Fukaku nomi omou kokoro wa ashi no ne no wakete mo hito ni awan to zo omou - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

深くのみ思ふ心は葦の根の
わけても人に逢はんとぞ思ふ

Roma-ji: Fukaku nomi omou kokoro wa ashi no ne no wakete mo hito ni awan to zo omou
English Translation: This heart that loves you
only ever more deeply,
like the roots of reeds,
would part its way, above all,
so that I might meet you
Meaning: My heart, which loves you ever more deeply, would push through like the deep roots of the reeds—above all else, I mean to meet you.
Commentary: Book Ten Love Poems II 680

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet says that his deeply loving heart means, above all, to meet her, even if he must push through the roots of the reeds. He conveys a fierce longing to meet her even at the cost of parting the reed roots spreading deep beneath the water.
Following the preceding poem, it sings of single-minded devotion to one hard to meet.
The poet, called "Atsuyoshi no Miko," is Prince Atsuyoshi. A son of Emperor Uda, he was called the Jewel-Bright Prince for his beauty and is known for his love affair with Ise.

The first line, "Fukaku nomi," means "only ever deeply."
The second line, "omou kokoro wa," means "the heart that loves."
The third line, "ashi no ne no," means "of the roots of reeds spreading deep under the water," connected with "fukaku" in the first line and leading to "wake" in the fourth line.
In the fourth line, "wakete" is a pivot word joining "parting" the reed roots and "wakete," above all.
The last line, "awan to zo omou," means "I mean to meet you," with "zo" an emphatic particle closing with the attributive "omou," a kakarimusubi pattern.
Author: Prince Atsuyoshi
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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