A vintage shikishi card features a vibrant hand-painted iris flower (菖蒲, shōbu) accompanied by graceful Japanese calligraphy, combining the natural beauty of seasonal flora with the emotional depth of poetry.
The card includes calligraphy "Drawn by the fragrant breeze, Were you taken away?" , referencing the passing of a loved one or someone dear. The phrase 風薫る (kaze kaoru) refers to the fragrant, early summer wind, a poetic seasonal marker. Combined with 逝かれしか (yukareshika) — a classical expression meaning “were you gone?” or “did you pass away?” — the poem expresses a gentle sorrow, as if the person departed peacefully, carried away by the wind.
It evokes both the beauty of nature and the transience of life, making it a poignant piece of seasonal mourning poetry—delicate, understated, and full of emotional depth.
