Iro fukaki namida no kawa no minakami wa hito o wasurenu kokoro narikeri

色深き涙の川の水上は
人を忘れぬ心なりけり

Roma-ji: Iro fukaki namida no kawa no minakami wa hito o wasurenu kokoro narikeri
English Translation: The river of tears,
so deep in its crimson hue—
its source, I now see,
lies within this heart of mine
that cannot forget her.
Meaning: The source of this river of tears, so deep in its crimson, is a heart that cannot forget her.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1283

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
Tracing the deep crimson river of tears to its source, the poet finds a heart that cannot forget his beloved.
Likening his flood of tears to a river and asking where it rises, he shows that the cause of his tears is a love he cannot forget. Iro fukaki joins the deep red of tears of blood with the depth of feeling.

First line, “iro fukaki”: deep in crimson, tears of blood and depth of feeling.
Second line, “namida no kawa no”: of the river of tears.
Third line, “minakami wa”: its source.
Fourth line, “hito o wasurenu”: unable to forget her.
Fifth line, “kokoro narikeri”: keri marks realization, "it is the heart."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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