Ujigawa ni ōru sugamo o kawa hayami torazu kinikeri tsuto ni semashi o

宇治川に生ふる菅藻を川早み
採らず来にけりつとにせましを

Roma-ji: Ujigawa ni ōru sugamo o kawa hayami torazu kinikeri tsuto ni semashi o
English Translation: In the Uji River
the sedge-weed grows, but the stream
runs so swift
I came away without it—
I should have brought it home
Meaning: The sedge-weed growing in the Uji River—the current was so swift that I came away without gathering any. I wish I had brought some home as a gift.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1136

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Yamashiro"
The poet regrets that the current was too swift for him to gather the sedge-weed growing in the Uji River, and wishes he had brought some home as a gift. His wish to carry back something rare from his journey for his family is simply expressed.
It is one of the poems composed in Yamashiro, continuing the swift Uji River of the preceding poem. The poet is unknown.

The first line names the same Uji River as the preceding poem.
The second line, "the sedge-weed grows," refers to "sugamo," a kind of waterweed.
The third line, "runs so swift," is a "-mi" form meaning "because the current is fast," showing a torrent like the preceding poem's "no still shallows."
The fourth line, "I came away without it," uses "keri" for realization, and the poem pauses here.
In the final line, "I should have brought it home," "mashi" is counterfactual and "o" exclamatory.
Source: Manyoshu
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