Yuki no shima iwao ni uetaru nadeshiko wa chiyo ni sakanu ka kimi ga kazashi ni

雪の嶋巌に植ゑたるなでしこは
千代に咲かぬか君がかざしに

Roma-ji: Yuki no shima iwao ni uetaru nadeshiko wa chiyo ni sakanu ka kimi ga kazashi ni
English Translation: In the garden of snow,
planted on the crag, the pinks—
would they not bloom on
for a thousand ages, my lord,
as a garland for your hair?
Meaning: The pinks planted on the crag in this garden of snow—would that they might bloom for a thousand ages, to adorn your hair.
Commentary: Book Nineteen 4232

Headnote: "A poem by Gamō no Otome, a wandering entertainer"
Composed at Nawamaro's banquet following the preceding poem, it wishes that the pinks planted on the rocks of the snow garden would bloom for a thousand years to adorn the host's hair. Taking up the surprise of the preceding poem, it turns the artificial pinks into a symbol of eternal prosperity and blesses the host.
The poem shows that a wandering entertainer attending the banquet joined the officials' exchange of poems and enlivened the gathering, conveying the atmosphere of banquets of the time.
The poet, Gamō no Otome, was an ukareme, a female entertainer who sang and danced at banquets, and attended the gatherings of the provincial officials of Etchū. Little else is known of her.

First line, "yuki no shima" (the snow garden): "shima" means a landscaped garden with artificial hills or ponds.
Second line, "iwao ni uetaru" (planted on the crag), takes up "on a crag of snow" from the preceding poem.
Third line, "nadeshiko wa" (the pinks), repeats the flower that opened the preceding poem, marking this as a response.
Fourth line, "chiyo ni sakanu ka" (would they not bloom for a thousand ages?): "nu ka" expresses a wish.
Fifth line, "kimi ga kazashi ni" (as a garland for your hair): "kazashi" is a flower worn in the hair or on a cap, closing with blessing.
Author: Gamō no Otome
Source: Manyoshu
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