Found in a Poem from Hyakunin Isshu
Photo by Vinicius “amnx” Amano on Unsplash
What did ancient Japanese associate with the burning fire? Let me refer to Hyakunin Isshu 百人一首, the classical Japanese anthology of one hundred waka poems by one hundred poets compiled in the 13th century. Yes, I found one! What’s the theme?
You guessed right. One of the 43 poems that read about love! I told you, that ancient Japanese people were more direct in expressing their passionate love.
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49/100大中臣能宣 by Onakatomi no Yoshinobu Ason
みかきもり Mikakimori
衛士のたく火の Eji no taku hi no
夜は燃え Yoru ha moe
昼は消えつつ Hiru ha kietsutsu
物をこそ思へ Mono wo koso omoe
The following is the English translation by William N. Porter (1909)
MY constancy to her I love
I never will forsake;
As surely as the Palace Guards
Each night their watch-fire make
And guard it till daybreak.
Just like the torch fire burns hard at night, the two lovers’ night is blazing.