Ashihiki no yama yori izuru tsuki matsu to hito ni wa iite imo matsu ware o

あしひきの山より出づる月待つと
人には言ひて妹待つ我れを

Roma-ji: Ashihiki no yama yori izuru tsuki matsu to hito ni wa iite imo matsu ware o
English Translation: "I wait for the moon
to rise above the foot-wearying
mountain," so I tell
people when they ask, but I
am waiting for my love
Meaning: I tell people I am waiting for the moon to rise over the mountain, but in truth I am waiting for my beloved.
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts through Things 3002

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts through Things"
The poet tells others he is waiting for the moonrise, but in truth he is waiting for his beloved. The excuse of a love hidden from others and the true feeling are contrasted in a charming scene.
The poet is unknown. Book Twelve, titled the second part of "Love Poems Exchanged Old and New," gathers love poems by people whose names have not come down to us, arranged by category.

Line one, "ashihiki no," is a pillow word for "yama," mountain.
Line two, "yama yori izuru," means "rising from the mountain."
Line three, "tsuki matsu to," means "that I wait for the moon."
Line four, "hito ni wa iite," means "I tell others so."
Line five, "imo matsu ware o," means "though I am waiting for my beloved," contrasting the outward excuse with the true feeling. Poem 3008 in this book likewise overlays waiting for the moon with waiting for a person.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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