Wagimoko o ime ni mie ko to Yamatoji no watarize goto ni tamuke zo waga suru

我妹子を夢に見え来と大和道の
渡り瀬ごとに手向けぞ我がする

Roma-ji: Wagimoko o ime ni mie ko to Yamatoji no watarize goto ni tamuke zo waga suru
English Translation: "Let my darling girl
come to me in dreams," I pray,
and at every ford
along the road to Yamato
I make an offering
Meaning: Praying that my beloved will appear in my dreams, I make an offering at every ford along the road to Yamato.
Commentary: Book Twelve Thoughts Arising on Journeys 3128

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Thoughts Arising on Journeys"
On his journey, the poet makes an offering to the gods at every ford along the road to Yamato, praying that his wife will appear in his dreams. Into offerings made for safe travel, he puts his longing for her.
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a court poet who served under Empress Jitō and Emperor Monmu. The left note shows that this poem was taken from the Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection, though scholars differ on whether it is Hitomaro's own work or a song he recorded.

Line one, "wagimoko o," means "my darling."
Line two, "ime ni mie ko to," means "praying she will come to me in dreams."
Line three, "Yamatoji no," means "of the road toward Yamato."
Line four, "watarize goto ni," means "at every ford."
Line five, "tamuke zo waga suru," means "I make an offering," with "zo" concluded by the attributive "suru." Poem 2856 in this book also mentions an offering to the gods.
Author: Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
Source: Manyoshu
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