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Saturday, December 13, 2008

the whores

Issa 一茶

遊女めが見てけっかるぞ暑い舟
yu^jome ga mite kekkaru zo atsui fune

David's English

the whores 
are looking me over... 
from their boat in the heat

by Issa, 1817

Or: "the whore is/ looking me over.../from her boat in the heat." Jean Cholley explains that prostitutes operated on boats on the west bank of Sumida River in Edo (today's Tokyo).
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

And evidently, Issa was looking *them* over. That's how I would read this poem- humorously. It seems that you've captured that in your illustration.

Unknown said...

Dear upinVermont san,
I am very glade to have your kind comment that encourage me much.
Because this ku is very difficult to feel the Issa's image.

Thank you for sharing.

sakuo.

Magyar said...

...and in seeing this fine painting, one might think that (in fact,) there was some 'bartering' taking place.
_m

Unknown said...

Thank you Magyar san for your deep observation and adding nice phrase.

sakuo.