Itoma araba hirii ni yukamu suminoe no kishi ni yoru to iu koiwasuregai

暇あらば拾ひに行かむ住吉の
岸に寄るといふ恋忘れ貝

Roma-ji: Itoma araba hirii ni yukamu suminoe no kishi ni yoru to iu koiwasuregai
English Translation: If I had the time,
I would go to gather them—
at Suminoe
washed up on the shore, they say,
the shells that make love forgotten
Meaning: If I had the time I would go to gather them—the love-forgetting shells that are said to wash up on the shore at Suminoe.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1147

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Settsu"
The poet says that if he had the time he would go to the shore at Suminoe to gather the "love-forgetting shells," said to make one forget the pain of love. Traveling far from home and unable to bear his longing, he would cling to a shell that might let him forget it.
It is one of the poems composed in Settsu. The love-forgetting shell also appears in poems 1149 and 1197 in this book, where the poets lament that it has no such power. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "If I had the time," sets the condition.
The second line, "I would go to gather them," pauses the poem.
The third line names Suminoe in Settsu.
The fourth line, "washed up on the shore, they say," has an extra syllable.
The final line ends with the noun "koiwasuregai," a shell said to make one forget the pain of love. The same word appears in poem 1149.
Source: Manyoshu
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