Asamidori somekaketari to miru made ni haru no yanagi wa moenikeru ka mo

浅緑染め懸けたりと見るまでに
春の柳は萌えにけるかも

Roma-ji: Asamidori somekaketari to miru made ni haru no yanagi wa moenikeru ka mo
English Translation: As if pale green threads
had been dyed and hung along—
so it looks to me—
the willow of the springtime
has budded into new green.
Meaning: So much that it looks as though threads dyed pale green had been hung out, the willow of spring has burst into bud.
Commentary: Book Ten Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1847

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Willows"
This poem likens the budding willow branches to threads dyed pale green and hung up. It compares the soft green beauty of the drooping branches to the craft of dyed thread, showing a delicate sense of color. Like the preceding poem it ends with "moenikeru ka mo," but while that poem contrasted winter and spring, this one focuses on the beauty of the spring willow's color itself.

The first line, "asamidori," means pale green, the color of the willow's newly opened leaves.
The second line, "as if dyed and hung," uses "tari," an auxiliary of continuing state, likening the drooping branches to thread.
The third line, "so much that it seems," uses "made ni" to express degree, showing how far the comparison holds.
The fourth line, "the willow of spring," pairs with "the willow of winter" in the preceding poem, shifting the season from winter to spring.
The last line, "has budded," is the same ending as the preceding poem, running through the willow group.
Source: Manyoshu
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