This poem is written on fragmentary pieces of Deccho-bon (a type of a book) with Torinoko paper (stout, smooth Japanese paper) that has been dyed a color such as purple, indigo, red ochre, or green and bound together with white paper.
紫、藍、赭（赤色）、緑などに染めた鳥の子紙に、白もまじえた粘葉本の断簡（だんかん、切れ切れになった文書）である。