Waga oka ni saoshika kinaku hatsuhagi no hanazumadoi ni kinaku saoshika

我が岡にさを鹿来鳴く初萩の
花妻どひに来鳴くさを鹿

Roma-ji: Waga oka ni saoshika kinaku hatsuhagi no hanazumadoi ni kinaku saoshika
English Translation: Onto my hillside
the stag comes crying out,
the first bush clover,
wooing it as his flower bride,
comes crying out, the stag
Meaning: A stag comes crying to my hill: a stag that comes crying to woo the first blossoms of bush clover as his flower bride.
Commentary: Book Eight Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 1541

Headnote: "Two poems by Lord Ōtomo, Governor-General of Dazaifu"
Hearing a stag come crying to his hill, the poet sings that it cries to woo the first bush clover blossoms as its bride. The autumn pairing of deer and bush clover is painted through the graceful conceit of a stag in love and a flower bride.
The author, Ōtomo no Tabito, was a son of Ōtomo no Yasumaro and the father of Yakamochi. He was posted to Tsukushi as Governor-General of Dazaifu and later rose to Major Counselor.

The first line means "onto the hill where my house stands."
The second line means "the stag comes crying," and the poem pauses here. The same words are repeated, in reversed order, in the final line, "comes crying, the stag," wrapping the poem in the stag's voice.
The third line means "the first-blooming bush clover."
In the fourth line, "hanazuma" likens the clover blossoms to a wife, and "tsumadoi" means going to woo a wife.
The final line ends on a noun, repeating the second line in reverse and impressing on us the image of a stag crying for its mate.
Author: Ōtomo no Tabito
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Kesa no asake karigane samuku kikishi nae nobe no asaji zo irozukinikeru
Next Poem: Waga oka no akihagi no hana kaze o itami chirubeku narinu mimu hito mo gamo