Gosenshu 10
後撰和歌集 巻第十 恋二
- 恋二] 恋歌二（行）
601
女のもとにはじめてつかはしける
Sent to a woman for the first time
藤原忠房朝臣
人を見て 思ふおもひも ある物を そらにこふるぞ はかなかりける
Seeing the person / the thoughts I think / are there, and yet / empty longing / is transient.
- おもひも] おもひは（八*）
- こふるぞ] こふるは（八*）
- はかなかりける] はかなかりけり（八*)
- 人を見て
- This may mean catching a glimpse of the woman (as is common in monogatari), or it may refer to the couple spending a night together.
--
Tadafusa has either spent one night with the woman or just glimpsed her -- he has those memories, but even so his current position, where he has to long for her with no hope of meeting, is difficult to tolerate. Kifune sees a series of wordplays that conceal a phrase 陽もあるものを、空に...降る.
Other sources:
- 新撰万葉集４５４. Second line 思ふことだに.
- 寛平后宮歌合１６１, anonymous. Second line 思ふことだに. Kudo thinks that this is a separate poem drawn on by Tadafusa, perhaps because Tadafusa may have been too young to participate in this poetry competition (although his birth year is uncertain).
602
壬生忠岑
ひとりのみ おもへばくるし 如何して おなじ心に 人ををしへむ
It hurts me to think alone. (1-2) / how can I / teach you the same heart (4-5)?
- おもへば] おもふは（ハイ・標・新）
- 如何して
- Every other text reads いかにして, so it's likely that Teika intended 如何 to be read as いかに. いかにして....む is "How can I..." or perhaps "I want somehow to..."
--
The prose prefaces in the Tadamine Collection version of this poem give a different possible context; with the context carried over from the previous poem it sounds like Tadamine has only seen or heard of the woman and is now sending a message for the first time. It was common in such introductory letters to already be talking of how much you were burning with love for the other person.
Perhaps this is based on the anonymous KKS 541:
- よそにして恋ふればくるし入れ紐の同じ心にいざむすびてむ
- It hurts me to long for you from afar. Let's pledge our love and be together like beads on a string.
Other sources:
- 古今和歌六帖２６３０・あひおもはぬ. Also ２１３８・ざふの思ひ. First line ひとすれず (only in 2138).
- 忠岑集１５７. Prose preface ある女の、いみじう本意なくはべりしかば(IV) or ある女のいみじう心つよくはべりしかば(II).
603
紀友則
わが心 いつならひてか 見ぬ人を 思ひやりつつ こひしかるらん
My heart / when did it become used to / sending my thoughts to (4) / and longing for (3) / a person I have not seen?
- 見ぬ人を] 見ぬ人の（雲・坊・新イ）
--
Another "first contact" poem, telling the woman how much he has been thinking of her despite not having met.
Other sources:
- 古今和歌六帖２５３２・しらぬ人・友則. Third line 見ぬ人の.
- 友則集３８. Second and third lines いつにならひて 見ぬ人の.
604
まだ年わかかりける女につかはしける
Sent to a girl who was still young
源中正
葉をわかみ ほにこそいでね 花すすき したの心に むすばざらめや
The leaves are young, and so / the flower has not appeared / the susuki / how can we not tie together (5) / the underlying thought? (4)
- 葉をわかみ
- The を...み structure means が....ので.
- ほにこそいでね
- This either refers to the woman who has not yet come of age, or to the man, whose feelings are not yet made known.
- したの心
- This suggests both the bottom part of the plant as well as the author's intentions.
--
This sort of poem could be sent to a girl's parents as part of a politically arranged marriage. However, it may also be that the girl is not actually below marriageable age but just much younger than the author (on the other hand, the Tale of Genji reminds us that a man could take a romantic interest in a very young girl...)
605
人をいひはじめむとて
He talked to her for the first time
兼覧王
Prince Kanemi
あしひきの 山したしげく はふくずの 尋ねてこふる 我としらずや
[the foot dragging] / bottom of the mountain, profuse / with crawling kudzu vine / [like that] I seek for you longing / do you not know me?
- 山したしげく] 山したしげみ（荒・片・新イ）
- 我としらずや] 我としらなむ（堀・坊・新イ）
- あしひきの
- A pillow word for 山.
- はふくずの
- The first three lines are a preface for 尋ぬ, because the vines grow profusely and seek out every place to expand.
--
Kigin suggests that this is a 有心序, where the blindly growing vines represent the poet who is seeking after the woman despite not having any letter or communication from her, and perhaps also the way he is drawn to her. Kifune notes that the はふくず was a symbol of love in the MYS as well, and praises this poem's beautiful sound and evocative scenery.
Other sources:
- 古今和歌六帖３６６０・くず・兼覧
- 新時代別歌合３９・兼覧王. Fourth line うらみてこふる.
606
忠房朝臣
Lord Tadafusa
- (no preface)] いとしのびたる人を月日へていひ侍りて（堀・雲・新イ）、年月をへて忍びていひ侍る人に（中・荒・片・承・慶・坊・ハイ・新イ）
かくれぬに 忍びわびぬる わが身かな ゐでのかはづと 成りやしなまし
In a hidden marsh / lamenting secretly / that is my body! / Shall I become (5) / a frog in Ide? (4)
- 忍びわびぬる] 忍びかねぬる（荒・片*)
- かはづと] かはづに（堀）
- かくれぬに
- 隠れ沼; this is a deep marsh that is hidden under thick plants and reeds. It may act as a pillow word for 忍ぶ.
- ゐで
- A place in Yamashiro, but here it is simply used for its association with frogs.
--
The poet compares his laments to a croaking frog, which fits with the "marsh" of the beginning. As you can see from the collation notes, most texts of this poem have a prose preface rather than continuing the previous one. If we take the base text as given, the poet is lamenting in secret because the woman does not yet know of his love. The prefaces make the situation more explicit (that he has been in love with her for a long time).
Other source:
- 五代歌枕 歌枕名寄
607
女の曹司に、夜々たちよりつつ、物などいひてのち
He came to her room every night and they talked, afterwards:
- いひてのち] のたうひのち（行）、いふついでに（荒・片・慶・新イ）
- などいひてのち] の給ひなどしてのついでに（堀・雲）、もうしてのついでに（新イ）
藤原輔文
Fujiwara no Sukefumi
- 輔文] すけもと（堀・雲・慶・新イ）、すけむと（中）、すけふさ（白）、輔仁（荒・片）、すけのぶ（片イ）、源助元（新イ）、一本輔仁（定本勘物）
あぶくまの きりとはなしに 終夜 立ち渡りつつ 世をもふるかな
I am not the mist of Abukuma (1-2) / but all through the night / I stand and cross / passing the time!
- 終夜] ふよのよを（荒・片*）
- 藤原輔文
- No information is available on this person. As you can see from the collation notes, the name varies widely in different manuscripts. This poem is not found in any contemporary source, making it impossible to tell who the author is.
- あぶくま
- This is a river in Michinokuni; the image here presumably comes from KKS 1087, labelled a "Michinokuni poem":
- あぶくまの霧たちくもり明けぬともきみをばやらじ待てばすべなし
- The mist from the Abukuma river rises and covers all, even after morning dawns, I will not let you leave -- I'm tired of waiting for you.
- Katagiri points out that many non-Teika manuscripts of the KKS read 霧たちわたり, making the connection between the two poems even stronger.
- 終夜
- Most texts read よもすがら in kana, and this reading of the 終夜 kanji is confirmed by the 類聚名義抄. Perhaps the variant reading of ふゆのよを comes from a misreading or miscopying of 終 as 冬.
- 立ち渡りつつ
- This evokes both the mist rising off the river, and the poet standing by her room.
--
The "talking" in the prose preface is probably to be taken literally; the woman has allowed him near enough to talk directly with her (rather than through gentlewomen) but still has not let him in. He draws on the famous KKS poem, evoking the night mist as a symbol of his frustrated romantic hopes.
Other sources:
- 歌枕名寄
608
文つかはせども、返事もせざりける女のもとにつかはしける
This was sent to a woman who he sent a letter to, but there was no response.
よみ人しらず
Poet unknown
あやしくも いとふにはゆる 心かな いかにしてかは 思ひやむべき
Strangley / through hate it grows stronger / my heart! / How can I possibly / stop these thoughts?
- いとふにはゆる
- The person's love gets stronger despite the hate. This phrase occurs in other poems, but it's not clear whether there's a specific reference to those poems or whether this had just become a saying.
- はゆる] こふる（承）
- 思ひやむ] 思ひたゆ（荒・片・新イ）
--
"The paradox of a one-sided love," per Kifune. The poet is asking the woman to show some pity on him. As can be seen below, this poem (with a different fifth line) also appears in the *Shui wakashu*, and in this form it was included in Teika's *Hachidaisho* collection of good poems.
Other sources:
- 拾遺和歌集９９６・題しらず. Fifth line 思ひたゆべき.
- 定家八代抄. Fifth line 思ひたゆべき
- 源氏物語注・早蕨
609
くにもちが音せざりければつかはしける
- をと] をとも（行・中・荒・片・堀・雲・八・標・新・全）
There was no word from [Fujiwara no] Kunimochi, so she sent this.
本院右京
Hon'in no Ukyo
- 本院右京] 本院右大臣（堀*)
ともかくも いふ事のはの 見えぬかな いづらはつゆの かかり所は
In any case / words you have said / I do not see! / Where shall the dew / find a place to rest?
- いふ事] いと事（堀）
- かかり] かたり（堀*)
--
The image of the dew may represent the poet herself, in which case it stands for her ephemeral life due to Kunimochi's lack of response, and wondering if she'll be able to rest with him. Or, it may be Kunimochi himself, whose heart is as changeable as the dew -- in this reading she is wondering which woman Kunomichi is staying with right now (Kifune takes this reading). The response poem in the *Nakabumi-shu* seems to take the first interpretation.
Other sources:
- 仲文集４９. Prose preface 男、音せざりければ、左京. Response poem: あだならぬ心にかかるつゆなればいはでぞおもふおきてこしより
610
題しらず
Circumstance unknown
橘敏仲
- 敏仲] 俊仲（雲・慶・新イ）、としき（荒・片*）
Tachibana no Toshinaka
わび人の そほづてふなる 涙河 おりたちてこそ ぬれ渡りけれ
- そほづてふ] そほづといふ（堀）
- 渡りけれ] 渡りつれ（堀*)
The river of tears (3) / I hear is sodden by (2) / suffering people (1) / I will get myself in there / and cross, getting wet.
- そほづ
- Some sources read そぼつ instead. The idea is that the river of tears is created by the tears of the suffering people.
- おりたちて
- This creates a place on alighting and entering the river, as well as doing something fully or with vigor.
--
Although there is no preface, the imagery may suggest that the two have not yet met. Perhaps she has rebuffed his advances, and so he decides that he is going to continue to long for her despite the suffering it will bring. KKS 617 has similar imagery.
Other sources:
- 五代歌枕
- 源氏物語注・真木柱
611
返し
Response
大輔
Taifu
ふちせとも 心もしらず 涙河 おりやたつべき そでのぬるるに
Whether deep or shallow / You do not know the heart: / the river of tears / should you get in / and wet your sleeves?
- ふちせとも] ふちもせも（坊）、ふちせとは（承）
- しらず] しらで（荒・片・堀・雲・白）
- たつべき] たたまじ（荒・片）
- 心
- This refers both to the bottom of the river and the heart of the poet.
--
The translation above follows the majority interpretation of the poem: Taifu turns away Toshinaka's love declaration. It can't be serious since he doesn't even know how she feels about him. Kigin offers a reverse interpretation: "I don't know whether your heart is deep or shallow, so should I get in the river with you?" (i.e. should we meet?)
Other sources:
- 五代歌枕
612
- (poem added on pasted slip in 堀)
又
Again
とし中
Toshinaka
- とし中] としき（荒）、としとき（片*)
心みに 猶おりたたむ なみだがは うれしきせにも 流れあふやと
To try it out / I will indeed get in / the river of tears, / I may perhaps meet (5) / shoals of happiness (4).
- せ
- This 瀬 (shallows) may also suggest the 会ふ瀬 (opportunity of meeting).
--
Toshinaka ignores Taifu's teasing and once again declares his love for her and his willingness to try a relationship. Kokin Waka Rokujo 1570 has similar imagery:
- いのりつつたのみぞわたるはつせ川うれしきせにもながれあふやと
- While praying I try to cross the Hatsuse River, perhaps I will meet shoals of happiness.
Other sources:
- 五代歌枕
- 源氏物語注・早蕨
613
わざとにはあらで、時々物いひふれ侍りける女の、心にもあらで、人にさそはれてまかりにければ、とのひ物にかきつけて、つかはしける
A woman he exchanged words with every so often, not seriously, against her intention, was invited away by another person, and [he] wrote this on night clothes, and sent it.
- 人に] こと人に（中・荒・片・堀・雲・白・慶・承・新イ）
藤原敦忠朝臣
Lord Fujiwara no Atsutada
かかりける 人の心を しらつゆの おける物とも たのみけるかな
Like this / your heart / the white dew / I trusted (5) / the left behind item (4).
- 人の] きみが（片イ）
- 物とも] 物とは（堀）
- わざと
- This could mean "officially" (an official wife), or without serious intention.
- かかりける
- "Just like this", but also plays on かかる for the dew laying on something.
- しらつゆの
- This suggests 知らず (I don't understand your heart) but also a pivot to the おける物 (something left behind, or dew lying on top of something).
--
This poem uses a complex set of wordplays on words associated with dew, a transient image often used in love poetry. The situation would seem to be that Atsutada comes across a piece of clothing that they slept under and sends it to her with this poem attached to it. Nakayama's interpretation is that he didn't know her heart and thought she left this piece of clothing behind intending to return, but now their relationship has vanished like the dew.
Kifune has a different interpretation, taking the いひふれ of the prose preface to mean that they have not actually slept together. In that case he may be sending the clothing to her as a kind of celebratory gift after she has left the capital with her new lover, and he includes the lamenting poem. Kifune also reads 604-613 as a string of related poems about a love affair.
Other sources:
- 敦忠集１４４. Lines 4 and 5: おもふ物とも思ひけるかな
614
逢ひしりて侍りける女を、久しう問はず侍りければ、「いといたうなむわび侍る」と人の告げ侍りければ
A woman he met and knew, he did not visit for a long time, and someone told him "she is extremely sad"
藤原顕忠朝臣
Fujiwara no Akitada
- 藤原顕忠朝臣] ナシ（荒）、藤原あつただ（新イ）
- Teika's note: 富小路右大臣 本院大臣二男
鶯の 雲井わびて なくこゑを 春のさがとぞ 我はききつる
The warbler / lamenting in the clouds / [its] crying voice / I heard as (5) / the nature of spring (4).
- わびて] なきて（承）
- さがとぞ] さかひを（堀）
- ききつる] ききける（坊・慶・承・新イ）
- さが
- This word is generally interpreted to mean the natural state of something, but Kifune interprets it to mean "a bad characteristic". The phrase 春のさが is also found in Poem 66; Kifune noted in that poem that this phrase is not found in other poetry collections. Perhaps it was considered too casual.
--
Akitada's poem uses the warbler as a metaphor for the woman -- Nakayama points out that warblers generally do not cry "above the clouds" but it fits with the metaphor. It also provides a convenient link to the next poem. The surface meaning is that he wasn't paying special attention to the warbler because they are always crying in spring so it wasn't anything special. Akitada is perhaps using this to suggest that the woman's lamenting is insincere; perhaps that she shouldn't be complaining to him because she's seeing other men.
Other sources:
- 和歌一字抄. Fifth line 我はききつる
- 袋草子. Fifth line 我はききけり
615
文かよはしける女の、こと人に逢ひぬと聞きてつかはしける
He heard that a woman he had exchanged letters with had taken up with another man, and sent this.
平時望朝臣
Taira no Tokimochi
- 平時望朝臣] 藤原時光（新イ）
- Teika's note: 権中納言 承平七年任 天慶元年薨
かくばかり 常なき世とは しりながら 人をはるかに 何たのみけん
Just like this / an impermanent world / I knew it to be, and yet / on you, so far / why did I put my trust?
- 世
- This carries the subtext of relations between men and women.
- はるか
- The "far away" denotes both the future of their relationship, as well as the "far" distance of his letters.
- 常なき] つれなき（堀）
- 何] など（堀・荒・片*)
--
"I knew that relations between men and women are always fleeting, so why did I put my trust in us having a long relationship?" That may seem like a rather overblown statement for someone that the poet was only exchanging letters with, but taking this kind of posture was common in love poem exchanges.
616
男の来ざりければ、つかはしける
A man was not visiting, so she sent this
こまちがあね
Komachi's older sister
- あね] いとこ（中・片イ・堀・雲・白・坊・慶・八イ・新イ）
わがかどの ひとむらすすき かりかはん 君がてなれの こまもこぬかな
From my house / the bunch of pampas grass / cut and given for food / to your familiar / horse -- even that horse does not come!
- かど] やど（白・新イ）
- かはん] かへん（堀*）
- てなれの] てなれし（片）
- こぬかな] みなくに（堀*), こぬかと（雲）
--
This poem is one long modifier for "horse" in the final line. Kifune notes the bitterness present in the poem that avoids mention of the man completely, and only paints the picture of his horse that is fed (presumably by the servants). Kigin says that there is "meaning" in the も of the final line but does not further explain; perhaps the idea is that she would like to see the friendly horse even if he's not going to show up.
The *Tale of Genji* may draw on this poem in the "Momiji no Ga" chapter, when the old Gen no Naishi reads this poem to Genji:
- 君し来ば手慣れの駒に刈り飼はむさかり過ぎたる下葉なりとも
- If you should visit, I will cut grass to feed your horse, though the bottom leaves have passed their prime.
Other sources:
- 新撰和歌３２２
