Kamunazuki shigure no tsune ka waga seko ga yado no momichiba chirinubeku miyu

十月時雨の常か我が背子が
宿の黄葉散りぬべく見ゆ

Roma-ji: Kamunazuki shigure no tsune ka waga seko ga yado no momichiba chirinubeku miyu
English Translation: In the tenth month
is it the way of showers?
In my dear friend's
garden the autumn leaves
look as if about to fall
Meaning: Is it simply the way of the tenth month's showers? The autumn leaves in your garden, my friend, look as though they are about to fall.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4259

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Three poems from a banquet at the house of the Major Controller of the Left, Ki no Ason Iimaro, on the twenty-second day of the tenth month"
Composed by Yakamochi at Ki no Iimaro's banquet on seeing the autumn-colored leaves of a pear tree in the garden, it wonders whether showers in the tenth month are simply the way of things, as the leaves in the host's garden look about to fall—regret for the passing autumn.
The left note says, "The above poem was composed by the Junior Counselor Ōtomo no Sukune Yakamochi on seeing the colored leaves of a pear tree at that moment." Whereas the two preceding poems were old poems recited from memory, this is an impromptu greeting capturing the scene at the banquet and praising the host's garden.
The poet, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, was the son of the Grand Counselor Ōtomo no Tabito. Appointed Junior Counselor in 751, he returned from Etchū to the capital at Heijō-kyō, where he took part in court banquets as an official. He is thought to have played a central role in compiling the Man'yōshū.

First line, "kamunazuki" (the tenth month), fixes the season of showers.
Second line, "shigure no tsune ka" (is it the showers' habit?): "tsune" means the usual way, and "ka" a question; the poem pauses here.
Third line, "waga seko ga" (my dear friend's), affectionately refers to the host, Ki no Iimaro.
Fourth line, "yado no momichiba" (the autumn leaves of your garden), are those of a pear tree, according to the left note.
Fifth line, "chirinubeku miyu" (look about to fall): "nubeshi" means just about to.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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