Hana mo chiri hototogisu sae inuru made kimi ni mo yukazu narinikeru kana - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

花も散り郭公さへいぬるまで
君にもゆかずなりにけるかな

Roma-ji: Hana mo chiri hototogisu sae inuru made kimi ni mo yukazu narinikeru kana
English Translation: The blossoms have fallen,
the cuckoo too has gone away,
and until this time
not even to you have I gone,
so it has turned out, alas
Meaning: The blossoms have fallen and even the cuckoo has gone away, and all this while I have not once gone to see you.
Commentary: Book Four Summer Poems 211

Headnote: "Having been ill for some months and unable to go out, he wrote that he could not come, and added this at the end of the letter."
The blossoms have fallen and even the cuckoo has gone, and all the while he has not gone to see his friend. Through the passing of seasonal things, the poem conveys how long he went without visiting, from spring to summer's end.
According to the headnote, it was added at the end of a letter explaining that he had been ill for months, unable to go out, and so could not come. The next poem is Fujiwara no Masatada's reply, and the two form an exchange.
The poet, called "Tsurayuki," is Ki no Tsurayuki. A son of Ki no Mochiyuki, he was the leading compiler of the Kokin Wakashū and wrote its kana preface. He served as governor of Tosa among other posts, is known as the author of the Tosa Diary, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

The first line, "Hana mo chiri," means "the blossoms too have fallen," showing that spring has passed.
In the second line, "sae" is an additive particle: "even the cuckoo," the bird of summer.
The third line, "inuru made," means "until it has gone," showing that summer too is nearing its end. It takes up 208, which sang of the cuckoo's voice fading.
The fourth line, "kimi ni mo yukazu," means "without going even to you."
The last line, "narinikeru kana," means "it has come to this," with "ni" marking completion and "keru" and "kana" a sigh. The next poem, 212, answers with "hana tori no," weaving in both flowers and birds.
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Gosen Wakashu
Prev Poem: Ama no kawa mizu masarurashi natsu no yo wa nagaruru tsuki no yodomu ma mo nashi
Next Poem: Hana tori no iro o mo ne o mo itazura ni monoukaru mi wa sugusu nomi nari