信濃なる浅間の山も燃ゆなれば
富士の煙のかひやなからん
富士の煙のかひやなからん
- Roma-ji
-
Shinano naru Asama no yama mo moyu nareba Fuji no kemuri no kai ya nakaran
- English Translation
-
Since Mount Asama
there in Shinano, they say,
is burning as well,
the smoke of Fuji I send—
will it be of no avail
- Meaning
- Since Mount Asama in Shinano is said to be burning too, perhaps the smoke of Fuji I send you will be of little use.
- Commentary
-
Book Nineteen Parting Poems 1308
Headnote: "Sent with incense to someone going to Shinano."
The poet wonders whether the smoke of Fuji will be of no avail, since Mount Asama in Shinano is said to burn as well. Sending incense to someone bound for a land with a smoking volcano, she modestly and playfully asks whether incense likened to Fuji's smoke can compete there.
According to the headnote, it was sent with incense to someone going down to Shinano. Playing on the fact that the province of Kai lies between Fuji in Suruga and Asama in Shinano, she weaves in Fuji, the mountain of the poet's own name, Suruga.
The poet, Suruga, seems to have been a lady-in-waiting of the mid-Heian period, but little is known of her life.
The first line, "Shinano naru," means "in Shinano," the traveler's destination.
The second line, "Asama no yama mo," means "Mount Asama too," a mountain sung of for its plume of smoke.
The third line, "moyu nareba," means "since it is said to burn," with "nare" hearsay.
The fourth line, "Fuji no kemuri no," means "of the smoke of Fuji," likening the incense to Fuji's smoke. Fuji is in Suruga, the province of the poet's name.
The last line, "kai ya nakaran," is a pivot word on "kai," both use and the province of Kai: will it be of no avail? The interrogative binding particle "ya" is closed by the attributive "nakaran."
- Author
- Suruga
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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Futamiyama tomo ni koenedo masukagami soko naru kage o taguete zo yaru
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Kono tabi mo ware o wasurenu mono naraba uchimimu tabi ni omoiidenan