Kenokori no yuki ni aeteru ashihiki no yamatachibana o tsuto ni tsumikona

消残りの雪にあへ照るあしひきの
山橘をつとに摘み来な

Roma-ji: Kenokori no yuki ni aeteru ashihiki no yamatachibana o tsuto ni tsumikona
English Translation: In the lingering snow
glowing bright against the white,
on the foot-weary hills
the berries of yamatachibana:
let me pick some as a gift
Meaning: Let me go and pick the red berries of the yamatachibana glowing against the lingering snow, and bring them back as a gift.
Commentary: Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4471

Headnote: "On the night of the fifth day of the eleventh month in winter, light thunder rumbled and snow fell, covering the garden. Suddenly moved, I composed a short poem."
Let me pick the berries of the yamatachibana glowing against the lingering snow and bring them as a gift: the poem is drawn to red berries in a snowy scene. According to the headnote, on the night of the fifth of the eleventh month, light thunder sounded and snow fell, covering the garden, and he was suddenly moved to compose this. The left note attributes it to Ōtomo no Yakamochi, Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs. The pairing of white snow and red berries is vivid.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, son of Ōtomo no Tabito, was at this time Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs.

The first line, "kenokori no," "lingering unmelted," takes up the snow of the headnote.
The second line, "yuki ni aeteru," "glowing against the snow," shows the contrast of white and red.
The third line, "ashihiki no," is a pillow word for "mountain."
The fourth line, "yamatachibana o," names the coralberry, a small evergreen shrub bearing red berries in winter.
The closing line, "tsuto ni tsumikona," with na of intention: let me pick them as a gift.
Author: Otomo no Yakamochi
Source: Manyoshu
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