Thursday, 24 December 2009

Kokinshu #838

Thursday, 24 December 2009 07:07
lnhammer: the Chinese character for poetry, red on white background (Default)
    Though I do not know
whether I have a tomorrow,
    for today, at least,
I am caught up in grieving
for one whose twilight has come.

—15-22 December 2009

Original by Ki no Tsurayuki, mourning for his cousin and co-editor of the Kokinshu, Ki no Tomomori. I'm still struggling with the final verb, which is my fourth line: it has (or seems to) continuative and intensive aspects, which I haven't been able to express without recourse to added metaphor. Also, I'm not sure I've put "twilight/darkening" in the right place. Or maybe it's doing double duty?


asu shiranu
wa ga mi to omoedo
kurenu ma no
kyou wa hito koso
kanashikarikere


---L.

About

Warning: contents contain line-breaks.

As language practice, I like to translate poetry. My current project is Chinese, with practice focused on Tang Dynasty poetry. Previously this was classical Japanese, most recently working through the Kokinshu anthology (archived here). Suggestions, corrections, and questions always welcome.

There's also original pomes in the journal archives.

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