古里の奈良の都の始めより
なれにけりとも見ゆる衣か
なれにけりとも見ゆる衣か
- Roma-ji
-
Furusato no nara no miyako no hajime yori narenikeri to mo miyuru koromo ka
- English Translation
-
Since the very start
of Nara, our ancient capital,
it seems this robe
has been worn and grown so soft—
such an old one, I see
- Meaning
- What a robe this is—it looks as though it has been worn soft ever since the founding of Nara, the ancient capital.
- Commentary
-
Book Fifteen Miscellaneous Poems I 1113
Headnote: "When Masatada mixed up his night-duty bedding and brought it to me, Taifu."
The poet says that the robe looks as though it has been worn soft since the founding of Nara, the old capital. Teasing Masatada about the shabby night-duty bedding he brought her by mistake, she lets "nara" echo "nare," worn soft, and laughs at how threadbare it is.
According to the headnote, Fujiwara no Masatada mixed up his bedding for night duty and brought it to Taifu, and she composed this. Masatada's reply follows in the next poem, forming an exchange.
The poet, Taifu, was a lady-in-waiting and poet of the time of the Gosenshu, said to be a daughter of Minamoto no Tasuku.
The first line, "Furusato no," means "of the old capital," pointing to Nara.
The second line, "nara no miyako no," means "of Nara, the capital," letting the sound "nara" echo in "nare" in the fourth line.
The third line, "hajime yori," means "since the very beginning," exaggerating it to the distant past.
The fourth line, "narenikeri to mo," means "as if worn soft," with "nare" meaning a garment grown soft with wear.
The last line, "miyuru koromo ka," means "what a robe it looks," with "ka" exclamatory.
- Author
- Taifu
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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