at my humble dwelling
snow falls thick and deep, and now
no path can be seen—
for there is no one at all
to come and tread a way here
- Meaning
- At my dwelling, snow falls thick and deep, and no path remains—for there is no one who comes, treading a way to visit me.
- Commentary
-
Book Six Winter Poems
The poem depicts a scene in which heavy snowfall has covered all paths from sight.
If people were passing by, a path would be formed by their footsteps. Yet no one comes, and thus the unbroken snow reflects the poet’s solitude. The quiet accumulation of snow mirrors the loneliness of a life without visitors.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- even in this stream crimson leaves are flowing down— from the deep mountains the water from melting snow must now have greatly swelled
- my old dwelling lies so near to Mount Yoshino— not even a day passes without falling snow gracing it from the heavens
- when the snow falls down the grasses and hidden things that lie through winter— bear blossoms never seen in the coming days of springtime
- white snow falling down without choosing where it lies— covering all alike even upon the rocky crags it seems that flowers bloom there