Translation
Poem of the snow that falls on trees
As spring
begins
begins
The white flowers
we see
we see
May just be the
snow
snow
On the bough
Where the
cuckoo sings
cuckoo sings
Commentary
From a distance, one cannot tell the
difference between the white flowers on a mountain and the white snow that
remains as winter turns to spring. The poem whimsically wonders if the cuckoo
mistook the snow for flowers and landed on the bough to sing its song. It can
also be read as the cuckoo weeps when it lands on the bough, thinking it has
flowers, but it turns out to have snow.
difference between the white flowers on a mountain and the white snow that
remains as winter turns to spring. The poem whimsically wonders if the cuckoo
mistook the snow for flowers and landed on the bough to sing its song. It can
also be read as the cuckoo weeps when it lands on the bough, thinking it has
flowers, but it turns out to have snow.
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Japanese
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Pronunciation
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素性法師
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Sosei Houshi
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春立てば
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Haru tateba
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花とや見らむ
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Hana to ya miran
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白雪の
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Shira yuki no
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かかれる枝に
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Kakareru eda ni
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うぐひすぞなく
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Uguisu zo naku
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Translation Notes
Spring
rises/stands when/as/if
rises/stands when/as/if
Flowers and see
may/suppose
may/suppose
White snow ’s
[Hang/come-into-view/straddle/span/befall/fasten/be-the-result-of]
branch/bough on
branch/bough on
Bush-warbler/nightingale/cuckoo
sing/chirp/cry/weep
sing/chirp/cry/weep