Heaven’s River—
not knowing the shallows, I traced
the white-breaking waves;
before I could cross it all,
the dawn had already come.

Meaning

Not knowing the shallows of the Heavenly River, I followed along the white-breaking waves, and before I could finish crossing, dawn had already come.

Commentary

Book Four Autumn Poems (Part One)

In the Kanpyō era (the reign of Emperor Uda), on the night of the seventh day of the seventh month, when the emperor commanded the courtiers to present poems, this was composed on behalf of another.

It is written as though Hikoboshi could not finish crossing the Heavenly River before dawn.
The “white waves” carry a wordplay with “not knowing,” and the phrase “dawn had already come” evokes an association with “morning,” giving the poem a playful linguistic quality.
It also forms a striking contrast with the preceding poem, which wished for the night never to end.

Author

Ki no Tomonori

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

Across Heaven’s River with crimson leaves for a bridge— is it for this that the Weaver Maid waits for autumn above all seasons to meet?
Longing, longing still, the night we meet is tonight— O Heaven’s River, let the mist rise and linger, and never let the dawn break.
That pledged heart— how cruel it seems, that of hers; for Tanabata, to meet but once a year— can such a meeting be called meeting?
Year after year though they are said to meet thus— at Tanabata, the nights they lie together are but few in number.

Heaven’s River— not knowing the shallows, I traced the white-breaking waves; before I could cross it all, the dawn had already come.

Heaven’s River—
not knowing the shallows, I traced
the white-breaking waves;
before I could cross it all,
the dawn had already come.