Iso no ura ni tsune yobi kisumu oshidori no oshiki aga mi wa kimi ga manimani

磯の裏に常呼び来住む鴛鴦の
惜しき我が身は君がまにまに

Roma-ji: Iso no ura ni tsune yobi kisumu oshidori no oshiki aga mi wa kimi ga manimani
English Translation: By the rocky cove
where the mandarin ducks come
calling, there to dwell,
this self I hold so dear
I give over to your will
Meaning: Like the mandarin ducks that always come calling to the cove of the rocky pond, this self I hold dear is yours to do with as you please.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4505

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "In the second month, a banquet at the residence of Nakatomi no Kiyomaro, Senior Assistant Minister of Ceremonial; fifteen poems."
Like the mandarin ducks that always come calling to the cove, this self I hold dear is yours to command: the poem expresses loyalty and affection for the host, Kiyomaro. The left note attributes it to Ōhara no Imaki, junior assistant minister of Ceremonial. Imaki, who opened the banquet with a complaint to his host, here shows an affection that would give himself over entirely, closing the first part of the banquet poems.
The author, Ōhara no Imaki, a member of the Ōhara clan, was at this time junior assistant minister of Ceremonial.

The first line, "iso no ura ni," "in the cove by the rocky pond edge," takes up the "shore" of the poem two before.
The second line, "tsune yobi kisumu," "that always come calling and dwell," shows the ducks' devotion.
The third line, "oshidori no," "of the mandarin ducks": the first three lines form a preface leading by sound to oshiki.
The fourth line, "oshiki aga mi wa," "this self I hold dear," turns from the preface to himself.
The closing line, "kimi ga manimani," "as you will," ends by entrusting himself to his host.
Author: Ōhara no Imaki
Source: Manyoshu
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