Kasumi tatsu haru no nagahi o okuka naku shiranu yamaji o koitsutsu ka komu

霞立つ春の長日を奥処なく
知らぬ山道を恋ひつつか来む

Roma-ji: Kasumi tatsu haru no nagahi o okuka naku shiranu yamaji o koitsutsu ka komu
English Translation: Through the long spring day
when the haze rises all around,
with no end in sight,
on mountain roads I do not know
must I come on in longing
Meaning: Through the long spring day of rising haze, must I come on, longing, along unfamiliar mountain roads that seem to have no end?
Commentary: Book Twelve Thoughts Arising on Journeys 3150

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Thoughts Arising on Journeys"
The poet wonders whether to come on through the long spring day, longing, along unknown mountain roads without end. The long road veiled in spring haze conveys both the endlessness of travel and longing.
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, "kasumi tatsu," means "where haze rises," leading to "haru," spring.
Line two, "haru no nagahi o," means "through the long spring day."
Line three, "okuka naku," means "without end," akin to "okuka mo shirazu" in poem 3030 in this book.
Line four, "shiranu yamaji o," means "along unknown mountain roads."
Line five, "koitsutsu ka komu," means "must I come on longing?", continuing the mountain road of the preceding poem.
Author: Unknown
Source: Manyoshu
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