By the Karu road,
under the mallard’s flyway,
my love, my sister,
lived in her small town,
and deep desire
to see her filled my soul.
But people all around with curious eyes
prevented constant visits,
and few private meetings
were granted us.
Yet I always trusted
the way would be clear,
though endless as the wild vine,
at last to meet my dear,
like a hopeful sailor
trusting on his tall ship.
Alas,
while our ways of love we still kept secret,
secret as pool sheltered in warm rocks,
my world a sunless waste became,
and clouds snuffed out the moon that lit my heaven.
For she, my love-as graceful as deep kelp fronds-
has faded from my days like autumn’s glory.
Such is the news the running messenger brings.
Like the clang of the bow-string on
a whitewood bow they hit my ear,
but I find no word to answer
or means to offer solace,
any words are aching pain.
Yet I would assuage my sorrow
by even its smallest part-
so towards Karu where she always watched
my coming, I go on my way listening,
listening for her voice, but only hear
the screams of wild fowl flying
across a sullen landscape.
I meet and scan the faces
of folk along the soldier’s road
but no face like hers I see.
So nothing is left-
I can but call her name
and wave my sleeve in vain.
I would gladly follow
the wandering spirit of my love
through precipitous ways
hidden by autumn’s red leaves,
but cannot tread those unknown mountain trails
That lie beyond my ken.
In autumn’s fall of scarlet forest leaves
I see the message coming for me
and think of one day of love
that never more shall be.
(Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro)
More Poetry from Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro:
Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems based on Topics: Heaven, Love, Autumn, Media & News, Faces, Secrets, Pain, Success, Sisters, Listening, Soul- I do speak these words, though (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
- Lament for Prince Takechi (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
- On the Death of His Wife (II) (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
- On Seeing a Corpse on the Shore (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
- On Leaving His Wife in Ihami (II) (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
- On Leaving His Wife in Ihami (I) (Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Soul Poems, Faces Poems, Heaven Poems, Pain Poems, Success Poems, Running Poems, Secrets Poems, Listening Poems, Autumn Poems, Sisters PoemsBased on Keywords: bow-string, kelp, mallard, love-as
- The Song Of Hiawatha XII: The Son Of The Evening Star (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Poems)
- Afternoon At A Parsonage (Jean Ingelow Poems)
- Poems - Written On The Deaths Of Three Lovely Children (Jean Ingelow Poems)
- The Passion Of Dido For Aeneas (John Denham Poems)
- The Pastoral, Or Lyric Muse Of Scotland. Canto First (Hector MacNeill Poems)