Kotonoha no shimogarenishi ni omoiniki koto no nasake mo kakaramashi to wa

言の葉の霜枯れにしに思ひにき
事の情けもかからましとは

Roma-ji: Kotonoha no shimogarenishi ni omoiniki koto no nasake mo kakaramashi to wa
English Translation: When the leaves of words
withered as if touched by frost,
I had thought it then—
that every kindness shown
would come to be like this.
Meaning: When your words withered like leaves touched by frost, I already knew that every kindness would come to this.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1286

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "One hundred and ten love poems"
When the beloved's words withered like frost-struck leaves, he already thought that every kindness would come to this, the poet says.
Treating words as "leaves of words," their withering by frost is overlaid with affection cooling and letters ceasing. A resigned heart that foresaw love's end when the letters stopped comes through.

First line, “kotonoha no”: of the words of letters, "leaves" leading to frost-withering.
Second line, “shimogarenishi ni”: when they had withered with frost, letters ceasing.
Third line, “omoiniki”: niki is perfective and past, "I had thought it then"; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “koto no nasake mo”: kindness in any matter.
Fifth line, “kakaramashi to wa”: mashi is conjectural, "that it would be so," the inversion giving what he thought.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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