Kumotori ya Shiko no yamaji wa sateokite Oguchi ga hara no sabishikaranu ka

雲取や志古の山路はさておきて
小口が原のさびしからぬか

Roma-ji: Kumotori ya Shiko no yamaji wa sateokite Oguchi ga hara no sabishikaranu ka
English Translation: Kumotori, and the
mountain road of Shiko, let
them be put aside;
is it not lonely enough,
the plain of Oguchi?
Meaning: Leaving aside Mount Kumotori and the mountain road of Shiko, is not the plain of Oguchi lonely indeed?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 977

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
Leaving aside Mount Kumotori and the mountain road of Shiko, is not the plain of Oguchi lonely indeed? the poet asks. Kumotori, Shiko and Oguchi are all places on the pilgrimage road to Kumano in Kii, and he strings their names together to convey the loneliness of the rugged road.

First line, “Kumotori ya”: Kumotori, a hard pass on the Kumano pilgrimage.
Second line, “Shiko no yamaji wa”: Shiko is a place in Kumano.
Third line, “sateokite”: leaving that aside.
Fourth line, “Oguchi ga hara no”: Oguchi is a place on the Kumotori crossing.
Fifth line, “sabishikaranu ka”: ka is rhetorical; is it not lonely?
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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