Iza kotoshi chire to sakura o kataraan nakanaka saraba kaze ya oshimu to

いざ今年散れと桜を語らはん
なかなかさらば風や惜しむと

Roma-ji: Iza kotoshi chire to sakura o kataraan nakanaka saraba kaze ya oshimu to
English Translation: Come, this year I'll say
to the cherry, go and fall,
I shall tell it so:
then perhaps, quite contrary,
it's the wind that will hold back.
Meaning: Come, this year I will tell the cherry, scatter! For then, perhaps, it will be the wind, quite contrary, that grieves for the blossoms instead.
Commentary: Spring Poems 150

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "When composing fifteen poems on cherry blossoms"
This year, the poet says, he will tell the cherry to go ahead and fall, for then, perhaps, the contrary wind will grieve for the blossoms and spare them.
Turning on its head the feeling that the more one cherishes the flowers the more the wind scatters them, he tries a reverse tactic in a witty poem. It portrays a humorous stratagem born of a single-minded wish to protect the blossoms.

First line, “iza kotoshi”: come now, this year, a sudden resolve.
Second line, “chire to sakura o”: telling the cherry to fall, words contrary to his true wish.
Third line, “kataraan”: I will tell it so, with a break after the third line.
Fourth line, “nakanaka saraba”: if so, on the contrary.
Fifth line, “kaze ya oshimu to”: the interrogative ya, thinking the wind may grieve for them, giving in inverted order the reason for the third line.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Obotsukana hana wa kokoro no haru ni nomi izure no toshi ka ukaresomeken
Next Poem: Kaze fuku to eda o hanarete otsu majiku hana tojitsuke yo aoyagi no ito