Flower that falls with
a mind of its own to where
the pond has its edge
become the foam upon it
and still come over to us

Meaning

Flower that falls with a mind of its own to the edge of the pond, become the foam on the water if you must, but come over to our side.

Commentary

Part Three: Takekawa

　　This is by Tayu, a gentlewoman in the service of the younger sister, who had won. The blossoms are falling at the edge of the pond. In answer to it a girl of the winning side went down into the garden, gathered a great many fallen petals, brought them in, and spoke the poem that follows.

　"Migiwa" is the water's edge and at the same time "the right," and in the game the right was the younger sister's side, so the fallen flowers are being called over to the right. "Kokoro arite" likewise carries both "with that feeling," picking up the poem just before, and "with a feeling for such things." "Awa" is the foam on the water, and the poem draws on Sugano no Takayo's Kokinshu poem about a flower that, having fallen, becomes foam. Pivot word and allusion are folded into one poem, in the practiced manner of a gentlewoman.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

Flower that falls with a mind of its own to where the pond has its edge become the foam upon it and still come over to us

Flower that falls with
a mind of its own to where
the pond has its edge
become the foam upon it
and still come over to us