Mezurashi to aga omou kimi wa akiyama no hatsumomichiba ni nite koso arikere

めづらしと我が思ふ君は秋山の
初黄葉に似てこそありけれ

Roma-ji: Mezurashi to aga omou kimi wa akiyama no hatsumomichiba ni nite koso arikere
English Translation: So admirable,
you whom I hold in my heart,
on the autumn hills
to the first of the colored leaves
you are truly like, my lord
Meaning: You, whom I hold so dear and admirable, are just like the first autumn leaves on the autumn hills.
Commentary: Book Eight Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 1584

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Eleven poems from the banquet gathered by Tachibana no Ason Naramaro"
The poet praises the banquet's host, Naramaro, saying that he whom she holds dear is like the first autumn leaves on the autumn hills. Likening him to the fresh, vivid first leaves, she praises his character. The note says, "The above poem is by the daughter of Naga no Imiki."
The author, the daughter of Naga no Imiki, was a daughter of the Naga clan; little is known of her.

The first line means "admirable, dear." Taking up Naramaro's calling his guests "cherished people" in 1582, she calls the host "mezurashi" in return from the guests' side.
The second line, "you whom I think of," refers to the host.
The third line names the autumn hills adorned with colored leaves.
The fourth line, "the first autumn leaves," means leaves colored for the first time that autumn, expressing young, vivid beauty.
The final line forms a kakari-musubi, closing in "kere," the perfective form of the exclamatory "keri," in answer to "koso," declaring that he is truly like them.
Author: The Daughter of Naga no Imiki
Source: Manyoshu
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