Toshi furedo iro mo kawaranu matsugae ni kakareru yuki o hana to koso mire - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

年経れど色も変はらぬ松が枝に
かかれる雪を花とこそ見れ

Roma-ji: Toshi furedo iro mo kawaranu matsugae ni kakareru yuki o hana to koso mire
English Translation: Though the years go by
its color never changes—
on the branch of pine
the snow that clings there
I take to be its blossoms
Meaning: On the branches of the pine, whose color does not change however many years go by, I see the clinging snow as blossoms.
Commentary: Book Eight Winter Poems 475

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet says that he sees as blossoms the snow clinging to the branches of the pine, whose color does not change however many years go by. On the evergreen pine, which bears no flowers, snow takes the place of blossoms and adds its color.
The next poem also closes with "hana to koso mire," so that two poems likening snow to flowers stand together. 492 in this book likewise sings of snow on pine needles as the flower of winter, and the conceit of snow as flowers recurs in this book. It also corresponds to 457, with its sakaki that does not change color in the showers, in the constancy of evergreens.
The poet is listed as "anonymous," and the composer's name has not come down to us. The text gives the poet as "yomibito mo," which is treated here as "anonymous."

The first line, "Toshi furedo," means "though the years go by," with "do" a concessive particle.
The second line, "iro mo kawaranu," means "whose color does not change," referring to the evergreen pine. It shares the conceit of "iro mo kawarazarikeri" in 457 in this book.
The third line, "matsugae ni," means "on the branch of the pine."
The fourth line, "kakareru yuki o," means "the snow that clings there," using the same words as "kakareru yuki no" in the second line of 492 in this book.
The last line, "hana to koso mire," means "I see it as blossoms," the particle "koso" and the perfective "mire" forming a kakarimusubi pattern. It is the same line that closes the next poem.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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