Suminoe no kishi no matsu ga ne uchisarashi yosekuru nami no oto no sayakesa

住吉の岸の松が根うちさらし
寄せ来る波の音のさやけさ

Roma-ji: Suminoe no kishi no matsu ga ne uchisarashi yosekuru nami no oto no sayakesa
English Translation: At Suminoe
the roots of the shoreline pines
washing bare,
the waves come rolling in—
how clear the sound they make!
Meaning: The waves that roll in, washing bare the roots of the pines on the Suminoe shore—how pure and clear their sound!
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1159

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed in Settsu"
This poem praises the clear sound of waves that roll in, washing the roots of the pines along the shore at Suminoe. Where the preceding poem praised with the eye the beach where white waves break, this one praises with the ear the sound of the waves, so the pair portrays the Suminoe shore through both sight and sound.
The third and fourth lines, "washing bare, the waves come rolling," are the same as in poem 1151 in this book, and the last line, "how clear the sound," is shared with poems 1102 and 1112. The poet is unknown.

The first line names Suminoe in Settsu.
The second line, "the roots of the shoreline pines," refers to the pines growing on the shore.
The third line, "washing bare," is the same as the third line of poem 1151.
The fourth line, "the waves come rolling in," is also shared with poem 1151.
The final line ends with a noun, expressing wonder at the purity of the waves' sound; it is shared with poems 1102 and 1112.
Source: Manyoshu
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