淡路島かよふ千鳥の鳴く声に
幾夜寝覚めぬ須磨の関守
幾夜寝覚めぬ須磨の関守
- Roma-ji
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Awajishima kayou chidori no naku koe ni ikuyo nezamenu suma no sekimori
- English Translation
-
From Awaji Isle
the plovers come and go,
and at their crying
how many nights has he woken,
the keeper of Suma's gate
- Meaning
- How many nights has he been woken by the cries of the plovers that fly to and from Awaji Island, the keeper of the barrier at Suma?
- Commentary
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Book Four Winter Poems 270
The poet imagines how many nights the keeper of the Suma barrier has been woken by the cries of plovers flying to and from Awaji Island. The loneliness of the shore at Suma in winter is drawn through the plovers' cries and the keeper's waking.
The poem is famous as one of those chosen for the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Suma is also known as the place where Hikaru Genji lived in lonely exile in the Suma chapter of The Tale of Genji, and the poem carries that forlorn atmosphere.
The author, Kanemasa, is Minamoto no Kanemasa. A son of Minamoto no Toshisuke, he served as Junior Secretary of the Empress's Household. He took part in poetry contests in the age of Emperor Horikawa and later took Buddhist vows.
First line, 'awajishima', is the island seen off Suma, the place to and from which the plovers fly.
Second line, 'kayou chidori no', means the plovers that come and go, the plover being a sight of winter shores.
Third line, 'naku koe ni', means at their crying, the cause of the waking.
Fourth line, 'ikuyo nezamenu', means how many nights has he woken, nu being the perfective auxiliary. The poem breaks here and the final line is inverted.
Final line, 'suma no sekimori', is the keeper of the barrier at Suma, closing with a noun.
- Author
- Minamoto no Kanemasa
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
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Tabine suru yodoko saetsutsu akenu rashi tokata zo kane no koe kikoyu nari
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Takasebune sao no oto ni zo shirarekeru ashima no kōri hitoe shinikeri