Ōigawa kawabe no matsu ni koto towamu kakaru miyuki ya arishi mukashi mo - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

大井河川辺の松に事問はむ
かかる行幸やありし昔も

Roma-ji: Ōigawa kawabe no matsu ni koto towamu kakaru miyuki ya arishi mukashi mo
English Translation: Along the Ōi,
to the pines upon its bank
I will put a question:
"Was there ever such a progress
in the days of long ago?"
Meaning: I will ask the pines along the bank of the Ōi River: was there ever such a splendid imperial excursion in the days of old?
Commentary: Book Eight Miscellaneous Poems I 455

Headnote: "In the same reign, when there was an imperial excursion to Ōi and people were bidden to compose poems"
The poet says he will ask the pines on the bank of the Ōi River whether such an imperial excursion ever took place in the past. The headnote shows that, as in the preceding poem, it was composed when Emperor Daigo made an excursion to the Ōi River and had people compose poems. By questioning the pines that have lived for long ages, he praises the excursion as grander than any precedent. Following the pine wind of the two preceding poems, here he sings of the aged pines themselves.
The author, written as Tsurayuki, is Ki no Tsurayuki. The leading compiler of the Kokinshū, he wrote its kana preface and the Tosa Diary. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "Ōigawa," is a river flowing through Saga in Kyoto, also written Ōi with other characters.
Second line, "kawabe no matsu ni," means "to the pines on the bank."
Third line, "koto towamu," means "I will ask," with "mu" an auxiliary of intention. The poem breaks here and is inverted with the lower verse.
Fourth line, "kakaru miyuki ya," means "such an imperial excursion," with "ya" a questioning particle.
Final line, "arishi mukashi mo," means "was there in the past too," the inverted lower verse giving the content of the question. The next poem, 456, also sings of pines of great age.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Shui Wakashu
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