Gah, I'm a little tired !

lying spread-eagle


David English
lying spread-eagleso coolso lonely

-Issa, 1813
51 years old, On January the thirteen memorial party of his father's death , the negotiation of father's asset has finished. Many times he visited haiku friend in North Sinano. On June and July he was ill in bed for blotch .

sakuo Japanese
大の字に　寝るや涼しく　寂しけり
dai no ji ni neruya suzusi ku sabisi keri

Issa　Original
大の字に寝て涼しさよ淋しさよ
dai no ji ni nete suzusisa yo sabisisa yo

David Comment
With arms and legs spread wide, the poet's body forms the Japnese character "big" (dai no ji)--the first word in the Japanese text of this poem.

sakuo remark
Issa has done a big task. He lay for refreshment. It was cool under the green, but he felt lonely a little. Gah, I'm a little tired.

Issa site