Kokinshu #332
Wednesday, 14 November 2012 07:16 Written on seeing snow falling when he was traveling in Yamato Province.
At the break of day
I almost see it as
full-moon light at dawn --
the white snow falling over
the village of Yoshino.
asaborake
ariake no tsuki to
miru made ni
yoshino no sato ni
fureru shirayuki
---L.
At the break of day
I almost see it as
full-moon light at dawn --
the white snow falling over
the village of Yoshino.
—31 January 2010, rev 13 November 2012
Original by Sakanoue no Korenori. Previously posted as Hyakunin Isshu #31. Snow can also be mistaken for other things. This is one of the more lovely examples of an "elegant confusion" of sensory impressions. Omitted-but-understood word: the "light." Lost in translation, because English doesn't have names for moon phases by individual day: the moon being compared to is specifically from a few days after full, when it is still large and bright and about to set at daybreak.asaborake
ariake no tsuki to
miru made ni
yoshino no sato ni
fureru shirayuki
---L.