春の日のひかりにあたる我なれど
かしらの雪となるぞわびしき
かしらの雪となるぞわびしき
- Roma-ji
-
Haru no hi no hikari ni ataru ware naredo
kashira no yuki to naru zo wabishiki - English Translation
-
Though I stand here
in the light of spring’s own sun,
still upon my head
the snow falls down,
and this is wretched to me.
- Meaning
- Though I stand in the light of the spring sun, it is wretched to me that snow should fall upon my head and turn my hair white.
- Commentary
-
Spring Songs, Book One.
When the Empress Nijō was still known as the Crown Prince’s Consort, on the third day of the New Year she summoned me before her and spoke to me; though the sun was shining, snow fell upon my head, and this scene was made into a poem.
It entrusts the wretchedness of old age to the circumstances in which one was summoned and composed.
"Snow upon the head" is an expression that likens the snow fallen on the head to white hair.
- Author
- Funya no Yasuhide
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Kokorozashi fukaku someteshi orikereba
kieaenu yuki no hana to miyuramu - Next Poem
-
Kasumi tachi ko no me mo haru no yuki fureba
hana naki sato mo hana zo chirikeru