Matsu mo hiki wakana mo tsumazu nari nuru o itsushika sakura haya mo sakanamu - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

松も引き若菜も摘まずなりぬるを
いつしか桜はやも咲かなむ

Roma-ji: Matsu mo hiki wakana mo tsumazu nari nuru o itsushika sakura haya mo sakanamu
English Translation: Neither pulling pines
nor picking young greens could I do,
and so it ended;
O cherry, as soon as you can,
I pray, come into bloom
Meaning: I could neither pull young pines nor gather greens, and the day has passed me by. Cherry blossoms, I pray you bloom as soon as you can.
Commentary: Book One Spring Poems I 5

Headnote: "When the Retired Emperor Suzaku went out for the Day of the Rat, the poet was prevented by some matter from attending, and sent this to Lord Nobumitsu."
The poem voices the poet's regret at being unable to attend the Retired Emperor's Day of the Rat outing, and wishes the cherries to bloom early so that he may attend in the next season of flowers. While lamenting the pleasure he missed, he looks forward to the next occasion.
According to the headnote, when Retired Emperor Suzaku went out for the Day of the Rat, the poet could not accompany him because of some obligation, and sent this poem to Minamoto no Nobumitsu. Nobumitsu was a son of Prince Yoakira who served close to the Retired Emperor. The next poem is the Retired Emperor's reply.
The poet, called "the Minister of the Left," is Fujiwara no Saneyori. Eldest son of Fujiwara no Tadahira, he was Minister of the Left when the Gosen Wakashū was compiled and later rose to Regent and Chancellor. He founded the Ononomiya house.

The first line, "Neither pulling pines," refers to the Day of the Rat custom of going into the fields to pull up young pines by the roots. It echoes "matsu" in the next poem, 6.
The second line, "nor picking young greens," names the gathering of greens on the Day of the Rat, and with the "mo" of the first line shows that he could do neither.
The third line, "and so it ended," tells that the day passed as it was, linking adversatively to the lower verses.
In the fourth line, "itsushika" expresses eager longing for something to come soon. Having missed the Day of the Rat, he turns his thoughts to the coming flower viewing.
In the last line, "nan" is a final particle of wishing addressed to another, asking the cherries to bloom quickly.
Author: Fujiwara no Saneyori
Source: Gosen Wakashu
Prev Poem: Shirakumo no ue shiru kyō zo harusame no furu ni kai aru mi to wa shiri nuru
Next Poem: Matsu ni kuru hito shi nakereba haru no no no wakana mo nani mo kai nakari keri