Flowers are easier to see than birds However many meanings the cuckoo's song takes on in human ears, the discarded officials of fallen nations who in ancient times stood idle on bridges over streams, their sleeves covered in poplar catkins and their ears full of the cuckoo's song, had flowers, but were in no mood to enjoy them, and they had birdsong, but were in no mood to listen to it.
花開易見鳥難尋不論鵑聲傳入人們耳中，生出了多少種意義，總之，閒立溪橋，滿袖楊花，滿耳鵑啼，古時亡國之人有花無心賞，有鳥無心聽，覺得十分難堪；今人卻求之不得。