[16] たち (Tachi)

 Poem Meaning and Background

Photo by Roma Kaiuk on Unsplash

たちわかれ・いなばのやまの・みねにおふる

tachi wakare・Inaba no yama no・mine ni oru

まつとしきかば・いまかへりこむ

matsu to shi kikaba・ima kaeri kon

〜中納言行平（Chūnagon Yukihira）

Translation

Though we are parted,

If on Mount Inaba's peak

I should hear the sound

Of the pine trees growing there,

I'll come back again to you.

Meaning

Though I've labelled it as "travel", this poem can also be categorized as being about "separation" or parting ways. At the age of 38, the author of this poem was appointed 国守(kokushu) of Inaba Province, now called Totori Prefecture. He wrote this poem to reflect his feelings before having to depart, leaving his friends and family behind, to travel to an unknown land. 

The poem contains more than one instance of word play. Mt. Inaba is an actual mountain, but it can also be taken to mean 往なば (inaba), or in more simple Japanese 行ってしまったなら, (if I must go). The word "pine" is also interesting because in Japanese, matsu can mean both 松, a pine tree, or 待つ, to wait for someone, or to long for someone. It's one of the only puns that works well in both English and Japanese, since the translator can carry over the author's originally intended double meaning of the word by translating "matsu" to "pine". 

Though the author implies he would return quickly if he hears that people are waiting for him at home, considering his position he would likely be unable to do so. This poem is less of a promise, and more of a representation of the author's strong wish that he could stay near his loved ones. 

Author

A depiction of the author and
his poem by the artist Agameishi

Ariwara no Yukihira (818~893) is the half brother of Ariwara no Narihira, author of poem [17] Chiha. He is also one of the grandsons of Emperor Heizei. He held many important positions in his lifetime, including governing several provinces, and also held the title of 中納言（Chūnagon or Councillor). He was also a poet and many of his works are published alongside his brother's.