Wasuraruru toki shi nakereba ashitazu no omoi midarete ne o nomi zo naku - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

忘らるる時しなければあしたづの
思ひ乱れて音をのみぞ泣く

Roma-ji: Wasuraruru toki shi nakereba ashitazu no omoi midarete ne o nomi zo naku
English Translation: Since there is no time
when I am able to forget
like cranes among the reeds
my heart is in disarray
and I can only cry aloud
Meaning: Since there is never a moment when I can forget you, like the cranes among the reeds, my heart is in turmoil and I can only cry aloud.
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems I 514

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet cannot forget the beloved even for a moment, and sings that, like cranes among the reeds, he is thrown into turmoil and can only cry aloud. The cranes calling in confusion among the reeds are overlaid with the poet weeping, disordered by love. The mournful sound of the cranes' cries impresses the depth of love's lament.

First line, "Since there is no time": ruru is the attributive of the potential auxiliary ru, meaning able to forget.
Second line, "when I am able to forget": shi is an emphatic particle, giving "because there is no time."
Third line, "like cranes among the reeds": ashitazu are cranes in the reed beds, and since cranes call in disorder the phrase leads to "omoi midarete" in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "my heart is in disarray": omoi midarete means the heart in turmoil. Poem 485 of this book has the same line, sharing the image of a disordered heart.
Fifth line, "and I can only cry aloud": ne wo nomi zo naku means crying aloud and nothing else, with zo forming a kakari-musubi with naku. The cranes' call is overlaid with human weeping. "Crying aloud" in poem 536 of this book likewise overlays a bird's voice with the cry of love.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Kokin Wakashu
Prev Poem: Asana asana tatsu kawagiri no sora ni nomi ukite omoi no aru yo narikeri
Next Poem: Karakoromo himo yūgure ni naru toki wa kaesugaesu zo hito wa koishiki