[77] せ (Se)

 Poem Meaning and Background

Photo by Jérôme Prax on Unsplash

瀬をはやみ・岩にせかるる・滝川の

se o hayami・iwa ni sekaruru・takigawa no

われても末に・逢はむとぞ思ふ

warete mo sue ni・awan to zo omou

〜崇徳院（Sutoku In)

Translation

Though a swift stream is

Divided by a boulder

In its headlong flow,

Though divided, on it rushes,

And at last unites again.

Meaning

The author of this poem, Emperor Sutoku, uses the image of a fast flowing river, broken apart by rocks, but which comes together in the end to represent his unwavering devotion; though separated from his lover, he is certain that they will be together again. After he had abdicated the throne, Emperor Sutoku himself was exiled from the capitol and sent to Kagawa Prefecture, so it is possible that this poem also reflects his strong desire to return to the capitol.

In the first line, 瀬をはやみ (se o hayami) means "because the current is fast", with 瀬 meaning current and the grammar structure AをBみ＝AがBので  (because A is B). 岩にせかるる (iwa ni sekaruru) means that the river is "brought to a halt" and divided by a large rock.  滝川 (takigawa) is not the name of a specific river, but rather it means a fast flowing river, or rapids. In the second half of the poem, われても, means "though divided", and it is likely referring both to the water being divided apart (分かれて. wakarete), as well as two lovers being separated (別れて, wakarete). 逢ふ(au) has the meaning of "uniting", and when talking about lovers, it can also mean uniting in the sense of marriage.  

Author

Emperor Sutoku (1119 ~ 1164) was the 75th Emperor of Japan. He was the first prince of Emperor Toba, and succeeded the throne at age 5. He abdicated the throne at the age of 22 to Emperor Konoe. He was exiled to Sanuki Province (now Kagawa in Shikoku) in 1156 after failing to put down the Hōgen Rebellion. It is said that his vengeful spirit haunted the Imperial Court after his death.