Toshi mo hezu kaerikonamu to asakage ni matsuramu imo shi omokage ni miyu

年も経ず帰り来なむと朝影に
待つらむ妹し面影に見ゆ

Roma-ji: Toshi mo hezu kaerikonamu to asakage ni matsuramu imo shi omokage ni miyu
English Translation: "Before a year has passed
he'll surely be back home," she thinks,
thin as a morning shadow,
waiting for me, my darling's face
appears before my eyes
Meaning: Thinking I will return before the year is out, my wife must be waiting, grown as thin as a morning shadow, and I see her face before my eyes.
Commentary: Book Twelve Thoughts Arising on Journeys 3138

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Thoughts Arising on Journeys"
The poet sees before his eyes his wife, who must be waiting, grown thin, trusting he will return within the year. Continuing the vision of the preceding poem, it expresses concern for the wife waiting at home.
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, "toshi mo hezu," means "before a year has passed."
Line two, "kaerikonamu to," means "thinking I will surely return."
Line three, "asakage ni," means "as thin as a morning shadow," describing her wasting away. The same word appears in poem 3085 in this book.
Line four, "matsuramu imo shi," means "my wife, who must be waiting," with "shi" emphatic.
Line five, "omokage ni miyu," means "appears as a vision," continuing the vision of the preceding poem.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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