人知れずもの思ふころの我が袖は
秋の草葉におとらざりけり
秋の草葉におとらざりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Hito shirezu mono omou koro no waga sode wa aki no kusaba ni otorazarikeri
- English Translation
-
Unknown to the world,
in these days of brooding thought
my sleeves, for their part,
are no less wet than the leaves
of the grasses in autumn
- Meaning
- These days, as I brood in secret over my love, my sleeves are no less wet with tears than the autumn grasses are with dew.
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems V 901
Headnote: "Composed when he had begun to visit the Katsura Princess, and she seemed not to return his feelings."
The poet says that in these days of secret brooding his sleeves are no less wet than autumn grasses. Overlaying grass leaves wet with autumn dew on sleeves wet with tears, he voices the sorrow of a love that is not returned.
According to the headnote, he composed it when he had begun to visit the Katsura Princess and she seemed not to care for him. The Katsura Princess is thought to be Princess Fushi, a daughter of Emperor Uda. Like the preceding poems it draws on autumn imagery, and the dew-wet grass echoes the dew of 893 and 894.
The poet, listed as "Sadakazu no Miko," was Prince Sadakazu. A son of Emperor Seiwa, he was also known for his skill in dance.
The first line, "Hito shirezu," means "unknown to others," marking the love as secret.
The second line, "mono omou koro no," means "in these days of brooding," a hypermetric line of eight syllables.
The third line, "waga sode wa," means "my sleeves," sleeves wet with tears.
The fourth line, "aki no kusaba ni," means "than the leaves of autumn grasses," grasses wet with dew.
The last line, "otorazarikeri," means "they are no less," with "keri" marking the poet's lament that his sleeves are as wet as the dewy grass.
- Author
- Prince Sadakazu
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Iu kara ni tsurasa zo masaru aki no yo no kusa no tozashi ni sawaru beshi ya wa
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Shizuhata ni omoi midarete aki no yo no akuru mo shirazu nagekitsuru kana