Kono shigure itaku na furiso wagimoko ni misemu ga tame ni momichi toritemu

このしぐれいたくな降りそ我妹子に
見せむがために黄葉取りてむ

Roma-ji: Kono shigure itaku na furiso wagimoko ni misemu ga tame ni momichi toritemu
English Translation: This autumn shower—
do not fall so heavily,
for to my dear wife
I would show them, and so
I'll gather the autumn leaves
Meaning: Autumn shower, do not fall so hard—I mean to gather these red leaves to show my dear wife.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4222

Headnote: "Two poems from a banquet on the third day of the ninth month"
Composed at a banquet on the third day of the ninth month, it asks the autumn shower not to fall too hard, for the speaker means to pick autumn leaves to show his wife. It expresses the wish to bring her beautiful leaves before the showers scatter them.
The left note says, "The above poem was composed by the Secretary Kume no Ason Hironawa." Hironawa may have been due to go up to his wife in the capital around this time, and Yakamochi's reply in the next poem, referring to "the people of Nara," suggests his wife was in Nara.
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, "kono shigure" (this autumn shower), addresses the rain now falling.
Second line, "itaku na furiso" (do not fall too hard): "na ... so" is a prohibition; the poem pauses here.
Third line, "wagimoko ni" (to my dear wife), names the one he wishes to show the leaves.
Fourth line, "misemu ga tame ni" (in order to show her), gives the purpose of picking the leaves.
Fifth line, "momichi toritemu" (I will gather the autumn leaves): "temu" expresses firm intent.
Author: Kume no Hironawa
Source: Manyoshu
Prev Poem: Kaku bakari koishiku shi araba masokagami minu hi toki naku aramashi mono o
Next Poem: Aoniyoshi narahito mimu to waga seko ga shimekemu momichi tsuchi ni ochime ya mo