Fujinami no shigeri wa suginu ashihiki no yamahototogisu nado ka kinakanu

藤波の茂りは過ぎぬあしひきの
山霍公鳥などか来鳴かぬ

Roma-ji: Fujinami no shigeri wa suginu ashihiki no yamahototogisu nado ka kinakanu
English Translation: Wisteria waves—
their fullness has passed away;
from the foot-dragging hills
the mountain cuckoo, why
does it not come to sing?
Meaning: The wisteria is already past its prime—so why does the mountain cuckoo still not come to sing?
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4210

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "A poem on the cuckoo, with a short poem"
An envoy to Hironawa's long poem replying to Yakamochi, who had reproached him for hearing the cuckoo alone and not telling him, it says that though even the height of the wisteria has passed, the mountain cuckoo still does not come to sing. It takes up the long poem's protest that though he lives near the valley, the cuckoo has not yet come, and not a single call has been heard.
To Yakamochi's playful grievance he answers that he, too, has not heard it, sharing the longing of waiting for the cuckoo. The left note says, "The above was composed in response on the twenty-third by the Secretary Kume no Ason Hironawa."
The poet, Kume no Hironawa, served under Yakamochi as Secretary (jō, the third-ranking provincial official, also written hangan) of Etchū, and frequently exchanged poems with him.

First line, "fujinami no" (of the wisteria waves), names the flower often paired with the cuckoo.
Second line, "shigeri wa suginu" (its prime has passed): "shigeri" means the peak, and "nu" marks completion; the poem pauses here.
Third line, "ashihiki no," is a pillow word for mountains.
Fourth line, "yamahototogisu" (the mountain cuckoo), names the cuckoo of the hills and is the same word as the fourth line of 4203 in this book.
Fifth line, "nado ka kinakanu" (why does it not come to sing?): "ka" binds with the attributive "nu," closing with a lament.
Author: Kume no Hironawa
Source: Manyoshu
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