恋ひて寝る夢路に通ふ魂の
慣るるかひなく疎き君かな
慣るるかひなく疎き君かな
- Roma-ji
-
Koite nuru yumeji ni kayou tamashii no naruru kai naku utoki kimi kana
- English Translation
-
Sleeping in longing,
my soul goes along the path
of dreams to find you,
yet for all its growing close
how distant you remain
- Meaning
- Falling asleep in longing, my soul travels the path of dreams to you, yet for all the closeness it finds there, you remain so distant.
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Love Poems IV 868
Headnote: "When a woman with whom he exchanged letters seemed to grow careless."
The poet says that though his soul, traveling the path of dreams as he sleeps in longing, has grown close to her, it is in vain, for she remains distant. In dreams his soul goes to her and grows intimate, but in waking life she stays cold, and he laments the gap.
According to the headnote, the poem was composed when a woman with whom he exchanged letters seemed neglectful.
The poet is listed as anonymous, and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Koite nuru," means "sleeping in longing."
The second line, "yumeji ni kayou," means "traveling the path of dreams."
The third line, "tamashii no," means "my soul," reflecting the belief that the soul leaves the body from longing and goes to the beloved.
The fourth line, "naruru kai naku," means "growing close to no avail."
The last line, "utoki kimi kana," means "how distant you are," with "kana" expressing emotion.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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