人づてに言ふ言の葉の中よりぞ
思ひつくばの山は見えける
思ひつくばの山は見えける
- Roma-ji
-
Hitozute ni iu koto no ha no uchi yori zo omoi Tsukuba no yama wa miekeru
- English Translation
-
Even in the words
passed along by others' lips,
there I came to see
Tsukuba, where my longing
came to rest upon you
- Meaning
- Even through words passed on by others, I came to see Mount Tsukuba—where my heart first fastened upon you.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Love Poems II 686
Headnote: "Sent to someone for the first time."
The poet says that even from words passed on by others, he came to see Mount Tsukuba, where his longing first took hold. He expresses having been drawn to her through hearsay alone, without meeting, as catching sight of Mount Tsukuba.
According to the headnote, it was the first poem sent to someone. 674 in this book also sings of "kokoro Tsukuba no yama," likewise playing on "Tsukuba."
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Hitozute ni," means "through others."
The second line, "iu koto no ha no," means "of words passed along."
The third line, "uchi yori zo," means "even from within," with "zo" an emphatic particle.
In the fourth line, "Tsukuba" is a pivot word joining longing that "takes hold" and Tsukuba, a poetic place in Hitachi. It is the same conceit as the second line of 674 in this book.
The last line, "yama wa miekeru," means "the mountain came into view," closing with the attributive "keru" in answer to "zo" in the third line, a kakarimusubi pattern.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Karanishiki oshiki waga na wa tachihatete ika ni seyo to ka ima wa tsurenaki
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Tayori ni mo aranu omoi no ayashiki wa kokoro o hito ni tsukuru narikeri