For our final poem for Valentine’s Day, I thought this was another good choice:
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| 明けぬれば | Akenureba | Because it has dawned, |
| 暮るるものとは | Kururu mono to wa | it will become night again— |
| 知りながら | Shiri nagara | this I know, and yet, |
| なをうらめしき | Nao urameshiki | ah, how hateful it is— |
| あさぼらけかな | Asaborake kana | the first cold light of morning! |
The author of the poem, Lord Fujiwara no Michinobu (972-994), was the adopted son of the powerful Fujiwara no Kane’ie who was the husband of the mother of Michitsuna (poem 53), author of the Gossamer Years. Kane’ie was known for his philandering, and it seems that his adoptive son had a relationship or two as well, though sadly he died at the age of 23 according to Mostow.
This is another classic “Morning After” poem, which we’ve featured here, here and here.
Lord Michinobu dreads the rising sun because it means he has to sneak back to his own residence, away from his lover. Judging by his reaction, it must have been a night well-spent together. 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Hyakunin Isshu 
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