Fujinami no hana wa sakari ni narinikeri Nara no miyako o omoosu ya kimi

藤波の花は盛りになりにけり
奈良の都を思ほすや君

Roma-ji: Fujinami no hana wa sakari ni narinikeri Nara no miyako o omoosu ya kimi
English Translation: The wisteria waves—
their flowers now in full bloom,
at their height they stand;
of Nara's fair capital
do you think, my lord, of it?
Meaning: The wisteria has come into full bloom—do you think of the capital of Nara, my lord?
Commentary: Book Three Miscellaneous Poems 330

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Two poems by Ōtomo no Yotsuna, Assistant of the Office of Frontier Guards"
Seeing the wisteria come into full bloom at Dazaifu, the poet asks Ōtomo no Tabito, the Governor-General, whether he is thinking of the Nara capital. The wisteria at its height becomes a reminder of the capital's splendor. As if answering this question, five poems by Tabito longing for the capital and his home follow from the next poem.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yotsuna, was a Nara-period official who served as Assistant of the Office of Frontier Guards at Dazaifu.

First line "The wisteria waves": fujinami likens hanging wisteria swaying in the wind to waves.
Second line "their flowers now in full bloom" means the flowers have reached their prime.
Third line "at their height they stand": nikeri expresses completion and discovery; the sentence breaks here.
Fourth line "of Nara's fair capital" refers to the Heijō capital, echoing "the capital of Nara" in Ono no Oyu's poem two poems earlier.
Fifth line "do you think, my lord, of it": omoosu is the honorific of omou, and ya asks a question, addressed to Ōtomo no Tabito.
Author: Ōtomo no Yotsuna
Source: Manyoshu
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