Shita ni nomi haiwataritsuru ashi no ne no ureshiki ame ni arawaruru kana - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

下にのみ這ひわたりつる葦の根の
うれしき雨にあらはるるかな

Roma-ji: Shita ni nomi haiwataritsuru ashi no ne no ureshiki ame ni arawaruru kana
English Translation: Only underground
have the roots of the reed
crept along so long—
now by a rain of gladness
they are laid bare at last
Meaning: The roots of the reed that crept on and on only beneath the earth are laid bare at last by a welcome rain.
Commentary: Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems III 1234

Headnote: "He had been secretly visiting the daughter of someone whose parents were living; they found out and rebuked him. Months passed and he kept visiting in secret, but once, when it rained and he could not leave and stayed shut in, the parents learned of it and, saying there was nothing to be done, sent word that they would allow it."
The poet says that the reed roots which crept only underground are laid bare by a welcome rain. Likening a love kept from others' eyes to reed roots creeping beneath the earth, he expresses his joy that being discovered on a rainy day turned instead into the occasion for consent.
According to the headnote, he had been secretly visiting a daughter whose parents were alive; they found out and rebuked him. Though months passed he kept visiting in hiding, but when rain kept him from leaving and he stayed indoors, the parents learned of it and, deciding it could not be helped, sent word that they consented.
The poet is anonymous and the name is not known. The text gives the poet as "yomibito mo," but it is treated here as anonymous.

The first line, "Shita ni nomi," means "only beneath the earth," a figure for a hidden love.
The second line, "haiwataritsuru," means "that crept on and on."
The third line, "ashi no ne no," means "the roots of the reed," a figure for his secret visits.
The fourth line, "ureshiki ame ni," means "by a welcome rain," the rain that kept him indoors and so led to consent.
The last line, "arawaruru kana," means "are laid bare," overlaying roots washed bare by rain with a love openly acknowledged, with "kana" exclamatory.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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