Oriori ni uchite taku hi no kemuri araba kokorozasu ka o shinobe to zo omou - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

折々に打ちて焚く火の煙あらば
心ざすかをしのべとぞ思ふ

Roma-ji: Oriori ni uchite taku hi no kemuri araba kokorozasu ka o shinobe to zo omou
English Translation: Now and then, if smoke
should rise from the fire you strike
and kindle on the road,
by its scent of my devotion
I would have you think of me
Meaning: If ever smoke should rise from the fire you strike and kindle now and then along your way, I would have you remember me through the fragrance of my devotion.
Commentary: Book Nineteen Parting Poems 1304

Headnote: "Written on a fire striker sent to someone going to Michinoku."
The poet asks that whenever smoke rises from the fire struck along the way, the traveler recall in its scent the giver's devotion. Sending a fire striker to someone departing for distant Michinoku, he hopes that each time a fire is lit, the rising smoke will bring the giver's heart to mind.
According to the headnote, it was written to accompany a fire striker given to someone going down to Michinoku. The book of parting poems opens with a poem entrusting one's heart to a gift for a departing traveler. Poem 1309 of this book is likewise sent with a fire striker to a friend leaving for a distant province.
The poet, Ki no Tsurayuki, given in the text as "Tsurayuki," was a son of Ki no Mochiyuki and the chief compiler of the Kokinshu, for which he wrote the Japanese preface. He is also known as the author of the Tosa Diary, and the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu includes his poem "Hito wa isa kokoro mo shirazu furusato wa."

The first line, "Oriori ni," means "now and then," each time a fire is made on the journey.
The second line, "uchite taku hi no," means "of the fire you strike and kindle," taking up the fire striker of the headnote.
The third line, "kemuri araba," means "if there is smoke," with "ba" a supposition.
The fourth line, "kokorozasu ka o," means "the scent of devotion," "ka o" being read as "scent," laying the giver's devotion over the fragrance of the smoke.
The last line, "shinobe to zo omou," means "I would have you remember," with "zo" closed by the attributive "omou."
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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