Hitogokoro arashi no kaze no samukereba konome mo miezu eda zo shioruru - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

人心嵐の風の寒ければ
このめも見えず枝ぞしをるる

Roma-ji: Hitogokoro arashi no kaze no samukereba konome mo miezu eda zo shioruru
English Translation: A heart like a storm,
the wind of it blows so cold
that no buds are seen,
nor can these eyes see at all—
the boughs droop down and wither
Meaning: Your heart is a storm wind so cold that no buds can be seen—nor can these eyes of mine see for tears—and the branches only droop and wither.
Commentary: Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Poems IV 1282

Headnote: "Sent to someone."
The poet says that because the stormy wind of another's heart is so cold, no buds are seen and the boughs droop. Likening a cold heart to a storm and joining "ko no me," tree buds, with "kono me," these eyes, she laments a self withering, eyes blinded by tears.
According to the headnote, it was sent to someone.
The poet, Ise, was a daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage, Governor of Ise, and served Fujiwara no Onshi, consort of Emperor Uda. She received the emperor's favor and later bore Nakatsukasa to Prince Atsuyoshi. One of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals, she is represented in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu by "Naniwagata mijikaki ashi no fushi no ma mo."

The first line, "Hitogokoro," means "your heart." Poem 1263 of this book opens with the same first line, singing of how little a heart can be trusted.
The second line, "arashi no kaze no," means "like the wind of a storm." Poem 1246 of Book Seventeen also likens a person's heart to a storm.
The third line, "samukereba," means "since it is so cold," with "ba" giving the cause.
The fourth line, "konome mo miezu," is a pivot word joining "ko no me," tree buds, with "kono me," these eyes: no buds are seen, and my eyes cannot see for tears.
The last line, "eda zo shioruru," means "the branches droop," with "zo" closed by the attributive "shioruru." It overlays a self wilting in tears.
Author: Ise
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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