Asu no hi no fuse no uramino fujinami ni kedashi ki nakazu chirashitemu kamo

明日の日の布勢の浦廻の藤波に
けだし来鳴かず散らしてむかも

Roma-ji: Asu no hi no fuse no uramino fujinami ni kedashi ki nakazu chirashitemu kamo
English Translation: Tomorrow's day,
on the wisteria waves
of Fuse's winding bay,
might the cuckoo fail to sing
and only scatter the blooms?
Meaning: Tomorrow, among the wisteria along the winding shore of Fuse, might the cuckoo fail to come and sing, and only scatter the blossoms?
Commentary: Book Eighteen 4043

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "At that time it was agreed to go sightseeing on the lagoon of Fuse the next day, and so each expressed his feelings in a poem."
The poet worries that the cuckoo may scatter the wisteria of Fuse Bay, which they will see tomorrow, without coming to sing. Responding to Sakimaro's poem that the cuckoo's season is near, it shows a host's concern that his guest should hear the cuckoo on their long-awaited outing.
Ōtomo no Yakamochi was the son of Ōtomo no Tabito, and from 746 he served as governor of Etchū. He is believed to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū, and this book has the character of a poetic diary of his years in Etchū.
The left note reads, "The poem above is Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi's response," followed by, "The ten preceding poems were composed at the banquet on the twenty-fourth." The text notes a variant first line, "hototogisu," but since this is not part of the poem itself it has been omitted, and the main reading "asu no hi no" is followed.

First line, "asu no hi no": "tomorrow's day," referring to the outing and corresponding to "tomorrow we will go sightseeing on the lagoon of Fuse" in the headnote. According to the variant "hototogisu," the poem would begin by calling to the bird.
Second line, "Fuse no uramino": continuing Fuse Bay from 4036, it names the winding shore of the bay.
Third line, "fujinami ni": it answers by taking up "fujinami no" from the preceding poem. Where that poem spoke of wisteria coming into bloom, this one worries about wisteria scattering, a contrast of blooming and falling.
Fourth line, "kedashi ki nakazu": "kedashi" means "perhaps." It conveys the fear that the cuckoo might come and yet not sing.
Last line, "chirashitemu kamo": "te" is emphatic, "mu" conjectural, and "kamo" an exclamation containing a question. The poem ends with concern for tomorrow, fearing the bird will only scatter the flowers without singing.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Fujinami no saki yuku mireba hototogisu naku beki toki ni chikazuki ni keri
Next Poem: Hamabe yori waga uchi yukaba umibe yori mukae mo konu ka ama no tsuribune