住吉の松ならねども久しくも
君と寝ぬ夜のなりにけるかな
君と寝ぬ夜のなりにけるかな
- Roma-ji
-
Sumiyoshi no matsu naranedomo hisashiku mo kimi to nenu yo no narinikeru kana
- English Translation
-
Though I am no pine
of Sumiyoshi's ancient shore,
long indeed it's been,
the nights I have not lain
at your side, so many now.
- Meaning
- Though I am not the pine of Sumiyoshi, how long it has grown, the time of nights I have not slept beside you.
- Commentary
-
Book Twelve Love Poems II 740
Headnote: "Sent to Tadafusa's daughter when he had long failed to visit her"
The poem says that though the poet is not the pine of Sumiyoshi, the nights he has not slept beside her have grown long. The headnote shows it was sent to the daughter of Fujiwara no Tadafusa when he had long failed to visit her. Invoking the pine of Sumiyoshi, a symbol of long life, it apologizes for the long absence while conveying unchanged love. The next poem, 741, is the reply to this poem.
The author, written as "Dainagon Kiyokage," is Minamoto no Kiyokage. A son of Emperor Yōzei, he left the imperial family, received the surname Minamoto, and rose to Major Counselor.
First line, "Sumiyoshi no," means "of Sumiyoshi" in Settsu, the same place as the third line of the preceding poem, 739, "Suminoe no." It is the same word as the third line of the next poem, 741, "Sumiyoshi no."
Second line, "matsu naranedomo," means "though I am no pine," the pine of Sumiyoshi being a symbol of long endurance.
Third line, "hisashiku mo," means "so long," the same line as the first line of the next poem, 741, "hisashiku mo."
Fourth line, "kimi to nenu yo no," means "the nights I have not slept with you."
Final line, "narinikeru kana," means "how they have grown," with "ni" perfective, "keru" past, and "kana" exclamatory.
- Author
- Minamoto no Kiyokage
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Shinobitsutsu omoeba kurushi Suminoe no matsu no ne nagara arawarenaba ya
- Next Poem
-
Hisashiku mo omōenedomo Sumiyoshi no matsu ya futatabi oikawaruran