Otomera ga tamamo susobiku kono niwa ni akikaze fukite hana wa chiritsutsu

娘子らが玉裳裾引くこの庭に
秋風吹きて花は散りつつ

Roma-ji: Otomera ga tamamo susobiku kono niwa ni akikaze fukite hana wa chiritsutsu
English Translation: In this courtyard where
the maidens trail the long hems
of their jeweled skirts,
the wind of autumn blowing
sets the flowers scattering down
Meaning: In this courtyard where the maidens trail the hems of their fine skirts, the autumn wind blows and the flowers keep scattering.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4452

Headnote: "On the thirteenth day of the eighth month, a banquet held in the southern Yasumidono hall of the palace; two poems."
In this courtyard where the maidens trail their fine skirts, the autumn wind blows and the flowers keep scattering: the poem pictures the splendid garden of a court banquet. According to the headnote, it comes from a banquet held on the thirteenth of the eighth month in the southern Yasumidono hall of the palace. The left note says it was presented by Prince Asukabe, Director of the Bureau of Artisans and Governor of Harima. Pairing finely dressed maidens with falling blossoms, it depicts the elegance of the banquet garden.
The author, Prince Asukabe, was a son of Prince Nagaya; his mother was a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito. At this time he was Director of the Bureau of Artisans and Governor of Harima.

The first line, "otomera ga," means "the maidens serving at the banquet."
The second line, "tamamo susobiku," "trailing the hems of their fine skirts," uses tama as praise.
The third line, "kono niwa ni," refers to the garden of the Yasumidono hall, the banquet's setting.
The fourth line, "akikaze fukite," "the autumn wind blows," gives the season.
The closing line, "hana wa chiritsutsu," uses tsutsu of continuation, ending with lingering feeling as the flowers keep falling. The next poem answers by singing of the flowers strewn in the same garden.
Author: Prince Asukabe
Source: Manyoshu
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