Iza kodomo kashii no kata ni shirotae no sode sae nurete asana tsumitemu

いざ子ども香椎の潟に白栲の
袖さへ濡れて朝菜摘みてむ

Roma-ji: Iza kodomo kashii no kata ni shirotae no sode sae nurete asana tsumitemu
English Translation: Come now, all of you,
out upon the flats of Kashii,
in white mulberry
wetting even our sleeves,
let us gather morning greens
Meaning: Come now, all of you—out on the flats of Kashii, even at the cost of wetting our white sleeves, let us gather greens for the morning meal.
Commentary: Book Six Miscellaneous Poems 957

Headnote: "Poems composed in the eleventh month of winter when the officials of the Dazaifu, having worshiped at the Kashii Mausoleum and while withdrawing homeward, halted their horses at the bay of Kashii and each expressed his feelings" "A poem by Lord Ōtomo, the Governor-General"
This poem calls on the poet's subordinates to come out onto the tidal flats of Kashii and gather greens for the morning meal, even if they wet their sleeves. It is one of three poems composed when, in the eleventh month of winter, the officials of the Dazaifu worshiped at the Kashii Mausoleum and, on their way back, halted their horses at the bay of Kashii, each expressing his feelings. The occasion is thought to have been the winter of Jinki 5 (728). The Kashii Mausoleum enshrined Emperor Chūai and Empress Jingū, and corresponds to today's Kashii Shrine in Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City.
One senses the relaxed mood after the solemn duty of worship has been fulfilled. As a summons from Tabito, the head of the office, to the whole company, it is placed first among the three poems, and the other two follow it.
The poet, Ōtomo no Tabito, was the son of Ōtomo no Yasumaro and the father of Yakamochi. Toward the end of the Jinki era he went down to Tsukushi as Governor-General of the Dazaifu, and in Tenpyō 2 (730) he became a Major Counselor and returned to the capital. He died the following year, Tenpyō 3.

In the three Kashii poems, this poem speaks of "the flats of Kashii," while the next two, 958 and 959, both place "Kashii's flats" in the third line, so that three officials sing in turn of the same tidal flats, each from his own position.
The first line, "Come now, all of you," is a familiar summons to those of lower rank. "Kodomo," literally "children," refers to the official's subordinates.
The second line, "out upon the flats of Kashii," refers to the tidal flats of the bay of Kashii, the beach revealed as the tide goes out.
The third line, "in white mulberry," is a pillow word attached to "sleeves." Calling up sleeves of white cloth, it impresses on us the attire of the officials.
In the fourth line, "wetting even our sleeves," "sae" is an additive particle meaning "even." One pictures the officials enjoying themselves without a thought for their dress.
The final line, "let us gather morning greens," refers to greens and seaweed for the morning table, with "-temu" expressing firm intention. It pairs with "let us reap the jeweled weed" in the next poem, 958, both final lines inviting the gathering of things from the shore.
Author: Ōtomo no Tabito
Source: Manyoshu
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