Kaeru kari iku kumoi tomo shiranedomo kokoro bakari o taguete zo yaru - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

帰る雁幾雲居とも知らねども
心ばかりをたぐへてぞやる

Roma-ji: Kaeru kari iku kumoi tomo shiranedomo kokoro bakari o taguete zo yaru
English Translation: Wild geese flying home,
how many cloud-realms away
I cannot know,
yet my heart, at least,
I send along with you
Meaning: Wild geese returning home, I do not know how many clouds away you will go, but I send my heart, at least, to keep you company.
Commentary: Book One Spring Poems I 39

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on the spirit of returning geese"
Continuing from the preceding poem on "returning geese," this poem admits that the poet has no idea how far beyond the clouds the geese will travel, but though he cannot go with them, he will at least send his heart along. His reluctance to see them go is expressed by sending his heart with them.
The author, "Hafuribe no Sukune Narinaka," is Hafuribe no Narinaka, a priest who served as negi of the Hie Shrine. He lived to a great age and took part in many poetry contests.

First line, "kaeru kari": the geese returning north, the poem's theme.
Second line, "iku kumoi tomo": "kumoi" is where the clouds are, the distant sky, so "however many cloud-realms away."
Third line, "shiranedomo": "domo" is concessive, "though I do not know."
Fourth line, "kokoro bakari o": "bakari" limits: "my heart, at least." Where 37 and 38 depicted the scene of seeing geese off, this poem sends the watcher's heart along with them.
Fifth line, "taguete zo yaru": "taguete" means to send as companion, and "zo" closes with the attributive "yaru." The series on returning geese ends here.
Author: Hafuribe no Narinaka
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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