Awayuki no hodoro hodoro ni furishikeba nara no miyako shi omooyuru kamo

沫雪のほどろほどろに降りしけば
奈良の都し思ほゆるかも

Roma-ji: Awayuki no hodoro hodoro ni furishikeba nara no miyako shi omooyuru kamo
English Translation: The light snow of foam
falls so thinly here and there,
settling on the ground,
and the capital of Nara
comes back into my mind
Meaning: When the light snow falls and settles thinly here and there, I find myself longing for the capital of Nara.
Commentary: Book Eight Winter Miscellaneous Poems 1639

Headnote: "A poem by Lord Ōtomo, Governor-General of Dazaifu, thinking of the capital on seeing snow on a winter day"
Seeing light snow fall and settle thinly here and there, the poet finds himself longing for the capital of Nara. At Dazaifu, Tabito is moved by the snow of a winter day to think of the distant capital.
The author, Ōtomo no Tabito, was a son of Ōtomo no Yasumaro and the father of Yakamochi. He was posted to Tsukushi as Governor-General of Dazaifu and later rose to Major Counselor.

The first line names light snow that melts as easily as foam.
The second line, "hodoro hodoro," describes snow falling thinly in patches. The Suruga lady-in-waiting's 1420 in this book also sings of light snow "falling in patches."
The third line means "when it falls and settles."
The fourth line, with the emphatic "shi," stresses "the capital of Nara."
The final line, with the spontaneous "yu" and exclamatory "kamo," expresses a longing for the capital that comes unbidden. Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue's 1592 in this book likewise longs for the capital from a country estate, "the capital comes to mind."
Author: Ōtomo no Tabito
Source: Manyoshu
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