Ōzora ni ōu bakari no sode mogana haru saku hana o kaze ni makaseji - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

大空に覆ふばかりの袖もがな
春咲く花を風にまかせじ

Roma-ji: Ōzora ni ōu bakari no sode mogana haru saku hana o kaze ni makaseji
English Translation: Across the great sky
if only I had a sleeve
to spread over all,
the flowers that bloom in spring
I would not leave to the wind
Meaning: If only I had a sleeve wide enough to cover the whole sky; then I would never leave the flowers of spring to the mercy of the wind.
Commentary: Book Two Spring Poems II 64

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet wishes for a sleeve wide enough to cover the sky, so that the spring flowers would not be left to scatter in the wind. Through the hyperbole of an impossibly vast sleeve, the poem conveys the depth of the poet's regret for the blossoms.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us. The text gives the poet as "yomibito mo," which is treated here as "anonymous."

The first line, "Ōzora ni," means "over the whole sky," showing an immense expanse.
In the second line, "bakari" marks degree: "large enough to cover."
In the third line, "mogana" expresses a wish: "if only there were such a sleeve." The poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "haru saku hana o," names spring blossoms, here the cherry.
In the last line, "ji" expresses negative intention: "I would not leave them to the wind's will." Like 56 and 57 of this book, it pairs flowers with wind.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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