Okuyama no iwakage ni ouru suga no ne no nemokoro ware mo aiomowazare ya

奥山の岩蔭に生ふる菅の根の
ねもころ我れも相思はざれや

Roma-ji: Okuyama no iwakage ni ouru suga no ne no nemokoro ware mo aiomowazare ya
English Translation: Deep within the hills,
in the shadow of the rocks,
sedge roots twine and grow;
earnestly, just as you do,
how could I not love you too
Meaning: Like the roots of sedge growing deep in the shadow of rocks in the mountains, how could I not love you earnestly in return?
Commentary: Book Four Love Poems 791

Headnote: "Two poems sent in reply by Fujiwara no Asomi Kusumaro"
This is the first of Fujiwara no Kusumaro's two poems answering Yakamochi. With sedge roots growing in the shadow of rocks deep in the hills as its preface, he replies that he too loves earnestly. Like Yo no Myōgun's poem 580, it uses sedge roots to lead to nemokoro, "earnestly."
The author, Fujiwara no Kusumaro, was a son of Fujiwara no Nakamaro and an official of the Nara period.

First line, "Deep within the hills," means in the heart of the mountains.
Second line, "in the shadow of the rocks," runs to eight syllables: growing in the rocks' shade.
Third line, "sedge roots twine and grow," names the sedge roots; ne leads to nemokoro, and with the first two lines forms a preface.
Fourth line, "earnestly, just as you do," means with all my heart, I too.
Fifth line, "how could I not love you too," uses the rhetorical ya: would I not love you? Surely I do.
Author: Fujiwara no Kusumaro
Source: Manyoshu
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