Au made no inochi mogana to omoishi ni kuyashikarikeru waga kokoro kana

逢ふまでの命もがなと思ひしに
悔しかりける我が心かな

Roma-ji: Au made no inochi mogana to omoishi ni kuyashikarikeru waga kokoro kana
English Translation: I once thought I'd ask
only for my life to last
till we came to meet—
how I now regret it so,
this foolish heart of mine.
Meaning: I once wished only that I might live until we met—how I now regret that heart of mine.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1269

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
He once wished only to live long enough to meet his beloved, and now that they have met he regrets that wish, the poet says.
Having longed only for a meeting, he finds after it that he cannot bear to part and regrets having asked for life only until then; the poem sings of love's endless craving, its pain deepening after the meeting.

First line, “au made no”: until we meet.
Second line, “inochi mogana to”: mogana expresses a wish, "if only I had life."
Third line, “omoishi ni”: though I thought so.
Fourth line, “kuyashikarikeru”: how regrettable it was.
Fifth line, “waga kokoro kana”: kana is exclamatory.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Tsutsumedomo hito shiru koi ya ōigawa iseki no hima o kuguru shiranami
Next Poem: Ima yori wa awade mono o ba omou to mo nochi uki hito ni mi o ba makaseji