Sakisomuru ume no tachie ni furu yuki no kasanaru kazu o toe to koso omoe - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

咲き初むる梅の立ち枝に降る雪の
重なる数をとへとこそ思へ

Roma-ji: Sakisomuru ume no tachie ni furu yuki no kasanaru kazu o toe to koso omoe
English Translation: On the tall branches
of the plum just come to bloom,
the falling snow
piles up, and how many layers
come and ask, is all I think
Meaning: Snow is falling on the tall branches of my plum just coming into bloom; how I wish you would come and ask how many layers have piled up.
Commentary: Book One Spring Poems I 15

Headnote: "Sent to Toshiyori Ason with a branch of plum from my house, on a morning of snow around the twentieth of the First Month"
On a snowy morning around the twentieth of the First Month, the poet broke off a branch of plum from his garden and sent it with this poem to Minamoto no Toshiyori. Snow keeps piling on the newly blooming plum, so he asks Toshiyori to come and inquire how many layers there are, using the snowy plum as a pretext to invite his visit. The next poem, 16, is Toshiyori's reply, and the two form an exchange.
The author, "Provisional Middle Counselor Toshitada," is Fujiwara no Toshitada, son of Provisional Major Counselor Fujiwara no Tadaie, who rose to Provisional Middle Counselor. He was the father of Fujiwara no Shunzei, compiler of the Senzai Wakashū.

First line, "sakisomuru": "beginning to bloom," attributive, modifying the plum.
Second line, "ume no tachie ni": "tachie" are branches that stretch upward.
Third line, "furu yuki no": snow falling on the plum branches, leading to the image of blossom and snow overlapping.
Fourth line, "kasanaru kazu o": the number of layers of piling snow. The next poem, 16, replies by taking up this "kasanaru."
Fifth line, "toe to koso omoe": "toe" carries both "ask" about the number and "visit" the house. The emphatic "koso" closes with the perfective form "omoe," heightening the wish for a visit.
Author: Fujiwara no Toshitada
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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