Kamitsuke no sano no funahashi torihanashi oya wa sakuredo wa wa sakaru gae

上つ毛野佐野の舟橋取り離し
親は放くれど我は離るがへ

Roma-ji: Kamitsuke no sano no funahashi torihanashi oya wa sakuredo wa wa sakaru gae
English Translation: In Kamitsuke,
Sano's bridge of moored boats
they would pull apart:
so my parents would part us—
but would I ever leave you? No.
Meaning: As they take apart the boat bridge of Sano in Kamitsuke, so my parents try to part us—but would I ever leave you? Never.
Commentary: Book Fourteen Azuma Poems 3420

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Sōmon (Love Exchanges)"
Though her parents try to tear the lovers apart as one dismantles Sano's boat bridge, a woman vows she will never leave him. The strength of a love that will not bow to parental opposition is forcefully voiced.
It is one of the Kōzuke poems. The boat bridge of Sano is thought to have been a bridge of boats across the Karasu River, and it later became the subject of the Noh play "Funabashi."
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, "kamitsuke no": The old name of Kōzuke, opening as a Kōzuke poem.
Second line, "sano no funahashi": "Funahashi" is a bridge of boats laid side by side with planks across; Sano is also named in 3406 and 3418.
Third line, "torihanashi": Dismantling the bridge; the first three lines form a preface leading to "saku."
Fourth line, "oya wa sakuredo": "Saku" means to part, and "do" is concessive. As in 3359 from Suruga, conflict with parents is sung.
Final line, "wa wa sakaru gae": "Gae" is an eastern rhetorical ending: would I ever part? Poem 3502 of this book ends the same way.
Source: Manyoshu
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