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This is a Jiuta piece in the Tegotomono style from the Ikuta Ryű school . This piece was composed for koto by Yaezaki Kengyo . This piece was composed for shamisen by Kikuoka Kengyo in cir. 1830 .

History (from Tsuge Gen'ichi)
Keshi no hana ('The Poppy Flower') was written around 1830 by Kikuoka Kengyo of Kyoto, the most prolific composer of jiuta. Later this song was arranged as an ensemble piece for koto and shamisen by Matsuzaki Kengyo II (d. 1871). The text praises a beautiful courtesan who is likened to a lovely poppy flower. The piece begins with a short instrumental introduction and recitation of the first line, but is a typical tegoto-mono.

Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
How pretty
Is the poppy flower
Here in my hand.
When plucked
Its fragrance
Is unworldly.
But how pitiful
Once the petals
Have fallen.

Very jealous is the poppy,
A passionate flower of summer.
Yet it wilts easily
Under a rain of affection.
There is no need
To be ill at ease with me.
Just be unresisting,
Like a lovely Nara doll.

Keshi no Hana appears on the following albums:

Album	Shakuhachi	Koto	Shamisen
Abe Keiko Record Set - 07  (Listen)	Ikeda Seizan II		Abe Keiko
Fascination of the Koto 4  (Listen)		Yonekawa Megumi	Yonekawa Toshiko
The original sangen version was composed by Kikuoka kengyo (1702-1847) and the koto part was added by Matuzaki kengyoo II (d. 1871). Accepting the burden of her sever life, a courtesan is symbolized by both a poppy flower and porcelain doll because of their beauty and fragility. The high-registered song phrases could be considered to represent the beauty of pitiful woman. The following musical points would interest listeners: the beginning part is song without the sense of meter, and neither the sangen nor the koto change tunings at all.
Ikuta Ryu Sokyoku Senshu Volume 06  (Listen)
Koto and Shamisen Gendai Meikyoku Shu 05  (Listen)
Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 35  (Listen)		Yonekawa Hiroe	Yonekawa Toshiko