大葉山霞たなびきさ夜更けて
我が舟泊てむ泊り知らずも
我が舟泊てむ泊り知らずも
- Roma-ji
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Ōbayama kasumi tanabiki sayo fukete waga fune hatemu tomari shirazu mo
- English Translation
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On Mount Ōba
the haze is trailing low;
the night grows late,
and where my boat should anchor
I know not where the harbor lies
- Meaning
- Haze trails over Mount Ōba and the night grows late—and I do not know where to find a harbor to moor my boat.
- Commentary
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Book Seven Miscellaneous Poems 1224
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on Journeys"
Haze trails over Mount Ōba and the night grows late, yet the poet does not know where to moor his boat. The poem conveys the forlornness of a voyage that loses its way in mist and darkness.
It is regarded as coming from the Old Collection. The location of Mount Ōba is disputed, some placing it in Ōmi, others in Kii. The poet is unknown.
The first line names Mount Ōba, whose location is disputed.
The second line, "the haze is trailing low," means haze lies over it.
The third line, "the night grows late," sets the hour.
The fourth line, "and where my boat should anchor," refers to mooring his boat.
In the final line, "tomari" means an anchorage or harbor, and "mo" is exclamatory: "I do not even know the harbor!"
- Source
- Manyoshu
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