Yo no uki ni hikaruru hito wa ayamegusa kokoro no ne naki kokochi koso sure

世の憂きにひかるる人はあやめ草
心のねなき心地こそすれ

Roma-ji: Yo no uki ni hikaruru hito wa ayamegusa kokoro no ne naki kokochi koso sure
English Translation: One who's pulled along
by the sorrows of the world,
like an iris plucked,
feels as if his very heart
had nothing left to root it.
Meaning: Someone dragged along by the sorrows of the world feels like an iris pulled from the earth, a heart without any root.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 721

Headnote: "In reply to someone who had sent me iris on the fifth day"
This is a reply to someone who sent iris for the festival of the fifth day of the fifth month. Since iris was pulled up by its roots for the festival, the poet says that one dragged along by the sorrows of the world feels like a pulled iris, a heart without a root, describing his own unmoored state.

First line, “yo no uki ni”: by the sorrows of the world.
Second line, “hikaruru hito wa”: hikaruru is a pivot word joining being dragged by sorrow and the pulling of iris roots.
Third line, “ayamegusa”: the iris, naming the gift; ayame also echoes ayame meaning pattern or order.
Fourth line, “kokoro no ne naki”: ne is a pivot word joining the iris root and the root of the heart; a heart without roots.
Fifth line, “kokochi koso sure”: koso is answered by the perfective sure, stressing such a feeling.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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