Haiku of Japan 21 – 30 :: Collection #3
Welcome to the 3rd collection of haiku from my Haiku of Japan series. This collection contains number 21 – 30. There are some good ones in here!
If you enjoy any of the verses you read, simply click on the title to go to a post specifically for that haiku where you'll find a bit more info about it, some background and perhaps some hints for understanding the deeper meaning.
Here we go!
盗人に取り残されし窓の月
nusubito ni torinokosareshi mado no tsuki
—Ryokan
the thief
left it
the moon at my window
柿もぎの金玉寒し秋の風
kakimogi no kintama samushi aki no kaze
—Ryokan
persimmon picking
my balls are cold
autumn wind
蒼海の浪酒臭し今日の月
sōkai no nami sake kusashi kyō no tsuki
—Basho
blue sea
waves smell of saké
tonight's moon
中々にひとりあればぞ月を友
nakanaka ni hitori areba zo tsuki o tomo
—Buson
because
I'm all alone
the moon is my friend
古井戸のくらきに落る椿哉
furuidono kurakini otsuru tsubakikana
—Buson
an old well
into the darkness
falls a camellia
笠もなきわれを時雨るるかこは何と
kasa mo naki ware o shigururu ka ko wa nanto
—Basho
no rain hat
is winter drizzle falling?
oh well
凧抱たなりですやすや寝たりけり
tako daita nari de suya-suya netari keri
—Issa
holding his kite
sleeping
peacefully
三千の俳句を閲し柿二つ
sanzen no haiku wo kemishi kaki futatsu
—Shiki
Three thousand
haiku to look through
Two persimmons
夜ル竊ニ虫は月下の栗を穿ツ
yoru hisokani mushi wa gekka no kuri o ugatsu
—Basho
secretly
a worm in the moonlight
drills into a chestnut
ほろほろ酔うて木の葉ふる
horohoro youte ko no ha furu
—Santoka
slightly drunk
the leaves
are falling
And that's that. Did any jump out at you as especally good?
All of these were translated by me. Feel free to use any of these translations anywhere you want, but if you do, please credit me. I ask that not so much because of my ego, but as a haiku reader myself I always want to know who did the translation so I can find more from them if I like it (or avoid them if I dislike it), so I'm always grateful when a book or website provides this info.
Needless to say, if you enjoyed any of these, follow me for more. I try to post one a day. Sometimes I miss a day if work or family gets in the way, but I do try to keep up.
If you enjoyed any of these, be sure to check out the previous two Haiku of Japan Collections:
❦
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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon. |
Beautiful pictures, I especially liked the 1st and 3rd, but I think they are by the same artist?
I'm trying to work out: are the pictures more important, or the words, or, are they a composite, bringing each other to life and creating something different from each of them?
I'll go with the third.
I have watched a few B&W Japanese movies, with subtitles, and I love how minimalistic they are. One I still strongly recall, is a man who works as a warden in prison and he retires. He and his wife travel, using their van as their home. I felt the story was beautiful but could not really say, this scene grabbed me. It just flowed and had a life of its own., leaving me with a feeling that these simple people are precious
I have a feeling that visiting your posts is going to provide me with similar experiences.
Thanks for the great comment. Yep, the 1st and 3rd are both by Kawase Hasui. He made a number of prints with the moon as the focus. Good eye.
The haiku stand by themselves. Most of the poets would have written words only. Sometimes they may have included some sketches (Buson was famous for this) but most didn't. The prints are picked by me to try to match with the words or the feeling in the words as best as possible. So, yeah, more of a composite. Ideally the print helps illustrate something of what the poet was getting at.
What you felt in that movie is common in Japanese things. Seeped in Buddhist ideology, there is a feeling of the pathos to all things. And this influences all art in the country, which has a strong zen feeling. Simple, beautiful. Enjoy every moment because it will never come again—the transience of life. It all comes together to produce a unique aesthetic.
Glad you enjoyed the post. :) I post them everyday, so stay tuned for more.
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Nice post
i am following & please follow me.
@osman28
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Nice poetry @dbooster. Beautiful Japanies paintings.
Thanks :) Most of them are woodblock prints actually, so they are originally carved on wood.