こゆるぎのいそぎて来つるかひもなく
またこそ立てれ沖つ白波
またこそ立てれ沖つ白波
- Roma-ji
-
Koyurugi no isogite kitsuru kai mo naku mata koso tatere okitsu shiranami
- English Translation
-
To Koyurugi's
shore I've hurried, but in vain,
no shells to be found,
for there they rise again,
the white waves of the open sea.
- Meaning
- Like the shore of Koyurugi, where I came hurrying, it was all for nothing, with no shells to find: once again the white waves of the open sea rise between us.
- Commentary
-
Book Nineteen Miscellaneous Love Poems 1224
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet says that, for all the haste in coming, it was in vain, for again the white waves of the offing have risen. Bringing in the shore of Koyurugi, a poetic place in Sagami, and pivoting on "iso," shore and "isogi," haste, and on "kai," shell and worth, it sings of the frustration of hurrying to meet a lover only to find obstacles in the way once more. The white waves seem to stand for the eyes of others or whatever keeps the two apart.
First line, "koyurugi no," means "of Koyurugi" in Sagami, leading to "iso" in the second line.
Second line, "isogite kitsuru," is a pivot word: "iso" means the "shore" of Koyurugi and "isogi," haste. It means "I came in haste," with "tsuru" the attributive form of the perfective "tsu."
Third line, "kai mo naku," is a pivot word: "kai" means "shells" on the shore and "worth."
Fourth line, "mata koso tatere," means "again they have risen," with the binding particle "koso" resolved by "re," the perfective form of the auxiliary "ri." The poem breaks after this fourth line, inverted with the final line.
Final line, "okitsu shiranami," means "the white waves of the open sea," ending on a noun and standing for what keeps the lovers apart.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Akihagi no hana mo ueokanu yado nareba shika tachiyoramu tokoro dani nashi
- Next Poem
-
Shinobitsutsu yoru koso kishika karakoromo hitoya mimu to wa omowazarishi o