Misora yuku tsukuyomi otoko yū sarazu me ni wa miredomo yoru yoshi mo nashi

み空行く月読壮士夕さらず
目には見れども寄るよしもなし

Roma-ji: Misora yuku tsukuyomi otoko yū sarazu me ni wa miredomo yoru yoshi mo nashi
English Translation: Crossing the high sky,
the moon, that young man of night—
every evening, yes,
with my eyes I see him there,
but I have no way to draw near
Meaning: The young man of the moon, crossing the high sky—every evening I see him with my eyes, yet I have no way to draw near.
Commentary: Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1372

Headnote: "On the Moon"
The poet sees the moon crossing the sky every evening but has no way to draw near it. The beloved who can be seen but not reached is likened to the moon, expressing the frustration of being unable to approach. It is regarded as spoken by a woman.
It is the first poem under the heading "On the Moon," and the poems that follow also concern the moon. The poet is unknown.

The first line, "Crossing the high sky," has "mi" as an honorific prefix.
The second line, "tsukuyomi otoko," likens the moon to a young man.
The third line, "every evening," means evening after evening.
The fourth line, "with my eyes I see him there," is concessive.
The final line, "but I have no way to draw near," states that there is no means of approach.
Source: Manyoshu
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