Itsushika no ne ni nakikaeri koshikadomo nobe no asaji wa irozukinikeri - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

いつしかの音になきかへり来しかども
野辺の浅茅は色づきにけり

Roma-ji: Itsushika no ne ni nakikaeri koshikadomo nobe no asaji wa irozukinikeri
English Translation: "Soon, soon," I cried out,
weeping all the way I came
hurrying back home,
but the low reeds of the fields
had already changed their hue
Meaning: Crying out "soon, soon," I came hurrying back in tears, but the short reeds of the fields had already changed their color.
Commentary: Book Twelve Love Poems IV 873

Headnote: "When he was Governor of Yamato, he promised to take as wife the daughter of Fujiwara no Kiyohide, the Assistant Governor of that province, but while he had gone up briefly to the capital on official business, the daughter was taken away by the monk Shin'en, so on returning to the province he inquired after her and sent this."
The poet says that he came hurrying back in tears, crying "soon, soon," but the short reeds of the fields had already changed color. He laments, through the image of reeds that have turned color, that the woman he had promised to take as his wife had already gone to another by the time he hastened back.
According to the headnote, while he was Governor of Yamato he promised to take the daughter of Fujiwara no Kiyohide, Assistant Governor of the province, but while he was briefly in the capital on official business, she was taken away by the monk Shin'en, so he inquired after her on his return and sent this poem.
The poet, listed as "Tadafusa Ason," was Fujiwara no Tadafusa. A son of Fujiwara no Koretsugu, also called Okitsugu, he served as Governor of Yamato and of Yamashiro among other posts, and rose to Master of the Right Capital Office.

The first line, "Itsushika no," means "soon, soon," expressing impatient longing.
The second line, "ne ni nakikaeri," means "returning, crying aloud," with "naki" meaning both "weeping" and the "crying" of birds.
The third line, "koshikadomo," means "I came, and yet," with "domo" adversative.
The fourth line, "nobe no asaji wa," means "the short reeds of the fields," a figure for the woman.
The last line, "irozukinikeri," means "had changed color," a figure for the woman whose heart changed and who went away. "Keri" expresses realization.
Author: Fujiwara no Tadanobu
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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