冬なれど君が垣ほに咲きければ
むべとこなつに恋しかりけり
むべとこなつに恋しかりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Fuyu naredo kimi ga kakio ni sakikereba mube tokonatsu ni koishikarikeri
- English Translation
-
Though it is winter,
since it bloomed along your fence,
no wonder, then,
this flower of ever-summer
makes me long for you always
- Meaning
- Though it is winter, this flower bloomed by your fence; no wonder, then, that like its name, ever-summer, it makes me long for you always.
- Commentary
-
Book Fourteen Love Poems VI 1069
Headnote: "Composed when Minamoto no Tadaakira no Ason picked a pink and sent it to her around the Tenth Month."
The poet says that since the flower bloomed at his fence even in winter, it is no wonder she longs for him always, as its name "tokonatsu," ever-summer, says. Through the pink flowering out of season in winter, she overlays the "toko," always, of its name with a love that never changes.
According to the headnote, Minamoto no Tadaakira no Ason picked a pink and sent it to her around the Tenth Month. Following the preceding poem, 1068, it is again a poem of the Tenth Month, setting a summer flower among the images of winter.
The poet is listed as anonymous, and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Fuyu naredo," means "though it is winter," with "do" an adversative conjunctive particle.
The second line, "kimi ga kakio ni," means "by your fence."
The third line, "sakikereba," means "since it bloomed."
The fourth line, "mube tokonatsu ni," means "no wonder, ever-summer," with "tokonatsu" joining the flower called tokonatsu, the pink, and "toko," always. "Mube" means "indeed."
The last line, "koishikarikeri," means "I long for you," with "keri" expressing the exclamation of a realization.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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