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.