蚊遣り火は物思ふ人の心かも
夏の夜すがら下に燃ゆらん
夏の夜すがら下に燃ゆらん
- Roma-ji
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Kayaribi wa mono omou hito no kokoro ka mo natsu no yosugara shita ni moyuran
- English Translation
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Is the smudge fire
the heart of one who broods
lost in thoughts of love?
Through the summer night it smolders
hidden, burning down below.
- Meaning
- Is the smudge fire the heart of one who broods in love? All through the summer night it smolders, burning out of sight below.
- Commentary
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Book Twelve Love Poems II 769
Headnote: "On seeing a smudge fire"
The poem asks whether the smudge fire is the heart of one who broods in love, since it seems to smolder unseen all through the summer night. The headnote shows it was composed on seeing a smudge fire. In the smudge fire that smokes without rising into flame it sees a secret love that cannot be shown and keeps burning within the breast. Following the Iris Festival of the two preceding poems, it entrusts love to summer imagery.
The author, written as "Yoshinobu," is Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu. He served as chief priest of the Ise Shrine and, as one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber, took part in compiling the Gosenshū. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
First line, "kayaribi wa," means "the smudge fire," a fire smoldered to drive away mosquitoes.
Second line, "mono omou hito no," means "of one who broods."
Third line, "kokoro ka mo," means "is it the heart," with "ka mo" an exclamation tinged with doubt. The poem breaks after this third line.
Fourth line, "natsu no yosugara," means "all through the summer night."
Final line, "shita ni moyuran," means "it must smolder below," with "shita," below, overlaid with the hidden heart within. "Ran" is an auxiliary of present conjecture.
- Author
- Onakatomi no Yoshinobu
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Ouredomo koma mo susamenu ayamegusa kari ni mo hito no konu ga wabishisa
- Next Poem
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Shinobureba kurushikarikeri shinosusuki aki no sakari ni nari ya shinamashi