Wabibito no namida ni nitaru sakura kana kaze mi ni shimeba mazu koboretsutsu

わび人の涙に似たる桜かな
風身にしめばまづこぼれつつ

Roma-ji: Wabibito no namida ni nitaru sakura kana kaze mi ni shimeba mazu koboretsutsu
English Translation: How like the tears of
those who are sunk in sorrow,
the cherry blossoms;
as soon as the wind pierces,
they are first to spill and fall.
Meaning: How like the tears of the grieving are the cherry blossoms; as soon as the wind pierces them, they are the first to spill.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1035

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
How like the tears of the grieving are the cherry blossoms, the first to spill as soon as the wind pierces them, the poet says. As tears fall when a cold wind cuts to the bone, he likens blossoms scattering in the wind to the tears of the sorrowful.

First line, “wabibito no”: of those sunk in sorrow.
Second line, “namida ni nitaru”: like tears.
Third line, “sakura kana”: kana is exclamatory; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “kaze mi ni shimeba”: when the wind pierces.
Fifth line, “mazu koboretsutsu”: spilling first, the falling of petals joined to the spilling of tears.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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