Kokoroguku omōyuru kamo harugasumi tanabiku toki ni koto no kayoeba

心ぐく思ほゆるかも春霞
たなびく時に言の通へば

Roma-ji: Kokoroguku omōyuru kamo harugasumi tanabiku toki ni koto no kayoeba
English Translation: Heavy on my heart,
so it seems to me, I find,
when the haze of spring
trails across the hills, and then
word from you comes to me here
Meaning: My heart feels heavy, now that your words come to me when the spring haze trails across the hills.
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 789

Headnote: "Two more poems sent by Yakamochi to Fujiwara no Asomi Kusumaro"
This is the first of two more poems sent to Kusumaro. With word coming from him at the languid season when spring haze trails, Yakamochi's heart feels heavy. Like the Elder Daughter's poem 735, it pairs the spring haze with kokoroguku, "heavy-hearted."
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito and a poet thought to have been deeply involved in compiling the Man'yōshū. He later rose to the rank of Middle Counselor.

First line, "Heavy on my heart," uses kokoroguku, "gloomily."
Second line, "so it seems to me, I find," means so I feel; the poem breaks after this line.
Third line, "when the haze of spring," names the spring haze.
Fourth line, "trails across the hills, and then," means when it trails.
Fifth line, "word from you comes to me here," gives the reason by inversion: because your words reach me.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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