Ariso yu mo mashite omoe ya tama no ura hanarekojima no ime ni shi miyuru

荒磯ゆもまして思へや玉の浦
離れ小島の夢にし見ゆる

Roma-ji: Ariso yu mo mashite omoe ya tama no ura hanarekojima no ime ni shi miyuru
English Translation: More than other shores
do I hold it in my heart?
At Tama Bay
that little island all alone
appears to me in dreams
Meaning: Is it because I cherish it more than any other rugged shore? The lonely islet off Tama Bay appears to me in my dreams.
Commentary: Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1202

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on Journeys"
The poet wonders whether the lonely islet off Tama Bay appears in his dreams because he cherishes it more deeply than any other rugged shore. Against the idea that appearing in dreams is a sign of deep feeling, the poem expresses his attachment to a beautiful scene.
It is regarded as coming from the Old Collection. Tama Bay is thought to be a place in Kii. The poet is unknown.

In the first line, "yu" marks the standard of comparison: "more than the rugged shores."
The second line, "do I hold it in my heart?" adds "ya" to the perfective form, forming a question answered by the attributive "miyuru" in the final line.
The third line names Tama Bay, thought to be in Kii.
The fourth line, "that little island all alone," refers to an islet lying off the coast.
The final line, "appears to me in dreams," uses the emphatic "shi" and closes in the attributive in response to "ya."
Source: Manyoshu
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