言の葉もみな霜枯れになりゆくは
露の宿りもあらじとぞ思ふ
露の宿りもあらじとぞ思ふ
- Roma-ji
-
Koto no ha mo mina shimogare ni nariyuku wa tsuyu no yadori mo araji to zo omou
- English Translation
-
Now that your words, too,
like leaves have all withered
beneath the frost,
I think there is no place left
where the dew might come to rest
- Meaning
- Since even your words have all withered as leaves do under frost, I can only think there is no longer any place for the dew to rest.
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems V 923
Headnote: "Reply."
The woman says that since even his words have withered as under frost, she thinks there is no longer any place for the dew to rest. Likened to his dwelling in the preceding poem, she answers coldly that since his letters have ceased and his words withered, there is no dwelling for the dew anymore.
It is the reply to the preceding poem, 922. Taking up "tsuyu no mi" and "yado," she answers that there is no "tsuyu no yadori," tying the leaves of words to frost-withering.
The poet is listed as anonymous, and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Koto no ha mo," means "your words too," with "ha," leaf, related to "shimogare" in the second line.
The second line, "mina shimogare ni," means "all withered by frost," a figure for his letters ceasing.
The third line, "nariyuku wa," means "that they are becoming."
The fourth line, "tsuyu no yadori mo," means "a resting place for the dew," taking up "tsuyu no mi" and "yado" in the preceding poem.
The last line, "araji to zo omou," means "I think there will be none," with "ji" a negative conjectural auxiliary and "zo" an emphatic binding particle closed by the attributive "omou."
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Ima made mo kiede aritsuru tsuyu no mi wa okubeki yado no areba narikeri
- Next Poem
-
Wasuremu to iishi koto ni mo aranaku ni ima wa kagiri to omou mono ka wa