霜の上に降る初雪の朝氷
解けずも物を思ふころかな
解けずも物を思ふころかな
- Roma-ji
-
Shimo no ue ni furu hatsuyuki no asagōri tokezu mo mono o omou koro kana
- English Translation
-
On the frost there falls
the first snow, and morning ice
lingers unmelted—
so my heart does not unbind,
in these days of brooding thought.
- Meaning
- Like the morning ice formed where the first snow falls on the frost and does not melt, my heart does not loosen in these days of brooding.
- Commentary
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Book Four Winter Poems 229
Headnote: "At a poetry contest held at Sadafumi's house"
Using as a preface the image of first snow falling on frost and turning into morning ice that does not melt, the poem sings of days spent brooding with a heart that will not ease. The frozen scene of a winter morning is overlaid with a heart in love that will not loosen. According to the headnote, it was presented at a poetry contest held at the house of Taira no Sadafumi.
First line, "shimo no ue ni," means "upon the frost."
Second line, "furu hatsuyuki no," means "the first snow that falls."
Third line, "asagōri," is ice formed in the morning. From the first line to here forms a preface leading to "tokezu" (not melting) in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "tokezu mo," overlays ice that does not melt with a heart that does not ease or soften.
Final line, "mono o omou koro kana," means "in these days of brooding," with "kana" an exclamatory particle.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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