みちのくの思ひしのぶにありながら
心にかかるあふの松原
心にかかるあふの松原
- Roma-ji
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Michinoku no omoi shinobu ni arinagara kokoro ni kakaru Au no Matsubara
- English Translation
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Like Shinobu
in the far land of Michinoku
I hide my love, yet
what weighs upon my heart
is the pine grove of Au
- Meaning
- Though I keep my love hidden, like Shinobu in far Michinoku, what weighs upon my heart is the pine grove of Au, whose name means to meet.
- Commentary
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Book Eight Love Poems II 429
Though he keeps his love hidden from others' eyes, the poet's heart dwells only on the pine grove of Au, whose name means to meet. Weaving in Shinobu, a famous place in Michinoku, and the pine grove of Au, the poem expresses through place-name puns the struggle between hidden love and the longing to meet.
The author, Nakamasa, is Minamoto no Nakamasa. A son of Minamoto no Yoritsuna and the father of Minamoto no Yorimasa, he was active as a poet from the time of Emperor Horikawa.
First line, 'Michinoku no', means of Michinoku, leading into the place name Shinobu in the second line.
Second line, 'omoi shinobu ni', is a pivot word in which shinobu means both to hide one's feelings and Shinobu, a famous place in Michinoku, left in kana.
Third line, 'arinagara', means while I am so, using the concessive nagara.
Fourth line, 'kokoro ni kakaru', means weighs on my heart, echoing hanging on the pines and tied to the pine grove in the final line.
Final line, 'Au no Matsubara', is a pivot word in which au means both to meet a lover and the place name of the pine grove, left in kana. The poem closes on a noun.
- Author
- Minamoto no Nakamasa
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
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