Cold, but must go !

David English
palms
in the cooking smoke
winter cold

-Issa, 1803
41 years old, living in Edo, visiting around Bousou,
especially frequently visit to Akimoto,
his good sponsor .


Issa Original
掌に酒飯けぶる寒さ哉 一茶
tenohira ni sakameshi keburu samu[sa] kana

sakuo remark
In cold morning, Issa prepared to the journey.
He made Onigiri (rice ball ) with last night rice.
When he the rice put in his palm, the rice even became cold,
it smoked in the bitter cold .
He said to himself "I must go, if it's cold day"

[ sakamesi] is the rice boiled with tea and sake.