Ōzora ni muretaru tazu no sashinagara omou kokoro no arige naru kana - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

大空に群れたる鶴のさしながら
思ふ心のありげなるかな

Roma-ji: Ōzora ni muretaru tazu no sashinagara omou kokoro no arige naru kana
English Translation: In the open sky
the cranes are gathered in flocks,
all of them as one,
and they seem to hold a heart
that is thinking of something.
Meaning: The cranes flocking in the wide sky, all together as they are, seem to have something in their hearts.
Commentary: Book Five Celebration Poems 284

Headnote: "For a folding screen when Kiyotsura, Minister of Popular Affairs, held a celebration for the Gojō Principal Handmaid"
The poet says that the cranes flocking in the wide sky all seem to have something in their hearts. Treating the cranes, which live a thousand years, as though they too wished to bless the honoree with long life, she entrusts her good wishes to the cranes painted on the screen. According to the headnote, it was written for a folding screen when Fujiwara no Kiyotsura, Minister of Popular Affairs, held a celebration for the Gojō Principal Handmaid. The Gojō Principal Handmaid is thought to be Fujiwara no Mitsuko.
Ise was a woman poet of the early to mid-Heian period and a daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage. She served Onshi, consort of Emperor Uda, and became the mother of Nakatsukasa. She is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

First line, "ōzora ni," means "in the wide sky."
Second line, "muretaru tazu no," means "of the flocking cranes," with "taru" an auxiliary of continuing state. Following the cranes of 265 in this book, the bird of long life appears again.
Third line, "sashinagara," is understood to mean "just as they are, all together." The third line of 286 in this book is the same "sashinagara," but there it means "while wearing flowers in the hair."
Fourth line, "omou kokoro no," means "of a heart that thinks," the same line as the fourth line of the preceding poem. Taking up the boundless human heart of that poem, this one gives a thinking heart to the cranes as well.
Final line, "arige naru kana," means "how it seems to be there," with "ge" a suffix of appearance and "kana" exclamatory.
Author: Ise
Source: Shui Wakashu
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