Shio nareshi tomaya mo arete uki nami ni yoru kata mo naki ama to shirazu ya

潮馴れし苫屋も荒れてうき波に
寄る方もなきあまと知らずや

Roma-ji: Shio nareshi tomaya mo arete uki nami ni yoru kata mo naki ama to shirazu ya
English Translation: The brine-seasoned hut
has fallen to ruin, and
on these bitter waves
with nowhere to come ashore,
a fisherwoman, did you not know?
Meaning: Did you not know that I am now a fisherwoman, a nun, whose brine-soaked hut has fallen to ruin, with nowhere to turn amid the bitter waves?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 744

Headnote: "Hearing that a lady-in-waiting from a certain household had left the world and was living in the Western Hills, I called on her, but the dwelling was in ruins with no sign of anyone; I left word with a neighbor, and hearing of it she sent this"
Hearing that a lady who had served at a certain household had taken vows and was living in the Western Hills, Saigyō visited, but found the dwelling fallen to ruin with no one about. He left word with a neighbor, and on hearing of it the lady sent this poem. The author is given only as a lady of a certain household, and who she was is unknown. She lays the plight of a nun with no place to rest over that of a fisherwoman in a ruined hut, explaining why she was away.

First line, “shio nareshi”: long familiar with the brine, life by the sea.
Second line, “tomaya mo arete”: tomaya is a hut thatched with rush mats, here a dwelling fallen to ruin.
Third line, “uki nami ni”: uki is a pivot word joining floating on the waves and bitter sorrow.
Fourth line, “yoru kata mo naki”: with nowhere to draw ashore, no place to rest.
Fifth line, “ama to shirazu ya”: ama is a pivot word joining fisherwoman and nun; ya asks, did you not know?
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Yo o somuku kokoro bakari wa ariake no tsukisenu yami wa kimi ni haruken
Next Poem: Toma no ya ni nami tachiyoranu keshiki nite amari sumiuki hodo wa mieniki