Kamodori no asobu kono ike ni konoha ochite ukitaru kokoro waga omowanaku ni

鴨鳥の遊ぶこの池に木の葉落ちて
浮きたる心我が思はなくに

Roma-ji: Kamodori no asobu kono ike ni konoha ochite ukitaru kokoro waga omowanaku ni
English Translation: On this pond where ducks
play among the rippling waves,
leaves have fallen down;
not with a heart that floats like that
do I think of you at all
Meaning: Like the leaves fallen on this pond where the wild ducks play, floating on the water, it is not with a fickle, floating heart that I think of you.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 711

Headnote: "Three poems by Taniwa no Ōme no Otome"
With leaves floating on a pond where wild ducks play as its preface, she protests that she does not love with a frivolous, floating heart, pleading the seriousness of her feeling.
The author, Taniwa no Ōme no Otome, is a woman of whom little is known.

First line, "On this pond where ducks," names the wild ducks.
Second line, "play among the rippling waves," runs to eight syllables: on this pond where they play.
Third line, "leaves have fallen down," runs to six syllables; the first three lines form a preface to "floating."
Fourth line, "not with a heart that floats like that," means a fickle heart.
Fifth line, "do I think of you at all," means I do not think so, pleading her sincerity.
Author: Taniwa no Ōme no Otome
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Misora yuku tsuki no hikari ni tada hitome aimishi hito no ime ni shi miyuru
Next Poem: Umasake o miwa no hafuri ga iwau sugi te fureshi tsumi ka kimi ni aikataki