Hashirii no hodo o shiraba ya Ōsaka no seki hikikoyuru yūkage no koma - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

走り井のほどを知らばや逢坂の
関引き越ゆる夕影の駒

Roma-ji: Hashirii no hodo o shiraba ya Ōsaka no seki hikikoyuru yūkage no koma
English Translation: To the Running Spring,
how far it is, I'd like to know,
through Ōsaka's
barrier the horses come,
led in the evening light.
Meaning: I would like to know how far it is to the Running Spring, you horses led over the Ōsaka Barrier in the evening light.
Commentary: Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Autumn Poems 1108

Headnote: "For a screen celebrating the fiftieth birthday of Lord Seishin"
The poet wishes to know, from the horses led over the Ōsaka Barrier in the evening, how far it is to the Running Spring. The headnote shows it was written for a screen celebrating the fiftieth birthday of Lord Seishin, Fujiwara no Saneyori. Addressing a painting of the horse-greeting ceremony, in which horses presented in the eighth month from the provincial pastures were met at the Ōsaka Barrier, it depicts the horses crossing the barrier in the light of evening. Lord Seishin is Fujiwara no Saneyori, son of Fujiwara no Tadahira, who served as chancellor and regent.
The author, written as "Motosuke," is Kiyohara no Motosuke, grandson of Kiyohara no Fukayabu and father of Sei Shōnagon. As one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber, he took part in compiling the Gosenshū. He is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "hashirii no," means "of the Running Spring," a spring that gushed forth near the Ōsaka Barrier.
Second line, "hodo o shiraba ya," means "I would like to know how far," with "baya" a particle expressing one's own wish. The poem breaks after this second line.
Third line, "Ōsaka no," means "of Ōsaka," the barrier on the border of Yamashiro and Ōmi provinces.
Fourth line, "seki hikikoyuru," means "led over the barrier."
Final line, "yūkage no koma," means "the horses in the evening light," the poem closing on a noun.
Author: Kiyohara no Motosuke
Source: Shui Wakashu
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