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OTHER, for thy sake I have been Where the wakana grow, To bring thee back some fresh green leaves; And see—my koromo Is sprinkled with the snow!

Kwōkō was raised to the throne by the Fujiwara family, when the mad Emperor Yōzei was deposed; he reigned 885–887, and is said to have composed this verse in honour of his grandmother.

Wakana, literally ‘young leaves’, is a vegetable in season at the New Year; a koromo is really a priest’s garment, but is used here for the Emperor’s robe.

In the picture we see the Emperor gathering the fresh green leaves, and the snow falling from the sky.