Akenu tote kaeru michi ni wa kokitarete ame mo namida mo furisohochitsutsu - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

明けぬとて帰る道にはこき垂れて
雨も涙も降りそほちつつ

Roma-ji: Akenu tote kaeru michi ni wa kokitarete ame mo namida mo furisohochitsutsu
English Translation: Saying it is dawn,
on the road as I go home
it pours down in sheets;
rain and tears together fall,
soaking me through and through
Meaning: On the road home, because the dawn has come, it pours down in torrents, rain and tears together falling until I am soaked through.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems III 639

Headnote: "A poem from the poetry contest held at the Empress's palace in the Kanpyo era."
On the way home from the woman's house at dawn, the poet is drenched by both heavy rain and tears of parting. According to the headnote, it was composed for a poetry contest held in the Kanpyo era of Emperor Uda at the palace of his mother, Princess Hanshi. Setting rain beside tears, it overlays the outer scene with inner sorrow to convey the pain of parting at dawn.
The author, recorded as Toshiyuki Ason, is Fujiwara no Toshiyuki. He was the eldest son of Fujiwara no Fujimaro, served as Head Chamberlain and Commander of the Right Military Guards, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.

The first line, "akenu tote," means "saying that it has dawned," opening with the same words as the preceding poem and carrying on its scene of parting.
The second line, "kaeru michi ni wa," means "on the road home from her house."
The third line, "kokitarete," means "pouring down as if stripped off," a heavy downpour.
The fourth line, "ame mo namida mo," sets rain beside tears, overlaying landscape and emotion.
The final line, "furisohochitsutsu," means "falling and soaking through," ending on the continuative tsutsu to leave a lingering echo.
Author: Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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