Nubatama no sono yo no ume o tawasurete orazu kinikeri omoishi mono o

ぬばたまのその夜の梅をた忘れて
折らず来にけり思ひしものを

Roma-ji: Nubatama no sono yo no ume o tawasurete orazu kinikeri omoishi mono o
English Translation: Black as leopard seeds,
the plum blossoms of that night—
forgetting them quite,
I came back without a spray,
though my heart was set on them.
Meaning: That night's plum blossoms—I quite forgot them and came home without breaking off a spray, though I had meant to all along.
Commentary: Book Three Allegorical Poems 392

Headnote: "A poem on the plum by Ōtomo no Sukune Momoyo, Senior Inspector of Dazaifu"
This poem belongs to the section of Allegorical Poems in Book Three. He regrets having absent-mindedly come home without breaking a spray of the plum seen that night. Read as an allegory with the plum as a woman, it expresses regret for coming home that night without fulfilling his love, though he had her in mind. Upon the scene of a night fragrant with plum blossoms lies the lingering regret of a missed chance at love.
The poet, Ōtomo no Momoyo, was a Nara-period official who served as Senior Inspector of Dazaifu and was later appointed Governor of Buzen, among other posts.

First line "Black as leopard seeds" renders nubatama no, a pillow word for "night."
Second line "the plum blossoms of that night": the plum stands for the woman in his heart.
Third line "forgetting them quite": ta is a prefix—"carelessly forgetting."
Fourth line "I came back without a spray": nikeri voices realization; the sentence breaks here.
Fifth line "though my heart was set on them" ends with regret.
Author: Ōtomo no Momoyo
Source: Manyoshu
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