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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

sleepless


Masajo真砂女 1969 age 63

冬の夜の海眠らねば眠られず

fuyu no yo no umi nemura neba nemura rezu


Lee & Emiko’s English

a night in winter---

unless the sea can slumber

I too am sleepless

As the night deepens the surf sound gets into my ears and I can not fall asleep.

People do sleep at night, but the sea does not. I will stay awake with the sea;

the sea is alive.


Season word: a night in winter ( winter )


sakuo haiga

Sunday, March 28, 2010

servants

Issa, 1795 age 33

the servants
all are new...
Little New Year's

meshi tsukai atarashiki kana ko sho^gatsu

召仕新しき哉小正月

Little New Year's is celebrated on the 15th and 16th days of First Month. Meshi tsukau is an old expression for a nobleman sending for a person to come and render a service; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1612. Shinji Ogawa notes that in Issa's time, this phrase could signify any one of a wide range of employees, from samurai to maids.

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



Saturday, March 20, 2010

with snow

Masajo 真砂女 1969 age 63


風立つとかなしびあへり雪の樹々

kaze tatsu to kanashibi aeri yuki no kigi


Lee & Emiko’s English

when the wind blows

they share their sorrow---

trees covered with snow


sakuo haiga


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

singing plover

Issa 一茶 1815  Age 53

けぶたくも庵を放れな鳴千鳥

kebutaku mo io wo hanare na naku chidori

David’s English

though it's smoky
don't leave my hut!
singing plover

.

Kebutai or kebutashi is an old word meaning to suffocate on smoke; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 570. http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo note;

Who is a plover? At the time Issa’s new bride was in the hut.

She was crying her solitude, because Issa was stay at Edo from September to December 21. The plover was Issa’s new bride.

What does it mean smoky? Issa’s step mother’s family lived at the next of Issa’s house. Issa and the family had struggled for long years on father’s assets.

Both families felt smoky each others.

At Edo city Issa was thinking his young bride who was solitary at the home.

Sakuo’s haiga



Saturday, March 13, 2010

loneliness

Masajo 真砂女 1969 age 63

さびしさの雪掬ふとききはまるか

sabishi sa no yuki suku’u toki kiwamaru ka

Lee & Emiko’s English

loneliness---

as I scoop the snow

it overcomes me

Seasonal word: snow(winter)

sakuo haiga


flowering raoe

Issa 一茶 1812  Age 50

なの花のとっぱづれ也ふじの山

na no hana no toppazure nari fuji no yama

David’s English

at the edge
of the flowering rape...
Mount Fuji

Rape (or canola) is a bright yellow flowering plant of Asia.

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

sakuo haiga

At this time he stayed in Edo,visiting haiku friends in Bousou in Kantou field.. This hu is read at there.


Tuesday, March 09, 2010

white peach

Masajo 真砂女 1969 age 63


白桃に人刺すごとく刃を入れて

hakuto ni hito sasu gotoku ha wo irete


Lee&Emiko’s English


into a white peach

like stabbing someone

the knife’s edge


Seasonal word: white peach (summer)


sakuo haiga


Monday, March 08, 2010

sleeping in

Issa 一茶 1821 age 59

寝並んで小蝶と猫と和尚哉

ne narande ko cho^ to neko to osho^ kana

Davids English

sleeping in a row--
little butterfly, cat
pries

The priest is a head priest. In the poem, Issa shows relationship and loving connection between three quite different creatures. Presented in a progression from small to large; the butterfly, cat and priest show themselves to be, in the moment, a little family.

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

sakuo haiga


Friday, March 05, 2010

pampas grass

Masajo 真砂女 1969 age 63


芒野に心の責苦捨てに出づ

susukino ni kokoro no semeku sute ni izu

Lee&Emiko’s English


field of pampas grass---

I go there to cast away

the anguish of my heart

Seasonal word: field of pampas grass (autumn)

sakuo haiga