Harugasumi tachinagara mishi hana yue ni fumitometekeru ato no kuyashisa - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

春霞たちながら見し花ゆゑに
ふみとめてけるあとの悔しさ

Roma-ji: Harugasumi tachinagara mishi hana yue ni fumitometekeru ato no kuyashisa
English Translation: As the spring haze rose,
for the flowers I gazed on,
standing where I stood,
I stayed my steps and your letter—
and now, how I regret it
Meaning: Gazing at the blossoms as the spring haze rose, I stood rooted to the spot and let your letter lie unanswered—how I regret it now.
Commentary: Book Three Spring Poems III 99

Headnote: "When she had gone out flower-viewing in spring, a letter was sent to her, and she did not reply; the next morning a messenger came asking for yesterday's answer, so she sent this."
The poet regrets that while she stood entranced by the blossoms, the letter she received went unanswered. Giving double meanings to "tachi," "fumi" and "ato," she blames the flowers for her delay and apologizes.
According to the headnote, a letter arrived while she was out flower-viewing in spring, and she sent no reply; the next morning a messenger came asking for the answer to yesterday's letter, so she sent this.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.

The first line, "Harugasumi," leads to "tachi" in the second line. 112 and 113 of this book also pair spring haze with "tatsu," to rise.
In the second line, "tachi" is a pivot word joining the haze "rising" and "standing" in place.
The third line, "hana yue ni," means "because of the flowers," blaming them for the late reply.
In the fourth line, "fumi" is a pivot word joining "fumi," stepping, as in staying one's steps, and "fumi," a letter, showing that the letter was left unattended.
In the last line, "ato" is a pivot word joining "footprint" and "afterward," and is an associated word for "fumi," stepping. Ending on a noun, the poem states her regret outright.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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