Thank you for asking me to express my opinion in answer form, enshrine-san.
If your question is "「〇〇」と is correct way to quote someone's words -- namely "reported speech", then answer is affirmative yes. Reason is as follows:
と in 「------」と is abbreviation for ｢----といった」or ｢----であるのだと」, etc., in sum quoting someone's words.

Examples are abound in many poems (including haikus and Wakas) , and I wish I can show you some good examples from famous Japanese poetry but I cannot think of anything. This site is closest I get at this time.

http://contest2.thinkquest.jp/tqj2003/60413/index2.html

In this, 末の松山　波なみこさじとは　-- this とは is same as just と as this is a quote of what his lover once told him. He is quoting (or recalling) with broken heart what his love said.
In this it is two characters とは, instead of just one と, because this is waka, in which the composer has to be in comformity with the 5,7,5,7,7 rule.

Just a side note:
Translation of poetry is, for me, the biggest challenge and I do not have heart to take up such task. I surely admire your efforts whereas Japanese is not your native tongue.
For this reason, please rethink about expressions such as 彼を携える波が迫り込んだ, for majority of Japanese would not understand what you are getting at.


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Note added at 1 day10 mins (2006-06-08 01:20:44 GMT)
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Thank you for enlightening me on 熟れる = こなれる . I thought this is read as うれる like りんごがよく熟れておいしい. Well we live and learn.

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Note added at 1 day24 mins (2006-06-08 01:35:01 GMT)
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I just noticed the link I cited above does not take you the page (the waka) I am referring to.
Please click the link says 百人一首1~50、then click on 042. You will find following:

契ちぎりきな　かたみに袖そでを　しぼりつつ 　　　　　　　　　　　　
末すゑの松山まつやま　波なみこさじとは　　
清原元輔きよはらのもとすけ

■口語訳
あのとき、かたく約束したよね。おたがいに、よろこびの涙でぬれた袖をしぼりながら、あの「末の松原」を波がこすことはきおぜったいにないように、わたしたちの愛も永遠にかわることはないと･･･。