Sunday, 26 August 2018

Fragrance on sleeves

#waka #orangeblossom #tachibana

There is an "anonymous" poem in the KoKinshu KKS III 139 about orange blossom.

Satsuki natsu 
hanatachibana no
ka (w)o kageba
mukashi no hito no
sode no ka zo suru

Fifth lunar month summer
flower(ing) orange of 
fragrance (or possibly this) scent verb causal 
past / long ago / of people / person of
sleeve(s) of scent note that suru can mean does make or leave trace 

In the fifth month summer orangeblossom the / this scent of  causes me ( to think of ) from the past people 
because of traces of scent on sleeves.

A note since Heian aristocrats did not to my knowledge use a orange blossom scented perfume or incense the scent of the sleeves may be a sachet placed with clothing in storage.

Its summer perhaps some low ranking courtier has been tasked with taking clothing out of storage.
The screen doors are open. The scent of orange blossom is wafting indoors from trees outside and inside this is reinforced by the traces of scent on sleeves.

Scent and memory.  

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