Shirushi naki omoi ya nazo to ashitazu no ne ni naku made ni awazu wabishiki - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

しるしなき思ひやなぞと葦鶴の
音に泣くまでに逢はずわびしき

Roma-ji: Shirushi naki omoi ya nazo to ashitazu no ne ni naku made ni awazu wabishiki
English Translation: "What use is longing
that comes to nothing?" I cry,
like the crane in the reeds,
weeping aloud in my grief
that I cannot see you
Meaning: "What is the use of a longing that bears no fruit?" I cry aloud, like the crane among the reeds—so wretched is it not to meet you.
Commentary: Book Ten Love Poems II 645

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet asks what use there is in a fruitless longing, and says he is so wretched at not meeting her that he cries aloud like a crane in the reeds. He layers the pain of an unrequited love with the call of the crane among the reeds.
Like the preceding poem, 644, it continues a series of laments for a love that is not returned.
The poet, Sakanoue no Korenori, was a descendant of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro and served as Assistant Governor of Kaga, among other posts. He is one of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals, and his "asaborake ariake no tsuki to miru made ni" is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

The first line, "Shirushi naki," means "fruitless, of no avail."
The second line, "omoi ya nazo to," means "what is this longing?"
The third line, "ashitazu no," means "like the crane in the reeds," leading through its crying to "ne ni naku" in the fourth line.
The fourth line, "ne ni naku made ni," means "until I weep aloud," layered with the crane's call.
The last line, "awazu wabishiki," means "wretched at not meeting," ending in the attributive to convey a sigh.
Author: Sakanoue no Koreyuki
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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