葦鶴の沢辺に年は経ぬれども
心は雲の上にのみこそ
心は雲の上にのみこそ
- Roma-ji
-
Ashitazu no sawabe ni toshi wa henuredomo kokoro wa kumo no ue ni nomi koso
- English Translation
-
Like a crane in the reeds,
by the marsh I have passed
my years, and yet
my heart dwells only
above the clouds
- Meaning
- Like a crane among the reeds, I have passed my years by the marsh, and yet my heart is always far above the clouds, with you in the palace.
- Commentary
-
Book Eleven Love Poems III 753
Headnote: "Sent to the Fourth Princess."
The poet says that though he has spent his years by the marsh like a crane among the reeds, his heart is always above the clouds. Likening himself to a crane by the marsh, he declares his unchanging longing for a princess who dwells above the clouds, that is, in the palace.
According to the headnote, the poem was sent to Princess Kinshi, the fourth daughter of Emperor Daigo. The next poem, 754, is her reply.
The poet, called "the Minister of the Right," was Fujiwara no Morosuke. The second son of Regent Fujiwara no Tadahira, he rose to Minister of the Right. Also called the Kujō Minister of the Right, he took Princess Kinshi as his wife.
The first line, "Ashitazu no," means "like a crane among the reeds," figuring himself. The first line of the next poem, 754, is also "ashitazu no," answering with the same word.
The second line, "sawabe ni toshi wa," means "by the marsh, my years," the low marsh standing for one far from the palace.
The third line, "henuredomo," means "though I have passed."
The fourth line, "kokoro wa kumo no," means "my heart, of the clouds," forming a contrast of high and low with "sawabe" in the second line.
The last line, "ue ni nomi koso," means "only above," "kumo no ue," above the clouds, meaning the palace. The closing word after "koso" is left unsaid.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Morosuke
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Asukagawa sekite todomuru mono naraba fuchise ni naru to nani ka iwasen
- Next Poem
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Ashitazu no kumoi ni kakaru kokoro araba yo o hete sawa ni sumazu zo aramashi