Yū sareba kari no koeyuku tatsutayama shigure ni kioi irozukinikeri

夕されば雁の越え行く龍田山
しぐれに競ひ色づきにけり

Roma-ji: Yū sareba kari no koeyuku tatsutayama shigure ni kioi irozukinikeri
English Translation: When the evening comes,
where the wild geese cross the heights,
Tatsuta's mountain,
vying with the falling showers,
has turned color, as I see.
Meaning: Mount Tatsuta, which the wild geese cross at evening, has turned color, as if vying with the autumn showers.
Commentary: Book Ten Autumn Miscellaneous Poems 2214

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Autumn Leaves"
This poem sings of Mount Tatsuta, which the geese cross at evening, turning color as if vying with the showers. Geese, showers, and autumn leaves, emblems of autumn, gather on Mount Tatsuta, depicting a late autumn scene. Following 2194 and 2211, it is another poem on Tatsuta's leaves, as the mountain is sung repeatedly as a famous place for autumn color.

The first line, "when evening comes," names the time.
The second line, "where the geese cross," describes the mountain.
The third line, "Mount Tatsuta," names the mountain famed for autumn leaves.
In the fourth line, "shigure ni kioi," "kiou" means to vie: as if vying with the showers.
In the last line, "irozukinikeri," "keri" expresses realization.
Source: Manyoshu
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