cultivaite in snow falling

by Issa,1822, Age 60

sakuo comment
It is hard work to cultivate rice field in snow falling.
Nothing to say, there is no renku.

David's comment
This haiku alludes to the crunching or chopping sound made by a plow.

rice cake

by Issa 1810

David's comment
The rice cake is covered with bean jam. Shinji Ogawa notes that taisetsu no botamochi means "important rice cake...placed on the shelf as an offering to Buddha or Shinto gods." A katydid (kirigirisu) is a green or light brown insect, a cousin of crickets and grasshoppers. The males possess special organs on the wings with which they produce shrill calls. Although katydid is the closest English equivalent, many translators (such as R. H. Blyth) use the more familiar "grasshopper" and "cricket." See Haiku (Tokyo: Hokuseido, 1949-1952; rpt. 1981-1982/reset paperback edition) 4.1068-69.

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men have plucked little pines

by Issa, 1820
he had lost already two children.
David’s commment
This haiku has the prescript, "The crane's inscription." Cranes were famous for their fantastic longevity. This haiku offers a crane's-eye perspective that spans thousands of ages. Pulling up a young pine tree on the first day of Rat is a custom that originated in China. Shinji Ogawa explains that its purpose was to bring good luck or longevity. Samisu is an old verb with the modern equivalent, anadoru: to despise, to hold in contempt; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 719.

double Kigo, snow and spring rain

by Issa,
1823, Age 61
His fundamental of living was on a rice farmer as a land owner.
I think that his three times marriages have been possible for his property,
based on rice field.
The snow was poem for Poet Issa, but it was hazards for farmer Issa.
This ku has double Kigo, snow and spring rain, in which I found his contradiction that he was a poet as well as a farmer.

over fourty

by Issa, 1803
his marriage is 1814, so it does not refer to Issa himself.
At 1803 he was 41 years old, living in Edo.
He has started his new action, leaving from old sect.
1801 his father die and, dispute on inheritance has begun.

Watching the parade of wedding, he thought,
I have become 41 years old.
Not getting sure position on Haiku profession.
Not having family, or marriage.
Not to be young.
Not getting surly inheritance.

together with

1815 Issa on the first day of the year.
Last year on April he married with young lady.
On August leaving his wife, he went to Edo and doing his haiku business
till t On December 27th arrived at his home.
This ku was made on the first day of the year, the dog year in animal calendar.
Wolf is the symbol of wildness. [dress in a robe] means politely.
Issa would like to say that the wildness, please behave politely.
It may likely point his young wife.

my rice field

Issa, 1804 42 years old living Edo. The geese fly toward north where is Issa’s
home village.
Three years before, Issa’s father die who said that half of my property
should be given to Issa.
But the will didn’t become effective. Issa had large dissatisfaction.

soot and slander

1813, Issa 51 years old.
On 1801 his father died. For twelve years the dispute about the succession
had continued. On February 1813 he decided to move to home village kashihabara
and rented house. Critical eyes of the surrounds watched at him severely

sexal appeal

Issa, 1806 44 years old, living in Edo.

I felt survival power in out season flower that even gives sexual appeal.

fasting in hell

Issa, 1820 58 years old, last year his daughter dies at only one year.
The hordes of hell are not Devil but dead people who fell to the hell and
are to be eaten by the Devil.
Today is fasting day according New Year’s custom.

good for waking

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

1822 age 54, on the last year he married with young wife.There were many haiku students and friends in his home province.

next year new birth

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

1821, Age 59

1819 first daughter die.
1820 second son born.
1821 the son die on first month
next year, on third month third son born.

horse and chestnuts

Issa Original

Issa( tran.by David )to English

sakuo Renku

1808, age 44, lived in Edo.

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."
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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.
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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

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leave the nest

David’s English
what day then?
all the hut's sparrows
leave the nest

一茶
幾日やら庵の雀も皆巣立つ
ikka yara io no suzume mo mina su ta[tsu]

by Issa, 1810

sakuo renku
残りたる者年を数える
nokori taru mono toshi wo kazoeru

remaining person
counts his age

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Mama's memento

David’s English and Comment
the child hugs
her cloth monkey...
hailstorm

Or: "his cloth monkey." Specifically, the doll is made of crepe (chirimen).

一茶
ちりめんの猿を抱く子よ丸雪ちる
chirimen no saru wo daku ko yo arare chiru

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 Comment and Renku
Issa remembered his boyhood. He was motherless child, being teased. At this time he stayed in home village. There were nobodies who showed their sympathy for him on inheritance dispute.

苛められても形見放さず
izime rare te mo katami hanasa zu

even being teased
not let mama’s memento off


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visiting by ship

David’s English
"I see Mokubo Temple!"
"I see!"
ladies with parasols

一茶
木母寺が見ゆる見ゆると日傘哉
mokuboji ga miyuru miyuru to higasa kana

1803, Age 42 staying in Edo. His father die before three years.
Mokubo Temple was famous in Edo.
It’s festival held in spring and is big event.

sakuo Renku
川辺のお寺舟でお参り
kawa-be no otera fune de omairi

The temple near the River
visiting by ship

David’s comment
Issa doesn't directly mention "ladies" in his original text, but Shinji Ogawa suggests that the closing image, higasa ("parasol"), is meant to evoke "ladies with parasols."

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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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black robe

David’s English
he rolls thin snow
into a Buddha...
the child

一茶
うす雪の仏を作る子ども哉
usu yuki no hotoke wo tsukuru kodomo kana
1813, Age 51

sakuo renku
墨染めの衣まといし仏かな
sumizome no koromo matoishi hotoke kana

wearing black robe
it’s Buddha

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whose funeral

David’s English
the year's first sky's
first blemish...
smoke

一茶
はつ空にはやきず付るけぶり哉
hatsu-zora ni haya kizu tsukeru keburi kana

1817 age 55
last year first son born and died after one mounth.

sakuo Renku
誰の葬儀や涙の正月
dare no sougi ya namida no syougatu

Whose funeral
with tears Happy New Year


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with Issa, Buddhist seminar

sakuo Haiku
一茶とも学ぶ仏の秋日和
issa tomo manabu hotoke no akibiyori

with Issa
study Buddha
autumn day

From 2006/10/16 to 2006/10/23,
I am going to my native town that is in Kanbara-cho, Shizuoka city.
for attending to the Buddhist seminar.
The Temple is in the town, named Kouren-ji and belongs to Pure land sect that is the same of Issa’s .

I have studied Tr. David’s book that is titled as Pure land Haiku .
I have learned high piety of Issa in this book.
I wish to learn the mind of Buddha with Issa and Tr. David at this seminar.

Blog will be off
.2006/10/16—2006/10/23

great Edo

David’s English
great Edo
from nook to nook
"Cuckoo!"

o^edo no sumi kara sumi made hototogisu
一茶
大江戸の隅からすみ迄時鳥

by Issa, 1825
Age 63 divorced with second wife. all his family died.
lonely old daddy wasn’t he?
But he said I still have Haiku.
He wish to state that to all men I am here,
keeping to sing haiku song.

Sakuo Renku
歌うや俳句身内無しでも
utau ya haiku miuti nasi demo

wish to sing haiku
even having no family

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parent and child

David’s English
parents and child
three in a row...
the geese depart

一茶
親と子の三人連や帰る雁
oya to ko no sannin-zure ya kaeru kari

1820 age 58.
Issa lost his dearest daughter in last june.

sakuo Renku
我も子ずれで歩きたや
ware mo ko zure de aruki ta ya

me too with child
wish to walk