霜の上に今朝降る雪の寒ければ
重ねて人をつらしとぞ思ふ
重ねて人をつらしとぞ思ふ
- Roma-ji
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Shimo no ue ni kesa furu yuki no samukereba kasanete hito o tsurashi to zo omou
- English Translation
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Upon the white frost
this morning the snowfall lies
so cold, and so cold,
that once again I think
how heartless you are to me
- Meaning
- The snow that falls this morning upon the frost is so cold that, layer upon layer, I think again how heartless you are.
- Commentary
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Book Thirteen Love Poems III 1216
Headnote: "From a hundred-poem sequence."
This is the eighth poem of the sequence on a love whose visits have ceased. The snow falling this morning upon the frost is so cold that, layer upon layer, he thinks again how heartless the beloved is. According to the headnote, it is one of a hundred-poem sequence.
The author, "Minamoto no Shigeyuki," was a son of Minamoto no Kanenobu of the Seiwa Genji and served as governor of various provinces. He presented a hundred-poem sequence to Emperor Reizei while the latter was crown prince, which is regarded as the oldest surviving hundred-poem sequence. He is one of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
The first line, "shimo no ue ni," means "upon the frost." In place of the autumn grasses of the preceding poems, a winter image is sung.
The second line, "kesa furu yuki no," means "the snow that falls this morning," showing snow lying on top of frost.
The third line, "samukereba," means "since it is cold," the cold of frost and snow piercing one who sleeps alone.
The fourth line, "kasanete hito o," means "once again, my love." The layering of snow upon frost is joined to the layering of reproach, turning the scene of the upper verse into the heart of the lower.
The last line, "tsurashi to zo omou," means "I think you heartless," the emphatic "zo" forming a kakari-musubi with the attributive "omou." The reproach toward one who does not visit deepens further as the winter cold piles up.
- Author
- Minamoto no Shigeyuki
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Musubi okishi tamoto dani minu hanasusuki karu tomo kareji kimi shi tokazu wa
- Next Poem
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Hitori fusu aretaru yado no toko no ue ni aware ikuyo no nezame shitsuran