Amanogawa shiranami takashi aga kouru kimi ga funade wa ima shi surashi mo

天の川白波高し我が恋ふる
君が舟出は今しすらしも

Roma-ji: Amanogawa shiranami takashi aga kouru kimi ga funade wa ima shi surashi mo
English Translation: The Heavenly River,
the white waves are rising high;
the one whom I love,
your boat setting out from shore,
now, it seems, is under way.
Meaning: White waves are running high on the Heavenly River—it seems the one I love is setting out in his boat right now.
Commentary: Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2061

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Tanabata"
This poem, in the Weaver's voice, sees white waves running high on the Heavenly River and infers that her beloved Herdsman is setting out right now. It takes the height of the waves as a sign of departure, and in a series full of poems fearing waves, its distinctive point is treating waves as a sign of joy. Whereas 2045 and 2053 took mist as the sign of departure, this one takes white waves as the sign.

The first line, "the Heavenly River," names the river dividing the stars.
The second line, "the white waves are high," breaks the poem after the second line.
The third line, "whom I love," names the beloved.
The fourth line, "your setting out," names the event.
In the last line, "ima shi surashi mo," "shi" is emphatic, "rashi" marks grounded inference, and "mo" is exclamatory, closing by inferring his departure from the waves.
Source: Manyoshu
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