O cherry blossoms, in a year when spring days abound,
will you not let the human heart be sated?

Meaning

O cherry blossoms—when spring days abound in a year, will you not at last let the human heart be satisfied?

Commentary

Spring Songs, Book One

A poem composed in a year with an intercalary third month.

From a heart that loves the cherry blossoms, the poet wishes they would linger long enough to be seen to satiety, playing on the fact that spring was lengthened by a leap month.

Author

Ise

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

The cherry blossoms have bloomed, it seems— from the mountain’s ravines appear white clouds.
On Mount Yoshino’s slopes the cherry blossoms bloom— so white that I mistook them only for snow.
Why call it fickle, the cherry blossoms? They, too, waited for one who comes but rarely in a year.
Had you not come today, tomorrow it would have fallen as snow; Even if it did not vanish, could it be seen as a flower?

O cherry blossoms, in a year when spring days abound, will you not let the human heart be sated?

O cherry blossoms, in a year when spring days abound,
will you not let the human heart be sated?