草深みさしも荒れたる宿なるを
露を形見に尋ね来しかな
露を形見に尋ね来しかな
- Roma-ji
-
Kusa fukami sashimo aretaru yado naru o tsuyu o katami ni tazunekoshi kana
- English Translation
-
With the grass so deep,
though the house has fallen
to such ruin,
taking the dew as keepsake,
I have come to seek it out.
- Meaning
- The grass has grown so deep and the house has fallen into such ruin, yet I have come seeking it, with only the dew as a keepsake of the past.
- Commentary
-
Love Poems 549
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Love at the old home"
The poet has come to the house of his former love, overgrown and fallen to ruin, taking the dew on the grass as a keepsake; the dew also carries tears of remembrance.
Kamo no Mabuchi judged tsuyu o katami ni in line 4 to be in the later style.
Line 1 means "since the grass is deep," mi expressing cause.
Line 2 means "so badly ruined," taking up the old house of the preceding poem.
Line 3 means "though it is such a house," o being adversative.
Line 4 means "taking the dew as a keepsake," overlaying dew with tears.
Line 5 means "I have come to seek it," kana exclamatory.
- Author
- Minamoto no Sanetomo
- Source
- Kinkaishu
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Furusato no sugi no itaya no hima o arami yukiawade nomi toshi no henuramu
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Shinobugusa shinobi shinobi ni oku tsuyu o hito koso towane yado wa furiniki