Kiekaeri kure matsu sode zo shiorenuru okitsuru hito wa tsuyu naranedomo

消えかへり暮れ待つ袖ぞしをれぬる
おきつる人は露ならねども

Roma-ji: Kiekaeri kure matsu sode zo shiorenuru okitsuru hito wa tsuyu naranedomo
English Translation: Fading as if gone,
my sleeves that wait for evening
are drenched and limp now—
though the one who rose and left
was not the morning dew at all.
Meaning: Fading away as I wait for evening, my sleeves are drenched and limp—though the one who rose and left at dawn was not the dew.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1257

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
After their meeting, waiting for evening as though fading away, the poet's sleeves are soaked with tears, though the one who rose and left at dawn was not the dew.
Love has advanced to fulfillment, and the poem sings of feelings after the morning parting. Oki pivots on the lover "rising" to leave and dew "settling" at dawn; though the person is not dew, the sleeves are wet as if with it, tears seen as dew.

First line, “kiekaeri”: sinking as if fading away, with an echo of vanishing dew.
Second line, “kure matsu sode zo”: the sleeves that wait for evening; zo is answered by the attributive nuru.
Third line, “shiorenuru”: drenched and limp with tears; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “okitsuru hito wa”: oki pivots on the person "rising" and dew "settling."
Fifth line, “tsuyu naranedomo”: though not dew, the tears on the sleeve seen as dew.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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