Shimogare no fuyu no yanagi wa miru hito no kazura ni subeku moenikeru ka mo

霜枯れの冬の柳は見る人の
かづらにすべく萌えにけるかも

Roma-ji: Shimogare no fuyu no yanagi wa miru hito no kazura ni subeku moenikeru ka mo
English Translation: Withered by the frost,
the willow of winter-time
for those who see it
fit to wear as a garland
has budded into new green.
Meaning: The willow of winter, once withered by the frost, has put forth buds, enough for those who see it to twine into garlands.
Commentary: Book Ten Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1846

Headnote: "On Willows"
This poem rejoices that the willow of winter, once withered by frost, has budded enough for people to wear it as a garland, and it stands at the head of the group headed "On Willows." Contrasting the withered winter form with the budding spring form within one poem, it marvels at the revival of life. From 1847 to 1849 the ending "moenikeru ka mo" continues, and this poem first presents the phrase at the heart of the willow group.

The first line, "shimogare no," means withered by frost. It shows the severity of winter and prepares the contrast with the budding of spring.
The second line, "the willow of winter," uses "wa" to mark the theme.
The third line, "of those who see it," leads into "garland," indicating the people who admire the willow.
In the fourth line, "kazura ni subeku," a "kazura" is a hair ornament made by twining branches or vines, and "beku" expresses possibility, showing that the branches have grown long enough to be worn.
In the last line, "moenikeru ka mo," "keri" expresses exclamatory realization and "ka mo" is an exclamatory particle. This ending recurs from 1847 to 1849, running through the willow group.
Source: Manyoshu
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