Ashihiki no yamasuge no ne no nemokoro ni yamazu omowaba imo ni awamu kamo

あしひきの山菅の根のねもころに
やまず思はば妹に逢はむかも

Roma-ji: Ashihiki no yamasuge no ne no nemokoro ni yamazu omowaba imo ni awamu kamo
English Translation: Like the mountain sedge
whose roots tangle deep and close,
so earnestly,
if I never cease to think of her,
might I meet my love at last
Meaning: Like the deep, tangled roots of mountain sedge, if I think of her earnestly and without ceasing, might I meet my beloved?
Commentary: Book Twelve Expressing Thoughts through Things 3053

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Expressing Thoughts through Things"
Using the mountain sedge roots as an introduction, the poet hopes that thinking of the beloved earnestly and without ceasing might bring a meeting. Opening with the same three lines as poem 3051 in this book, it expresses hope that constancy will be rewarded with a meeting.
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, "yamasuge no ne no," means "like the roots of mountain sedge," and the lines up to here form an introduction leading to "nemokoro." These are the same opening lines as poem 3051 in this book.
Line three, "nemokoro ni," means "earnestly."
Line four, "yamazu omowaba," means "if I think without ceasing," with "yamasuge" in line two echoing "yamazu."
Line five, "imo ni awamu kamo," means "might I meet her?", hoping that constant longing will bring a meeting.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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