Minasegawa ochi no kayoiji mizu michite funawatari suru samidare no koro

水無瀬川遠の通ひ路水満ちて
舟渡りする五月雨の頃

Roma-ji: Minasegawa ochi no kayoiji mizu michite funawatari suru samidare no koro
English Translation: Minase River,
on the path to the far bank
water rises full,
and we must cross over by boat
in this time of summer rains.
Meaning: Even the Minase River, the waterless river, has filled the path that leads to the far bank, and in the early summer rains we must cross by boat.
Commentary: Summer Poems 216

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "When fifteen poems on the early summer rains were composed at a certain place, written on behalf of another"
This is the second of the fifteen poems. The Minase River, usually so low it can be forded on foot, has risen with the rains until even the path to the far bank is under water, and now one must cross by boat.
The Minase River is a poetic place whose name means waterless river, sung of as a stream running underground, a figure for feelings hidden from view. The surprise of this waterless river brimming so that boats must ferry across conveys the force of the rains.

First line, “Minasegawa”: a poetic place in Settsu; because its name contains minase, without water, it was sung of as a river with little water.
Second line, “ochi no kayoiji”: ochi is the far side, so this is the path that goes back and forth to the far bank.
Third line, “mizu michite”: the usually low river fills with the rains, sharpening the contrast with the waterless name in the first line.
Fourth line, “funawatari suru”: unable to wade across, one crosses by boat.
Fifth line, “samidare no koro”: the poem ends on a noun, closing with the line shared by the group of rain poems.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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