惜しと思ふ心はなくてこのたびは
行く馬に鞭をおほせつるかな
行く馬に鞭をおほせつるかな
- Roma-ji
-
Oshi to omou kokoro wa nakute kono tabi wa yuku uma ni muchi o ōsetsuru kana
- English Translation
-
Not a single thought
of sorrow at our parting—
on this journey I
have only laid the whip upon
the horse already bound away
- Meaning
- With no thought of regret at all, on this journey I have only put the whip to a horse already eager to be off.
- Commentary
-
Book Nineteen Parting Poems 1311
Headnote: "Hearing that someone going to Ise was impatient to be off, I gave travel gear and wrote this on a folded paper; the person's name was Muma."
The poet says that, with no feeling of regret, this time he has laid the whip on a horse that is already going. By giving travel gear to one eager to leave, he has only hurried the departure, expressing his grief at parting in an inverted way.
According to the headnote, hearing that someone going to Ise was anxious to set out soon, he gave travel supplies and wrote this on a folded paper; the person was called Muma. The next poem is the reply, and the two form an exchange.
The poet is anonymous and the name is not known.
The first line, "Oshi to omou," means "feeling sorrow at parting."
The second line, "kokoro wa nakute," means "with no such heart," a statement contrary to the poet's true feelings.
The third line, "kono tabi wa," is a pivot word on "tabi," both "time" and "journey."
The fourth line, "yuku uma ni muchi o," means "a whip on the departing horse," with an extra syllable. "Uma," horse, plays on the person's name Muma, likening the eager traveler to a restless horse.
The last line, "ōsetsuru kana," means "I have laid it on," with "kana" exclamatory, meaning that his gift has urged the departure.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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