This poem became a metaphor for a lover who pay attention to you even when you came close or a lover you seemed you would meet but you couldn't, and the word "Hahakigi" became the title of the second chapter of "The Tale of Genji" (where the lover Genji couldn't see was Utsusemi (the Lady of the Locust Shell). See 'Hahakigi' (Tale of Genji)).
そこから、近づいても逢ってくれない人、逢えそうで逢えない人の喩えに用いられ、『源氏物語』では第二帖の巻名にもなった（この場合の逢えない相手は空蝉。「帚木（源氏物語）」参照）。