Kesa no asake akikaze samushi tōtsuhito kari ga kinakamu toki chikami kamo

今朝の朝明秋風寒し遠つ人
雁が来鳴かむ時近みかも

Roma-ji: Kesa no asake akikaze samushi tōtsuhito kari ga kinakamu toki chikami kamo
English Translation: This morning at dawn
how cold the autumn wind blows—
is it that the time
when the geese from distant lands
come crying draws near at last
Meaning: How cold the autumn wind is at dawn this morning—could it be that the time is near when the wild geese, those travelers from afar, will come and cry?
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3947

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Poems from a banquet gathered at the residence of Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi on the night of the seventh day of the eighth month"
The autumn wind is cold at dawn this morning—is it because the time for the wild geese to come and cry is near? A poem sensing autumn's deepening. This is one of the poems from a banquet held on the night of the seventh day of the eighth month of 746, when the provincial officials gathered at the residence of Yakamochi, newly arrived as Governor of Etchū. Taking up the autumn chill and wind of Ikenushi's poems, the host captures the turning season and, through the geese that come from afar, lets a traveler's feelings show.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Major Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. Appointed Governor of Etchū in 746, he spent five years there, later serving as Junior Counselor and Governor of Inaba before rising to Middle Counselor. He is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.
The left note reads, "The above two poems are by Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi."

First line, "kesa no asake": asake is dawn; the line is hypermetric (six morae).
Second line, "akikaze samushi": taking up Ikenushi's "akatoki samushi" in 3945 and "akikaze fukinu" in 3946; the poem pauses here.
Third line, "tōtsuhito": "people far away," a pillow word for wild geese, which were thought to carry messages from afar.
Fourth line, "kari ga kinakamu": "the geese will come and cry."
Fifth line, "toki chikami kamo": chikami adds mi to the stem of chikashi, "because it is near," and kamo voices a wondering question.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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