Orikakuru nami no tatsu ka to miyuru kana sasuga ni kiiru sagi no muradori

折りかくる波の立つかと見ゆるかな
さすがに来ゐる鷺の群鳥

Roma-ji: Orikakuru nami no tatsu ka to miyuru kana sasuga ni kiiru sagi no muradori
English Translation: It looks just as if
white-capped waves were breaking there
and rising up high,
but it is herons, in fact,
a flock that has come to rest.
Meaning: It looks as if white waves were breaking and rising, but it is in fact a flock of herons that have come to rest.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 979

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
It looks as though white waves were breaking and rising, but it is in fact a flock of herons come to rest, the poet says, likening the white herons to whitecaps.

First line, “orikakuru”: waves folding over and breaking.
Second line, “nami no tatsu ka to”: as if waves were rising.
Third line, “miyuru kana”: kana is exclamatory; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “sasuga ni kiiru”: sasuga ni is after all, in fact; kiiru is to come and settle.
Fifth line, “sagi no muradori”: ending on a noun, a flock of herons.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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