GSS 803
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Text
つらくなりにけるおとこのもとに、「今は」とてさうぞくなど返しつかはすとて
To a man that grown cold to her, thinking "it's over," she sent back his clothing and such.
Taira no Nakaki's Daughter
今はとて こずゑにかゝる 空蝉の からを見むとは 思はざりしを
Thinking it's over, I would have never thought to see the shell of the cicada attached to the branch.
Textual Notes
- つらくなりにける] つらくなりける（堀）
- さうぞくなど] うへのきぬなむと（堀）
- 返しつかはすとて] 返すとて（堀）、かへしてつかはすとて（承）
- 平ながきがむすめ] 平(年ィ)中興女子（堀）、平中興(-朝臣)（雲）
Notes
- つらく
- 「つれなく」（新大系）
- 「今は」とて
- "This is the end of our relationship". 「と思って」（全釈）「ということで」（新注）「とばかりに」（和歌大系）
- さうぞく
- 装束. In this case presumably the man's clothing that is at her residence.
- こずゑにかかる
- 梢 as well as 来ず (the man had stopped visiting). The かかる is both the cicada shell that is stuck the branch, and also かかる[this] clothing (the "empty shell" of the man).
Analysis
The woman here is sending the clothing of the man back, using the image of the useless discarded cicada shell to represent the (now useless) clothing. The fact that she sends a poem at all may indicate a desire to try to reignite the relationship.
