Yuki fureba kigi no kozue ni sakisomuru eda yori hoka no hana mo chirikeri - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

雪降れば木々の梢に咲きそむる
枝よりほかの花も散りけり

Roma-ji: Yuki fureba kigi no kozue ni sakisomuru eda yori hoka no hana mo chirikeri
English Translation: When the snow comes down
upon the tips of every tree
new blossoms open,
and flowers that are not from the bough
are scattering as well
Meaning: When snow falls, flowers begin to bloom on the treetops, and there are flowers, too, that scatter not from any branch.
Commentary: Book Six Winter Poems 466

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Composed as a poem on snow"
Composed as a poem on snow. When snow falls, the poet says, flowers begin to bloom on the treetops, and there are flowers, too, that scatter not from any branch. Likening the snow on the treetops to blossoms just opening and the snow drifting from the sky to falling petals, he overlays the snowy winter scene with the flowers of spring.
The author, "Shun'e Hōshi," was the son of Minamoto no Toshiyori. A monk of Tōdaiji, he named his quarters at Shirakawa in the capital the Karin'en, the Poetry Grove, and made it a gathering place for many poets. A poem of his is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
Poems on snow continue from 445 to 467. The preceding poem, 465, and this one are poems on snow placed under the same headnote. 449 of this book also likens snow to a flower blooming after the chrysanthemum.

First line, "yuki fureba": the same first line as 454 of this book, "when the snow falls."
Second line, "kigi no kozue ni": "kozue" are the tips of branches. 454 of this book also sings of treetops laden with snow.
Third line, "sakisomuru": "somu" is to begin to, the snow on the treetops likened to blossoms beginning to open.
Fourth line, "eda yori hoka no": "not from the branches," pointing to the snow falling from the sky.
Fifth line, "hana mo chirikeri": the "flowers" are snow likened to blossoms, and "keri" expresses realization, closing by layering two images, flowers blooming on the branches and flowers scattering from the sky.
Author: Shun'e
Source: Senzai Wakashu
Prev Poem: Mashiba karu ono no hosomichi ato taete fukaku mo yuki no narinikeru kana
Next Poem: Furu mama ni ato taenureba Suzukayama yuki koso seki no tozashi narikere