Kurenai no iro koki ume o oru hito no sode ni wa fukaki ka ya tomaruran

紅の色濃き梅を折る人の
袖には深き香やとまるらん

Roma-ji: Kurenai no iro koki ume o oru hito no sode ni wa fukaki ka ya tomaruran
English Translation: The one who breaks off
a branch of plum, so deeply
crimson in its hue—
upon that person's sleeves, I think,
a deep fragrance must remain.
Meaning: On the sleeves of one who breaks off a branch of deep crimson plum, surely a fragrance as deep as its color must linger.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1167

Headnote: "On the night of Kōshin, we drew lots and composed poems, taking topics that linked the Kokinshū, Gosenshū, and Shūishū to the plum, cherry, and kerria: the Kokinshū, linked to the plum"
On a Kōshin night, lots were drawn for topics linking the first three imperial anthologies to plum, cherry, and kerria; this is the Kokinshū linked to the plum. On the sleeves of one who breaks off a deep crimson plum branch, a fragrance as deep as the color must linger, the poet says.
It draws on the conceit, seen in the Kokinshū poem "Iro yori mo ka koso aware to omōyure ta ga sode fureshi yado no ume zo mo," of plum scent passing to one's sleeves. Matching the depth of color with the depth of fragrance, it entrusts the elegance of the Kokinshū to the plum.

First line, “kurenai no”: of crimson.
Second line, “iro koki ume o”: the deeply colored plum; the text writes ume as mume.
Third line, “oru hito no”: of one who breaks off a branch.
Fourth line, “sode ni wa fukaki”: fukaki, answering the deep color, speaks of a deep fragrance.
Fifth line, “ka ya tomaruran”: ya questions, answered by ran, "might the fragrance linger?"
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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