Hototogisu yonaki o shitsutsu waga seko o yasui na neshime yume kokoro are

霍公鳥夜鳴きをしつつ我が背子を
安寐な寝しめゆめ心あれ

Roma-ji: Hototogisu yonaki o shitsutsu waga seko o yasui na neshime yume kokoro are
English Translation: Little cuckoo,
singing on all through the night,
to my dear friend
do not grant a restful sleep—
mind you, keep this well in heart
Meaning: Little cuckoo, sing on through the night and do not let my dear friend sleep in peace—be sure you keep this in mind.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4179

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On the third day of the fourth month, a cuckoo poem sent to Ōtomo no Sukune Ikenushi, Secretary of Echizen, expressing feelings, unable to bear my longing for old times, with short poems"
The second envoy to the long poem sent to Ikenushi, it commands the cuckoo to sing all night and not let the poet's friend sleep in peace—to keep this firmly in mind. Taking up the close of the long poem, "do not let him sleep in peace, but trouble my friend," it playfully asks that the friend be kept awake with longing, expressing intimacy with a close companion.
The idea is that hearing the cuckoo would surely keep Ikenushi awake with thoughts of the past, so Yakamochi wants him to taste the same nostalgia—a poem of friendship with a touch of humor. Ōtomo no Ikenushi was of Yakamochi's clan and had once served under him as Secretary of Etchū; they were close friends who exchanged many poems, but by this time Ikenushi had been transferred to serve as Secretary of Echizen.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Grand Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. From 746 he served as Governor of Etchū, living at the provincial headquarters in what is now Fushiki, Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. He is regarded as the leading poet of the Nara period and is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.

First line, "hototogisu" (O cuckoo), is an address, showing that the whole poem takes the form of a command to the bird.
Second line, "yonaki o shitsutsu" (singing through the night), names the means of disturbing sleep.
Third line, "waga seko o" (my dear friend): "seko" is a term for a close male companion, here referring to Ikenushi.
Fourth line, "yasui na neshime" (do not let him sleep in peace): "yasui" is restful sleep, and "na ... shime" is a prohibition, ordering the bird not to let him sleep soundly.
Fifth line, "yume kokoro are" (be sure to take heed): "yume" means by all means, closing with an insistence that the bird perform its task with care.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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