Uguisu no nakichirasuramu haru no hana itsushika kimi to taori kazasamu

鴬の鳴き散らすらむ春の花
いつしか君と手折りかざさむ

Roma-ji: Uguisu no nakichirasuramu haru no hana itsushika kimi to taori kazasamu
English Translation: The flowers of spring
that the warblers, singing,
scatter all around—
how soon, together with you,
may I pluck them for my hair
Meaning: The spring flowers the warblers must be scattering with their song—how I long to pick them with you soon and wear them in our hair.
Commentary: Book Seventeen 3966

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Two poems of sorrow sent by Governor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi to Ōtomo no Sukune Ikenushi," followed by a letter in Chinese beginning "Suddenly I sank into a grave illness and suffered for weeks on end"
He longs to pick with his friend the spring flowers the warblers must be scattering—a poem wishing for recovery and reunion with Ikenushi. This is one of two poems Yakamochi sent Ikenushi from his sickbed on the twenty-ninth day of the second month of 747. The accompanying letter says that he sank into a grave illness and suffered for more than ten days; that after praying to the gods he recovered somewhat but his body was weak, so he could not yet call to give thanks, and his longing grew. It goes on: in this season, when spring flowers send their scent through the spring garden in the spring morning and spring warblers sing in the spring woods in the spring evening, one should enjoy the zither and wine, but he lacks the strength even to walk with a staff, and lying alone behind his curtains has made these slight poems. Taking up his lament in the preceding poem that he lacks even the strength to pick flowers, he looks forward to the day when, recovered, he may enjoy spring with Ikenushi.
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, "Twenty-ninth day of the second month, Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi."

First line, "uguisu no": taking up the warblers singing in the spring woods of the letter. Ikenushi's reply, 3968, likewise opens with "uguisu no."
Second line, "nakichirasuramu": "that they must be scattering as they sing," ramu being present conjecture.
Third line, "haru no hana": the same words as the first line of the preceding poem, 3965, binding the two.
Fourth line, "itsushika kimi to": itsushika means "soon," expressing the wish to be with Ikenushi.
Fifth line, "taori kazasamu": "let us pick and wear them," taking up "orite kazasamu" in the preceding poem and closing with the wish to fulfill with Ikenushi what he cannot do alone.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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