梅が枝に降りおける雪を春近み
目のうちつけに花かとぞ見る
目のうちつけに花かとぞ見る
- Roma-ji
-
Umegae ni furiokeru yuki o haru chikami me no uchitsuke ni hana ka to zo miru
- English Translation
-
On the plum branches
the snow that has come to rest—
with spring so near,
at the first glance of my eyes
I take it for the blossoms
- Meaning
- The snow lying on the plum branches, since spring is near, I take at first glance for blossoms.
- Commentary
-
Book Eight Winter Poems 497
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet says that because spring is near, at a sudden glance he takes the snow on the plum branches for blossoms. It conveys how a heart longing for spring mistakes the snow on the branches for plum flowers.
Near the end of this book, poems on the nearness of spring follow one another. It differs from the likening of snow to flowers in 475 and others in this book by adding a heart that awaits spring.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us.
The first line, "Umegae ni," means "on the plum branches."
The second line, "furiokeru yuki o," means "the snow that lies fallen there."
The third line, "haru chikami," uses the "mi" construction expressing cause: "since spring is near." Like "haru chikaku," which opens 501 in this book, it sings of spring's approach.
The fourth line, "me no uchitsuke ni," means "at a sudden glance."
The last line, "hana ka to zo miru," means "I see it as blossoms," the particle "zo" and the attributive "miru" forming a kakarimusubi pattern.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Yoru naraba tsuki to zo mimashi waga yado no niwa shirotae ni furitsumoru yuki
- Next Poem
-
Itsushika to yama no sakura mo waga gotoku toshi no konata ni haru o matsuran