Kokinshu #340

A poem from the poetry contest held in the palace of the consort in the Kanpyô era.

    When snow has fallen
and the year drawn to its close,
    it is only then
that we can see in the end
the pines do not change color.

—15 November 2012

Original author unknown. Commentaries speculate that this is based on a passage in Analects where Confucius claims that only when the year grows cold do we see that it's the pines and cypress trees that fade last. Contrast with #24, also from the same contest (though not set against this, more's the pity). Note the implicit contrast between dark green needles and white snow.


yuki furite
toshi no kurenuru
toki (ni) koso
tsui ni momijinu
matsu mo miekere

---L.