Itake moru ama miru toki ni narinikeri Ezokakeshima o keburi kometari

いたけもる海人見る時になりにけり
えぞかけ島を煙籠めたり

Roma-ji: Itake moru ama miru toki ni narinikeri Ezokakeshima o keburi kometari
English Translation: The season has come
to see the fisherfolk who
tend the itake;
over Ezokake Isle
the smoke hangs thick and low.
Meaning: The season has come to see the fisherfolk at their work; smoke hangs thick over Ezokake Island.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1009

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The season has come to see the fisherfolk at their work; smoke hangs thick over Ezokake Island, the poet says. Itake moru in the first line and Ezokakeshima in the fourth are of uncertain meaning and location, but the poem seems to sing of smoke filling an island in the season when the shore folk are busy at such work as burning seaweed for salt.

First line, “itake moru”: of uncertain meaning.
Second line, “ama miru toki ni”: the season of seeing the fisherfolk.
Third line, “narinikeri”: it has come; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “Ezokakeshima o”: the name of an island whose location is uncertain.
Fifth line, “keburi kometari”: the smoke hangs thick.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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