Explanation/Usage of 瞬きしては


Could it become 瞬【まばた】いている? Why is there 瞬きする instead of 瞬く? And why is there
a は at the end?

* * *

Sentence from the song キラキラ星【ぼし】:

> きらきらひかる おそらのほしよ
>
> まばたきして **は** みんなをみてる
>
> きらきらひかる おそらのほしよ




「[瞬]{まばた}く」 is a fairly "big" word and it would sound too heavy or literary to
use in a children's song. The more common and intuitive word choice for native
speakers would be 「瞬き（を）する」 not only for children but also for adults as well.

> 「まばたきし **ては** みんなをみてる」 is in the structure:
>
> 「A（を）し **ては** B（を）する」= "to do A and B alternately"
>
> = "(The stars) keep blinking and looking at us all."

See Definition #3 here: <http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/152199/m0u/>

「は」 is part of the expression and it **cannot** be omitted.

