Kokinshu #482

Topic unknown.

    Our meeting is now
as distant as those far clouds
    that mutter thunder.
I keep just hearing of you,
which only prolongs my love ...

—31 December 2010

Original by Ki no Tsurayuki, who is not at his best, straining as he does with the first four lines, a complicated structure of three phrases jointed on two pivot-words: the first half of narukami, "thunder" (modern kaminari) doubles as naru, the classical cupola (modern de aru), and oto means "sound" with respect to the thunder before it and "rumor" with respect to his lover. Kumoi is now generally understood as an old-fashioned word for clouds, especially distant ones, but also had an archaic meaning of "heavens" and by extension the imperial palace -- possibly both senses are intended, adding to the complication. The vague and tentative last line (which can also be read as "Doesn't love cross (between us)?") doesn't help sell it as a love poem.


au koto wa
kumoi haruka ni
naru kami no
oto ni kikitsutsu
koi wataru ka na

---L.