Kumo dani mo shiruku shi tataba nagusamete mitsutsu mo oramu tada ni au made ni

雲だにもしるくし立たば慰めて
見つつも居らむ直に逢ふまでに

Roma-ji: Kumo dani mo shiruku shi tataba nagusamete mitsutsu mo oramu tada ni au made ni
English Translation: If at least the clouds
would rise clear and plain to see,
I would find comfort
and go on gazing at them
until we meet face to face
Meaning: If only the clouds would at least rise clearly, I would take comfort and keep watching them until the day we meet in person.
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems Ancient and Modern I 2452

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Feelings through Things"
While they cannot meet, the speaker would be content to watch at least a cloud rising clearly, and so take comfort until the day the lovers can meet face to face. The poem shows an aching heart that would make a cloud on the beloved's horizon its only solace through the separation.
Like the preceding poem, this one speaks through clouds. Where the preceding poem used the distant meeting place of the clouds to express separation, this one turns a far-off cloud into something that eases that very distance.
The author is unknown; according to the left note, the poem comes from the Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection. That collection is thought to contain both Hitomaro's own poems and poems by others that he recorded. Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a court poet active in the reigns of Empress Jito and Emperor Monmu, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "kumo dani mo": "if only the clouds, at least." The particle "dani" expresses a minimal wish, strengthened by "mo," carrying the sense that even if they cannot meet, this much would do.
Second line, "shiruku shi tataba": "if they would rise clearly." "Shiruku" is the adverbial form of the adjective "shirushi," conspicuous; "shi" is an emphatic particle, and the irrealis with "ba" forms a hypothetical condition.
Third line, "nagusamete": "comforting myself." It expresses the wish to ease longing by gazing at the clouds.
Fourth line, "mitsutsu mo oramu": "I will stay on, watching." "Tsutsu" marks continuation and "mu" intention, describing time spent gazing at the clouds.
Fifth line, "tada ni au made ni": "until we meet face to face." The line has eight syllables, one too many (jiamari). Placed at the end, it makes clear that watching the clouds is only to last until the reunion.
Author: Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
Source: Manyoshu
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