Kyō wa tada omoi mo yorade kaerinan yuki tsumu nobe no wakana narikeri

今日はただ思ひも寄らで帰りなん
雪つむ野辺の若菜なりけり

Roma-ji: Kyō wa tada omoi mo yorade kaerinan yuki tsumu nobe no wakana narikeri
English Translation: For today, I'll just
give up the thought of it all
and go home again:
the young herbs out on the fields
lie where the snow is gathered.
Meaning: Today I will simply abandon any thought of picking and go home, for these are young herbs on fields where the snow lies heaped.
Commentary: Spring Poems 18

Headnote: "Young herbs in the snow"
The topic is young herbs in the snow. The poet goes out to gather young herbs, only to find the fields covered with snow, far from fit for picking, and decides to give up and go home for today.
The pivot of the poem is tsumu, meaning both snow piling up and herbs being picked: the field for picking herbs has turned into a field where snow is piled. It shows the season when early-spring herb gathering is still held back by the remains of winter.

First line, “kyō wa tada”: for today, simply, expressing resignation.
Second line, “omoi mo yorade”: without giving any thought to picking the herbs.
Third line, “kaerinan”: nan expresses firm intention, I will go home, with a break after the third line.
Fourth line, “yuki tsumu nobe no”: tsumu is a pivot word meaning both snow piling up and herbs being picked.
Fifth line, “wakana narikeri”: they were young herbs buried in snow, closing with keri of realization that gives the reason; the upper and lower halves are inverted.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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