Ne no hi suru hito ni kasumi wa sakidachite komatsugahara o tanabikitekeri

子の日する人に霞は先立ちて
小松が原をたなびきてけり

Roma-ji: Ne no hi suru hito ni kasumi wa sakidachite komatsugahara o tanabikitekeri
English Translation: Before those who come
for the Day of the Rat, the haze
had gone on ahead
and over the field of pines
was trailing out long and low.
Meaning: Ahead of the people coming out for the Day of the Rat, the haze had already risen and was trailing across the field of young pines.
Commentary: Spring Poems 15

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "The Day of the Rat"
Before the people out for the Day of the Rat reach the fields, the haze has already risen and spread across the field of young pines. The haze is likened to someone who set out to the Rat Day fields ahead of everyone else.
There is delight in the conceit of a race between the people performing the rite and the natural haze. Following the preceding poem's blessing on those who pull the pines, this poem paints the same field of young pines together with its haze.

First line, “ne no hi suru”: those who enjoy the Day of the Rat outing.
Second line, “hito ni kasumi wa”: compared with the people, the haze, setting the two side by side.
Third line, “sakidachite”: going ahead; tachi echoes the rising of haze, personifying it as having set out before the people.
Fourth line, “komatsugahara o”: the field of young pines that are pulled on the Day of the Rat.
Fifth line, “tanabikitekeri”: the haze was trailing in long bands, closing with keri of realization.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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