Sakurabana orite mishi ni mo kawaranu ni chiranu bakari zo shirushi narikeru - Shin Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

桜花折りて見しにも変はらぬに
散らぬばかりぞしるしなりける

Roma-ji: Sakurabana orite mishi ni mo kawaranu ni chiranu bakari zo shirushi narikeru
English Translation: These cherry blossoms
are no different from the ones
I broke off and saw;
that they do not scatter is
the only sign that tells them apart.
Meaning: These cherry blossoms are no different from the real ones I once broke off and looked at—only their not scattering shows that they are made by hand.
Commentary: Book Sixteen Miscellaneous Poems I 1462

Headnote: "When the courtiers composed poems in His Majesty's presence on the spirit of 'Delighting in Newly Made Cherry Blossoms,' in the reign of Emperor Go-Reizei."
This is the twelfth poem of the sequence on the cherry. The blossoms are no different from real cherry blossoms broken off and viewed; only their not scattering shows that they are artificial. According to the headnote, it was composed when the courtiers composed poems before Emperor Go-Reizei on the topic "Delighting in Newly Made Cherry Blossoms."
The author, "Major Counselor Tadaie," was the son of Provisional Major Counselor Fujiwara no Nagaie. He rose to Major Counselor and was the grandfather of Fujiwara no Shunzei.
The topic "Delighting in Newly Made Cherry Blossoms" is understood to mean enjoying newly fashioned cherry blossoms, that is, artificial ones.

The first line, "sakurabana," points to the artificial cherry of the topic. It first sets out the subject of the poem.
The second line, "orite mishi ni mo," refers to real cherry blossoms broken off and viewed up close. With the past "shi," it compares them with blossoms seen before.
In the third line, "kawaranu ni," "ni" is concessive, meaning "though they do not differ." It praises the excellence of the artificial blossoms.
The fourth line, "chiranu bakari zo," singles out with the particle "zo" only the fact that they do not scatter. Within a sequence that regrets falling blossoms, it sets the inverted conceit of blossoms that do not fall.
The last line, "shirushi narikeru," closes the kakari-musubi of the particle "zo" with the attributive form "keru." Saying that not scattering is the only sign that distinguishes them from real blossoms, it praises both the excellence of the craft and the auspiciousness of blossoms that never fall.
Author: Fujiwara no Tadaie
Source: Shin Kokin Wakashu
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