Red and yellow leaves,
Fallen in the ravine’s creek,
Shining like brocades –
They’d be coming flowing down,
On the rivers night an’ day.
(Vol.8-1587)

The poet here, Ootomo-no Fumimochi, is from the famous and noble family, the Ootomo’s, and actually a son of Ootomo-no Tabito, and Ootomo-no Yakamochi’s younger brother. Since he died early, his poems number only 12 in Man-Yoh-Shuh. This particular poem was made and announced on the occasion of a dinner party hosted by Tachibana-no Naramaro in the year 738. (per Mr. Nakanishi)

“Ashihikino” quoted in the original Japanese as well as alphabetic version of this poem is one of those “pillow words”, decorating the following word or phrase, and has no direct meaning to the whole poem.
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