At my house there is
no one left to make much of
the blossoms—for what,
then, has the spring come looking
and found its way here at all

Meaning

At my house there is no one left to make much of the blossoms; for what, then, has spring come looking and found its way here?

Commentary

Part Two: Maboroshi

　The year after he lost Murasaki no Ue, a new spring came to the Rokujo residence. Genji saw no one and did nothing but hold services. In the First Month his younger brother, Prince Hyobu, came with New Year greetings. The world was keeping its spring as it always did, and only this house was without its mistress. Seeing the red plum beginning to open, Genji spoke this poem first. The Prince answered at once, and the brothers talked of old times and wept. From then on Genji's year was spent almost entirely in remembering her.

　"My house" is where he lives. "No one to make much of the blossoms" is the one who used to delight in them—Murasaki no Ue. "For what" asks to what purpose. "Spring has come looking" also means the brother standing in front of him. The contrast—the season returns and the person does not—is set inside the form of a New Year greeting, and it gives the whole chapter its key in advance.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

At my house there is no one left to make much of the blossoms—for what, then, has the spring come looking and found its way here at all

At my house there is
no one left to make much of
the blossoms—for what,
then, has the spring come looking
and found its way here at all