Akikaze no fukitadayowasu shirakumo wa tanabatatsume no amatsu hire ka mo

秋風の吹きただよはす白雲は
織女の天つ領巾かも

Roma-ji: Akikaze no fukitadayowasu shirakumo wa tanabatatsume no amatsu hire ka mo
English Translation: By the autumn wind
blown and drifting on its way,
that white cloud up there—
is it the Weaver Maiden's
heavenly scarf, I wonder?
Meaning: The white clouds that the autumn wind sets drifting—could they be the heavenly scarf of the Weaver Maiden?
Commentary: Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2041

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
This poem likens the white clouds drifting in the autumn wind to the heavenly scarf worn by the Weaver. It captures the graceful form of white clouds trailing in the sky fancifully as part of a celestial maiden's attire. To one gazing up from earth, the Tanabata night sky appears overlaid with the Weaver's figure. Like 2009, where the Weaver waves her sleeves, it sings of the Weaver's attire.

The first line, "of the autumn wind," marks the Tanabata season.
The second line, "blowing and setting adrift," describes the wind's action.
The third line, "the white clouds," marks the theme, the object of the comparison.
The fourth line, "of the Weaver Maiden," is hypermetric.
In the last line, "amatsu hire ka mo," a "hire" is a long scarf women draped over their shoulders, and "ka mo" is a question tinged with exclamation, closing by likening the clouds to a heavenly scarf.
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Hikoboshi to tanabatatsume to koyoi au ama no kawato ni nami tatsu na yume
Next Poem: Shibashiba mo aiminu kimi o amanogawa funade haya seyo yo no fukenu ma ni