classic waka stream

伊豆の海に立つ白波のありつつも
継ぎなむものを乱れしめめや
Roma-ji

Izu no umi ni tatsu shiranami no aritsutsumo tsuginamu mono o midareshimeme ya

English Translation
On the sea of Izu
the white-crested waves rise up
again and again:
so would we go on and on—
how could I let it fall apart?
Meaning
As white waves rise on the sea of Izu without end, so I mean to keep our love going on and on—how could I ever let it be thrown into disarray?
Commentary
Book Fourteen Azuma Poems 3360

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Sōmon (Love Exchanges)"
As white waves break endlessly on the sea of Izu, the singer vows to keep their bond as it is and declares she will not let it be disturbed. The constancy of waves that come and come again carries an unchanging love.
The left note records a variant from another book, "shirakumo no taetsutsu mo tsugamu to moe ya midaresomekemu," and states "The poem above is from Izu Province." This is the only poem from Izu, the present-day Izu Peninsula of Shizuoka.
The poet is unknown. The Azuma uta are thought to have been sung among the people of the eastern provinces, and they are marked by plain, open-hearted expression mixed with local dialect.

First line, "izu no umi ni": The sea surrounding the Izu Peninsula. As the single Izu poem, it opens with the province's sea.
Second line, "tatsu shiranami no": White waves that break and return; the first two lines form a preface leading to "aritsutsumo."
Third line, "aritsutsumo": "Just as we are, continuing on." The constant rising of waves is laid over the persistence of love.
Fourth line, "tsuginamu mono o": "Namu" shows strong intention, and "mono o" is a concessive exclamation: though I mean to carry on.
Final line, "midareshimeme ya": "Shime" is causative and "me ya" rhetorical: would I let it fall into disarray? A forceful denial.
Source
Manyoshu
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