Imo ga te o torite hiki yoji fusa taori waga kazasu beku hana sakeru kamo

妹が手を取りて引き攀ぢふさ手折り
我がかざすべく花咲けるかも

Roma-ji: Imo ga te o torite hiki yoji fusa taori waga kazasu beku hana sakeru kamo
English Translation: As one takes the hand
of a darling, I draw the bough near
and break off armfuls—
fit for me to wear as a garland,
the blossoms have come into bloom.
Meaning: Taking the branch as I would my darling's hand, I pull it down and break off armfuls. The blossoms are open, just right for wearing in my hair.
Commentary: Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems 1683

Headnote: "Two poems presented to Prince Toneri"
The speaker draws a branch down and breaks off blossoms in plenty, rejoicing that they are fit to wear in the hair. Taking the branch is likened to taking a lover's hand, giving the poem warmth and gaiety.
This is the first of two poems presented to Prince Toneri. It praises the height of the blossoms and was probably recited at a banquet in the prince's presence.
The author, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, was a court poet active in the reigns of Jitō and Monmu. This poem is taken from the Hitomaro Collection, which is thought to contain both Hitomaro's own poems and poems by others that he gathered. Prince Toneri was a son of Emperor Tenmu and presided over the compilation of the Nihon Shoki.

The first line, "as one takes the hand of a darling," leads into "take," likening the grasping of a branch to taking a lover's hand.
The second line, "I draw the bough near," describes pulling the branch toward oneself.
The third line, "and break off armfuls," uses fusa, "in abundance." Poem 1704 of this book, also presented to Prince Toneri, opens with the same words.
The fourth line, "fit for me to wear as a garland," refers to adorning the hair with flowers.
The final line, "the blossoms have come into bloom," uses the continuative ri in its attributive form ru with the exclamatory kamo.
Author: Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
Source: Manyoshu
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