secluded house

一茶　1816年54歳
.かくれ家や日々草は若くなる
kakurega ya nichi-nichi kusa wa wakaku naru

David’s English
secluded house--
day after day more
baby grass

sakuo paint

for people

小林　一茶　1808年　46歳
人に人かがしにかがし日の暮るる
hito ni hito kagashi ni kagashi hi no kuru[ru]

David’s English
for people
and for scarecrows
the day ends

sakuo renku

over the wall

小林一茶　1825年　63歳
元朝に十念仏のゆききかな
ganchoo ni juu nembutsu no yukiki kana

David’s English
on New Year's morning
the prayers to Buddha
come and go

by Issa, 1825 age 63.

sakuo
It has 5 months passed since his divorce with his second wife.
he was in sick, paralytic.
On new years day he pray Budda, hearing his step brother also
praying too. Because they live side by side in one house, separating
with the wall.

sakuo renku and renga

on New Year's morning

by Issa, 1825 Age 64.

This haiku refers to the nembutsu (namu amida butsu): a prayer of thanksgiving for, and praise of, Amida Buddha's saving grace. Eons ago, Amida promised that all who rely on his saving power will be reborn in the Pure Land (the Western Paradise). According to Shinji Ogawa, the word ju^ nembutsu refers to a Buddhist scripture of that name.
I assume that it refers to a recitation of namu amida butsu ten times in a row. In any case, I took "ten" out of my translation, because this doesn't add much significance for the English speaking reader:
"ten prayers to Buddha" is now "the prayers to Buddha."

Tr. David Lanoue
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

.......................................................................

Here is more about the Amida Prayer.

To recite it 10 times each morning as a practise of the devoted believer.
http://haikutopics.blogspot.com/2006/11/namu-amida-butsu.html

Gabi

midwinter bathing

小林　一茶.寒垢離や首のあたりの水の月
kangori ya kubi no atari no mizu no tsuki

David’s English
midwinter bathing--
his head, the moon
in the water

During the midwinter purification ceremony, a bather's bald head takes the place of the moon in the water.

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


Gabi’s information.
Read more about the winter ascetic practices of Japan
http://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/10/winter-ascetic-practises.html >

frost-killed grass

小林一茶　　1819年　57歳
.霜がれや胡粉の剥し土団子
shimogare ya gofun no hagashi tsuchi dango

David’s English
frost-killed grass--
whitewash peeling off
the mud dumpling

sakuo comment
1819 the most sad year of Issa.
His daughter was affected by smallpox.
As the general custom,he pray fox god,
offering the mud dumpling.
If the sickness would be recovered, the mud
would be painted whitewash.
But she died.

sakuo renku
剥がれて吾が子　あの世へ旅立つ
hagarete wagako anoyo he tabidatu

peeling off
she gone to the other world

the hot spring's steam

一茶　　1821年
.温泉のけぶる際より田植哉
onsen no keburu kiwa yori taue kana

David’s English
touched by
the hot spring's steam...
planting rice

sakuo renku
湯治に辛い　田植え歌かな
touji ni turai taueuta kana

bitter to my bath treatment
rice planting song

sidesaddle

Issa’s haiku 1819
横乗の馬のつづくや夕がすみ
yokonori no uma no tsuzuku ya yu^gasumi

David’s English
riding sidesaddle
one by one...
evening mist



sakuo back verse
どこへ行くやら旅の劇団
dokohe iku yara tabi no gekidan

where going
travel drama group

clining to the wall

sakuo front verse
死に別れ独り寝出来ぬ蝶々かな
sini wakare hitori ne no dekinu tyoutyo kana

dead separation
couldn’t sleep alone
butterfly

Issa haiku 1824
ほっとして壁にすがるや夕小てふ
hotto shite kabe ni sugaru ya yu^ ko cho^

David’s English
clinging to the wall
with relief, evening's
little butterfly

sakuo back verse
壁は三月で蝶とお別れ
kabe ha mituki de tyou to owakare

after three months
the wall good-by to
the butterfly