Sumiyoshi no matsugane arau nami no oto o kozue ni kakuru okitsu shiokaze

住吉の松が根洗ふ波の音を
梢にかくる沖つ潮風

Roma-ji: Sumiyoshi no matsugane arau nami no oto o kozue ni kakuru okitsu shiokaze
English Translation: At Sumiyoshi
the sound of waves that wash
the roots of the pines
is carried up to the treetops
by the salt wind from offshore.
Meaning: At Sumiyoshi, the salt wind from the open sea carries the sound of the waves washing the pine roots all the way up into the treetops.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1054

Headnote: "When Shun'e was in retreat at Tennōji and took a group to Sumiyoshi to compose poems, I went along"
When Shun'e was in retreat at Tennōji and led a company to the Sumiyoshi Shrine to compose poems, Saigyō went with them and composed this. The salt wind from offshore lifts the sound of the waves washing the roots of the Sumiyoshi pines up into the treetops.
The salt wind links the sound of waves at the roots with the wind sounding in the branches, drawing on the poetic tradition of hearing wind in the pines as the sound of waves. Sumiyoshi was a famous poetic place known for its pines and waves, and its deity was revered as a god of poetry. Shun'e, who led the Karin'en circle, was a friend of Saigyō.

First line, “Sumiyoshi no”: the poetic place Sumiyoshi in Settsu, the pine grove of the shrine.
Second line, “matsugane arau”: the waves washing the roots of the pines.
Third line, “nami no oto o”: the sound of those waves, object of the verb in the fourth line.
Fourth line, “kozue ni kakuru”: hanging it upon the treetops, the sound of the waves at the roots heard as wind in the branches.
Fifth line, “okitsu shiokaze”: tsu means "of"; the salt wind from the open sea, ending on a noun.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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