Michisugara chirikau hana o yuki to mite yasurau hodo ni kono hi kurashitsu

道すがら散り交ふ花を雪と見て
やすらふほどにこの日暮らしつ

Roma-ji: Michisugara chirikau hana o yuki to mite yasurau hodo ni kono hi kurashitsu
English Translation: All along the way
the blossoms swirling round me
I took to be snow,
and while I lingered hesitant
I have spent this whole day through.
Meaning: All along the road I took the swirling blossoms for snow, and as I lingered, hesitating, the whole day slipped away.
Commentary: Spring Poems 95

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed on falling blossoms"
On his way, the poet stops, taking the swirling blossoms for snow, and while he hesitates the whole day passes. The poem depicts a heart so captivated by the snowlike beauty of falling flowers that it forgets the time.
The Ruijū text includes it in the spring section with the last line "while this day draws to a close," and includes it again, with the last line "I have spent this day," in the section of poems from another manuscript and the printed edition.

Line 1 means "on the way."
Line 2: chirikau means to scatter in confusion, the same word as chirikai in 80.
Line 3 likens the falling blossoms to snow, taking up the comparison of 83 through 85.
Line 4: yasurau means to hesitate and linger.
Line 5 closes with the perfective tsu, showing the day spent on blossoms; like "Today once again I have spent the day with blossoms" in 54, it sings of a heart that spends its days on flowers.
Author: Minamoto no Sanetomo
Source: Kinkaishu
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