Nami yosuru shirara no hama no karasugai hiroiyasuku mo omōyuru kana

波寄する白良の浜の烏貝
拾ひやすくも思ほゆるかな

Roma-ji: Nami yosuru shirara no hama no karasugai hiroiyasuku mo omōyuru kana
English Translation: The raven-black shells
on the white sands of Shirara
where the waves roll in—
how easy, it seems to me,
they must be to gather up.
Meaning: The raven-black shells on the white sands of Shirara, where the waves roll in—how easy they seem to gather.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1196

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "When a shell contest was to be held at the palace, composed on someone's behalf"
The raven shells on the beach of Shirara, where the waves roll in, seem so easy to gather, the poet says.
Shirara Beach in Kii was a poetic place known for its white sand. The wit lies in the contrast of white and black, the black raven shells easy to spot on the white beach. The "white" of the place name is set against the "raven" of the shell's name.

First line, “nami yosuru”: where the waves roll in.
Second line, “shirara no hama no”: of Shirara Beach in Kii, its sand white.
Third line, “karasugai”: the name of a black shell, contrasting in color with Shirara.
Fourth line, “hiroiyasuku mo”: easy to pick up, because black stands out on white.
Fifth line, “omōyuru kana”: omoyu is to seem of itself; kana is exclamatory.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Nami fusuru take no tomari no suzumegai ureshiki yo ni mo ainikeru kana
Next Poem: Kai ari na kimi ga misode ni ōwarete kokoro ni awanu koto mo naki yo wa