even over fifty

David’s English
do not think me
a poor-spirited soul...
mankind's spring

一茶
ふがいない身となおぼしそ人は春
fugainai mi to na oboshiso hito wa haru


1813, Age 51
Second Month, he is living in Kashiwabara in a rented house. In autumn, his inheritance dispute finally settled, he moves into his family home.

sakuo Renku
五十過ぎても我が家持てず
gozyuu sugite mo waga ie mote zu

even over fifty
couldn’t have my house

David’s comment
Issa seems to imply that, unlike other people, he isn't celebrating spring with all of the proper, expected rituals. ）儀式, If this is so, the third phrase, hito wa haru ("mankind's spring"), is ironic. Shinji Ogawa helped my translation by untangling Issa's syntax: na oboshi so = "do not think"; hito wa haru = "spring is the prime season for man, or man is in his prime in spring."
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