霜の上に降る初雪の朝氷
とけずも物を思ふころかな
と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
-
Like the first snow that
falls upon the frost, and like
the ice of morning,
not melting, so I brood on,
these days with my heart so closed.
- Meaning
- Like the first snow falling on the frost and the morning ice that will not melt, these days I brood with a heart that will not open.
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems III 846
Headnote: "From the poetry contest at the house of Sadafumi"
The poem says that, as first snow falling on frost and morning ice will not melt, these days one broods with a heart that will not open. The headnote shows it was composed for a poetry contest held at the house of Taira no Sadafumi. Piling up cold winter images of frost, first snow, and morning ice as a preface, it sings of the brooding of a love that will not clear.
First line, "shimo no ue ni," means "upon the frost." It shares frost with "shimo ni wa aezu" in 841.
Second line, "furu hatsuyuki no," means "of the first snow falling." From here the poems turn to winter images, and the next poem, 847, also sings of snow.
Third line, "asagōri," is ice formed in the morning, and from the first line to here forms a preface leading to "tokezu."
Fourth line, "tokezu mo mono o," is a pivot word: "toke" means ice "melting" and the heart "opening."
Final line, "omou koro kana," means "these days I brood," with "kana" exclamatory.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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