Namida nomi kakikurasaruru tabi nare ya sayaka ni miyo to tsuki wa sumedomo

涙のみかきくらさるる旅なれや
さやかに見よと月は澄めども

Roma-ji: Namida nomi kakikurasaruru tabi nare ya sayaka ni miyo to tsuki wa sumedomo
English Translation: Is it that this journey
is one where only tears
darken all I see?
though the moon shines clear above
as if to say, "See me well."
Meaning: Is this a journey on which only tears darken my sight? The moon shines so clear, as if to say, "Look at me well," and yet I cannot.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1087

Headnote: "Composed on seeing the moon at a mountain temple at Kunō in Suruga Province"
Composed on viewing the moon at the mountain temple of Kunō in Suruga. The moon shines clear as though bidding him look well, yet tears of travel well up and darken his sight.
The clear moon and eyes clouded with tears are set against each other to express the depth of a traveler's grief. In the paradox of being unable to see the bright moon before him lies the loneliness of one spending the night alone at a temple in a distant province.

First line, “namida nomi”: only tears.
Second line, “kakikurasaruru”: being made all dark; ruru is passive or spontaneous.
Third line, “tabi nare ya”: ya questions, "is it because this is a journey?"; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “sayaka ni miyo to”: "see clearly," the poet guessing the moon's intent.
Fifth line, “tsuki wa sumedomo”: domo is concessive, "though the moon is clear," the inversion setting it against the lament above.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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