Uchinabiku haru sarikureba shino no ure ni oha uchifurete uguisu naku mo

うち靡く春さり来れば小竹の末に
尾羽打ち触れて鴬鳴くも

Roma-ji: Uchinabiku haru sarikureba shino no ure ni oha uchifurete uguisu naku mo
English Translation: Grasses bending soft,
now that the spring has come round,
on the bamboo tips
brushing with its tail and wings,
the warbler is singing now.
Meaning: When spring, with its softly bending grasses, comes round, the bush warbler sings, brushing its tail and wings against the tips of the slender bamboo.
Commentary: Book Ten Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1830

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Birds"
This poem depicts a bush warbler singing in spring as its tail and wings brush the tips of slender bamboo. It finely captures the instant when bird and bamboo leaf touch, conveying the lively air of spring. It opens with "uchinabiku" like 1819 and closes with "the warbler sings" like 1821 and 1824, showing the typical pattern of this group.

The first line, "uchinabiku," is a pillow word attached to "spring." It is the same opening as 1819, creating an echo within the group.
The second line, "when spring comes round," is the same as in 1824 and marks the arrival of spring.
The third line, "on the tips of the bamboo," is hypermetric, catching the small scene of slender bamboo leaves.
The fourth line, "brushing its tail and wings," means touching the bamboo tips with its tail and wings, a delicate description of the warbler's movement seen up close.
The last line, "the warbler sings," is the ending repeated through the group, closing the poem with wonder.
Source: Manyoshu
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