Praying that you were
a flower to see a thousand
springs, I find my own
body has grown old along
with the snow as it came down
- Meaning
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Having prayed that you were a flower to see a thousand springs, I find my own body has grown old along with the falling snow.
- Commentary
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Part Two: Maboroshi
The officiant of the rite answered Genji's poem with this one. He had prayed that Genji was a flower to see a thousand springs, he says, and his own body has meanwhile grown old—a wish for Genji's long life with his own decline added to it. He was the priest who had conducted the services at Rokujo for many years, and he had watched Genji's whole life from close by. With this exchange the tale moves on to the last day of the year and to Genji's final poem.
"A thousand springs" is life without limit. "A flower to see" them is Genji himself. "Having prayed" is having made the wish. "My own body" sets white hair against the snow. "Grown old" plays on the verb for snow falling, so it belongs with the snow. Receiving Genji's snow and spring unchanged and turning them toward age makes a courteous reply.
- Author
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Murasaki Shikibu
- Source
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Genji Monogatari
- Other
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