Shirakumo no taenishi imo o aze sero to kokoro ni norite kokoba kanashike

白雲の絶えにし妹をあぜせろと
心に乗りてここば愛しけ

Roma-ji: Shirakumo no taenishi imo o aze sero to kokoro ni norite kokoba kanashike
English Translation: As the white clouds break,
so the girl and I have parted—
what am I to do?
She rides upon my heart, and is
dear to me beyond all bounds.
Meaning: The girl from whom I am parted as white clouds break apart—what would you have me do? She rides upon my heart, so very dear.
Commentary: Book Fourteen Azuma Poems 3517

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Sōmon (Love Exchanges)"
Though their bond has broken like white clouds parting, she weighs on his heart and is so very dear—what is he to do? The pain of a heart unable to let go of an ended love is expressed.
It is one of the love exchanges and the eighth in the cloud sequence. "Kokoro ni norite" in the fourth line shares its idea with 3466, "kokoro no oro ni norite kanashimo."
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, "shirakumo no": A pillow word for "break," since white clouds break apart; the variant of 3360 from Izu also begins "shirakumo no taetsutsu mo."
Second line, "taenishi imo o": "The girl with whom my bond has broken."
Third line, "aze sero to": "Aze" is an eastern "how" and "sero" an eastern form of "seyo": what would you have me do?
Fourth line, "kokoro ni norite": "She rides upon my heart," the same idea as in 3466.
Final line, "kokoba kanashike": "Kokoba" means so very, and "kanashike" is an eastern form of "kanashiki."
Source: Manyoshu
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