Naniwagata nani ni mo arazu miotsukushi fukaki kokoro no shirushi bakari zo - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

難波潟何にもあらずみをつくし
深き心のしるしばかりぞ

Roma-ji: Naniwagata nani ni mo arazu miotsukushi fukaki kokoro no shirushi bakari zo
English Translation: Like Naniwa Bay's
channel markers, it is nothing,
this—I give my all—
only a token of my heart
running deep as the waterway
Meaning: Like the channel markers of Naniwa Bay, it is nothing much—only a token of a heart that would give its all, as deep as the waters they mark.
Commentary: Book Fifteen Miscellaneous Poems I 1103

Headnote: "Sending a hair comb from Tsukushi as a gift to a woman friend."
The poet says that, like the channel markers of Naniwa Bay, her gift is nothing much, only a token of a heart that would give its all. With "miotsukushi" meaning both a channel marker and giving one's all, she conveys the feeling behind the comb sent from distant Tsukushi by likening it to the marker that shows the deep waterway.
According to the headnote, the poem accompanied a hair comb she sent from Tsukushi to a woman friend.
The poet was a daughter of Ōe no Tamabuchi, and little more is known of her life. Her father, Tamabuchi, was a son of Ōe no Otondo and served as a provincial official.

The first line, "Naniwagata," is the tidal flats of Naniwa in Settsu, famous for channel markers. Its sound is echoed by "nani," what, in the second line.
The second line, "nani ni mo arazu," means "it is nothing at all," humbly speaking of her gift. The poem pauses here.
The third line, "miotsukushi," is the stake marking a boat channel, joined with "mi o tsukushi," giving one's all.
The fourth line, "fukaki kokoro no," means "of a deep heart," overlaying the depth of the water the marker shows with the depth of her feeling.
The last line, "shirushi bakari zo," means "is only a token," with "shirushi" joining the channel marker's sign and the token of her goodwill.
Author: Daughter of Ōe no Tamabuchi
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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