あしひきの山下茂く這ふ葛の
尋ねて恋ふる我と知らずや
尋ねて恋ふる我と知らずや
- Roma-ji
-
Ashihiki no yamashita shigeku hau kuzu no tazunete kouru ware to shirazu ya
- English Translation
-
Upon the foothills,
where the kudzu creeps and thrives,
I trace each vine—
do you not know it is I
who seek you out in love
- Meaning
- As one traces the kudzu vines that creep thickly at the foot of the mountain, I seek you out in love—do you not know it is I?
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 605
Headnote: "Intending to begin declaring his love to someone."
The poet asks whether she does not know that it is he who seeks her out in love, as one traces the kudzu vines growing thick at the mountain's foot. In the image of following a vine to its root, he layers his ceaseless search for the beloved.
According to the headnote, he composed it intending to declare his love to someone for the first time. The next poem, 606, shares the same headnote.
The poet, Prince Kanemi, was a son of Prince Koretaka, himself a son of Emperor Montoku, and served as Minister of the Imperial Household, among other posts. His poems also appear in the Kokin Wakashū.
The first line, "Ashihiki no," is a pillow word for "mountain."
The second line, "yamashita shigeku," means "thick at the mountain's foot."
The third line, "hau kuzu no," means "of the creeping kudzu." The first three lines form a preface leading to "tazunete" in the fourth line through the sense of tracing a vine.
The fourth line, "tazunete kouru," means "seeking out and longing."
The last line, "ware to shirazu ya," means "do you not know it is I?" with "ya" a question addressed to the beloved.
- Author
- Kanramu Ou
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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