The bird that perches
wing to wing in the mountain tree—
no spring was ever
so hard to bear as this one,
none ever galled me so
- Meaning
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You perch wing to wing with him in the mountain tree; no spring was ever so hard for me to bear as this.
- Commentary
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Part One: Makibashira
With the new year the Commander at last consented to Tamakazura's going into service, and she entered the palace in state at the time of the men's songs. Given rooms on the east side of the Shokyoden, she found the palace lively with rivalry among the ladies, and she and her women agreed that they would like to go on so for a while. That night the Prince of War, in attendance at the Emperor's music, could not sit still for knowing she was under the same roof, and sent her a letter. Since the Commander was at the Guards' office, it was brought in as though from there, and she read it reluctantly. It held this poem, with the words "and the singing too reaches my ears." Pitying him, she flushed, and was at a loss how to answer—when the Emperor came.
"The mountain tree" is the Commander. In this tale the word is used of what is fine but not of the first rank; in the Festival of the Cherry Blossoms it was used of the Captain beside Genji. "The bird perching wing to wing" is Tamakazura. In "mata naku," without equal, the "naku" also sounds the birds' crying. "The singing" quotes an old poem in which, though the birds of spring renew all things, the speaker alone grows old. He complains without accusing her and withdraws behind the figure of a bird—which is this Prince's particular grace.
- Author
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Murasaki Shikibu
- Source
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Genji Monogatari
- Other
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