Author unknown, “How deep was the dye of my longing” (Kokinshu #7)

Translation
How deep was
the dye
Of my longing:
A flower
appeared,
I went to pluck,
And found just
lingering snow.
Commentary

There was a note that said the former Chancellor, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, may
have written the poem. The poem describes the narrator having gone through
winter longing for the spring blossoms. So deep is his longing that he thinks
he sees the flowers and begins to pluck them, but realizes it is just snow that
has not melted from the branches. One could also read this as symbolizing a
situation of unrequited love.
Japanese
Pronunciation
よみ人しらず
Yomihito shirazu
心ざし
Kokorozashi
ふかくそめてし
Fukaku someteshi
折りければ
Orikereba
きえあへぬ雪の
Kieaenu yuki no
花と見ゆらむ
Hana to miyuran
Translation Notes
People’s-affection/intentions/feeling-of-love/disposition/heart
Deeply/profoundly/failure/defeat/negligence/indiscretion
to-dye/to-color
To-break/fracture/snap-off/pick(flowers)
if/when/as
To-go-out/vanish/disappear
not snow ’s
Flowers may-appear/will-see
[Snow’s flowers
= snowdrops, snow falling like flower petals, or snow on a tree resembling a
flower]

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