomonori
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Hitori nomi omoeba kurushi ika ni shite onaji kokoro ni hito o oshiemu
- Next Poem
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Ha o wakami ho ni koso idene hanasusuki shita no kokoro ni musubazarame ya