young wife and old Issa

Issa original
David English
sakuo renku

1818, Age 56Fifth Month, 4th day, the first daughter, Sato, is bornOn New year his wife is pregnant with fifth month baby.

This ku is an answer from his young wife to Issa.

David's comment
Yokudoshi is an old word that means "to be greedy"; see Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1704. Is this haiku a gentle slap at Issa's wife, Kiku?

rubbing Saint

Issa original
Issa( tran. by David to English)
sakuo renku

David's comment
According to Kazuhiko Maruyama, Binzuru is a Buddhist saint, one of the 16 Enlightened Ones. Folk custom dictates that if one prayerfully rubs his image, he or she will recover from illness; see Issa haiku shû (Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1990; rpt. 1993) 223, note 1169. In this comic haiku, an autumn leaf has fallen onto the statue's holy head.
Sakuo Nakamura notes that Binzuru-sama is famous for his bald head, which people rub in hopes of recovering from sickness. Here, a leaf is doing the rubbing, "like a baby's palm."
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

a crow a cry

Issa Original
Issa( tran. by David to English)
sakuo Renku

1823 Issa 61 years old, lost his wife and third son.

shell gathering in my garden

Issa original
Issa(tran.by David to English)
sakuo renku

Fukagawa was a down town district in Edo city where the great Lord and his men lived.
The down town is always people's town ,located in lowland.

big straw sandals

Issa original 1824
Issa(tran. by David to English)

sakuo comment
Issa was 62 years old, He has lost all his children and the first wife.
on August he divorced second wife, he was stricken with paralysis losing power to walk and speak .He visited friend by bamboo sedan.

sakuo Renku
moku moku susumu yomiti no okago
黙々進む夜道のお籠

silently bamboo sedan
advances night journey

Checking freely go through

Issa Original

David English

sakuo Renku

Grain checking station;

In Edo era the free grain distribution was prohibited.

So there were many checking stations over Japan.

New Years god shelf

Issa Original
David English
sakuo Renku

1821 Issa was 59 years old.
He already has lost a daughter and two sons.

David's comment
This comic haiku refers to the New Year's custom of visiting a shrine or temple located in a lucky direction. The cat takes aim at the toshi-Dana (New Year's shelf), where offerings to the god have been placed.
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

everyday Issa: open lunch box

everyday Issa: open lunch box

country daughter

Issa original

Issa(trans. by David)

sakuo Renku

only reciting the Name

Issa original
Issa trans,by David
sakuo renku

1814 Issa 54 years old ,married on April

.

Old Quarter Nihon-bashi

Issa Original
Issa(trans, David)
sakuo Renku
Honcho is the old quarter of commerce in Edo city.
It was busy all day long, near by it Ebisu shrine stood that
is a god of commerce.

new bride coming

Issa Original

Issa trans.by David

sakuo Renku

1814 Age 52 ,Issa married with young girl age 28.
They were like father and daughter.
For his long solitude life in Edo how was it delightful.

spring begins

Issa Original
David English
sakuo Renga

whitebait

Issa Original , 1808 age 46, living in Edo

David English and comment

sakuo Renku

open lunch box

Issa original, 1806　Age 44 staying in Edo.
David translate
sakuo Renku

Haiku Sequence [haiku renga]

[ Issa]
山里は油手ふくも梅の花
[ Issa (trans.byDavid) ]
mountain village--
wiping greasy hands
on plum blossoms
[sakuo]
let’s open
the lunch box
[gillena]
mountain picnic- -
who needs
paper napkins
[Gabi,a German living in Japan]
haiku lunch
so many nations
under the plum tree
[Origa]
mountain village--
under the flowering plum
different birds sing

My dream comes true that sequential poem has been settled over time and space.
Isn't it real World Haiku Club?

sakuo

funny female singers

Issa 1813 age 51, settled in his home village for inheritance dispute

David translate

sakuo Renku

Reference
御世miyo
Twelfth Month singers:
beggar singer who appeared at every year end in Edo era , wearing funny style, singing celebration song.

the local smith makes sickle

Issa original haiku

Gabi Greve translate

sakuo Renku 

happy writing on the snow

by Issa　years unknown
On the second day of the year, it was Japanese custom to write the year’s first calligraphy. 

outdoor theater

David’s English
like the bats
the nighthawk too
slow and sure

一茶
かはほりに夜ほちもそろりそろり哉
kawahori ni yahochi mo sorori-sorori kana
1824 age 62.

sakuo renku

野外劇場夜の幕開け
yagai-gekijyo yoru no maku ake

outdoor theater
opening the curtain in night

visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/