Koishiku wa katami ni semu to waga yado ni ueshi akihagi ima sakari nari - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

恋しくは形見にせむと我が宿に
植ゑし秋萩今盛りなり

Roma-ji: Koishiku wa katami ni semu to waga yado ni ueshi akihagi ima sakari nari
English Translation: Thinking, when I long
for you, it will be a keepsake,
in my garden I
planted autumn bush clover,
and now it is in full bloom.
Meaning: The autumn bush clover I planted in my garden, thinking it would be a keepsake when I longed for you, is now in full bloom.
Commentary: Book Thirteen Love Poems III 837

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The poem says that the autumn bush clover planted in one's garden as a keepsake for times of longing is now in full bloom. In the clover planted as a keepsake reaching its height, it makes one feel deeply how long a time has passed without meeting the beloved.
The author, "Akahito," was a court poet of the Nara period whose clan name was Yamabe. He is ranked alongside Kakinomoto no Hitomaro and is one of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "koishiku wa," means "when I long," with "wa" a supposition.
Second line, "katami ni semu to," means "to keep as a keepsake." It shares the word "katami" with the second line of 808.
Third line, "waga yado ni," means "in my garden."
Fourth line, "ueshi akihagi," means "the autumn bush clover I planted." From here to 839 poems on autumn bush clover follow, and the first line of the next poem, 838, is also "akihagi no."
Final line, "ima sakari nari," means "is now in full bloom." Over the height of the clover's bloom it lays the length of months passed without meeting.
Author: Yamabe no Akahito
Source: Shui Wakashu
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