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Wednesday, March 30, 2005

mushy persimmon, old man group !

regretfully


David English
regretfully I've joined them--the mushy persimmon eaters

-Issa, 1816
53 years old, a year before, after getting father's asset, married with Kiku.
He decided to settle down in the home village and went around Bousyu district for the greeting of farewell. as well as he published memorial book as retirement.

sakuo Japanese
無念なり 我加わりし 熟柿食い
munen nari ware kuwawari si jyukusi kui

Issa Original
くやしくも熟柿仲間の座につきぬ
kuyashiku mo jukushi nakama no za ni tsukinu

David Comment
This haiku has the prescript, "Feeling old."
Makoto Ueda explains Issa's meaning. In earlier years, the poet had enough teeth to bite into a ripe persimmon. Now, sadly, he must wait until it turns soft to eat it, Issa has "taken a seat" (za ni tsukinu) among the eaters of mushy persimmons.

sakuo said
Mr Issa , look your face , painted with mushy persimmon !
Oh sakuo, losing my teeth I must get into old man group!

Issa site

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