Waga seko ga furuki kakitsu no sakurabana imada fufumeri hitome mi ni kone

我が背子が古き垣内の桜花
いまだ含めり一目見に来ね

Roma-ji: Waga seko ga furuki kakitsu no sakurabana imada fufumeri hitome mi ni kone
English Translation: In the old garden
of the house, my friend, you left,
the cherry blossoms
still are folded in their buds—
come to see them, if just once.
Meaning: In the garden of your old house, my friend, the cherry blossoms are still in bud. Come and see them, if only for a glance.
Commentary: Book Eighteen 4077

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Four poems sent in reply by Ōtomo no Yakamochi, governor of Etchū Province." "In answer to the thoughts stirred by things, and also on the cherry tree at the northwest corner of the old house he left on his transfer."
The poet says that the cherries at the house where his friend used to live are still in bud, and asks him to come and see them, if only once. Answering Ikenushi's 4074, he sings of the cherry tree at Ikenushi's former home in Etchū, recalling old times while inviting him to meet again.
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.

First line, "waga seko ga": "seko" is an affectionate term for a man, here Ikenushi.
Second line, "furuki kakitsu no": "kakitsu" means the enclosed grounds of a house, here the old house in Etchū where Ikenushi lived before moving to Echizen.
Third line, "sakurabana": it takes up "sakurabana," the first line of Ikenushi's 4074, showing the correspondence of the exchange.
Fourth line, "imada fufumeri": "fufumu" means to be in bud. Against Ikenushi's "ima zo sakari," he reverses the image: the cherries of Etchū are still in bud, so there is still time to come. The poem pauses after the fourth line.
Last line, "hitome mi ni kone": "ne" is a particle of wishing, "do come and see." To Ikenushi's loneliness, "since I am not with you," he answers that if he comes they can meet.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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