hair and beards

Issa 　一茶

髪髭も白い仲間や花の陰

kami hige mo shiroi nakama ya hana no kage

David's English

hair and beards 

of comrades all white... 

blossom shade

by Issa, 1820   http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

my love

Masajyo 　真砂女

わが恋や秋風渡る中に在り

waga koi ya akikaze wataru naka ni ari

Lee& Emiko's English

my love---

the autumn wind

carries it on

Seasonal word: autumn wind ( autumn)

Note:Masajyo's love has continued for forty years. 

The love has become old, but it is still hale in the autumn wind.

sakuo haiga

young bamboo

Issa 　一茶

わか竹をたのみに思ふ小家哉
waka take ni tanomi ni omou ko ie kana

David's　English

depending on
the young bamboo...
little house

by Issa, 1812　http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

holy night

作雄　sakuo

時空超え発句楽しむ聖夜かな
jiku koe hotsuku tanosimu seiya kana

sakuo's English

over time and space
enjoying to make haiku
in holy night

sakuo haiga

So many things attacked us,but we could reach at the
Holy night.
Thanks to all Gods!
And all famlies be happy!

morning-glory

Masajyo 　真砂女

朝顔やすでにきのふのとなりしこと

asagao ya sudeni kinou to narishi koto

Lee & Emiko's English

morning-glory---

already it belongs

to yesterday

Note:Masajyo was longing desperately for it. And now it is 

over and the day has passed. Every moment of it has become 

something of the past. 

Yet every moment is still vivid in her mind. A morning-glory of 

yesterday will never bloom again.

Seasonal word: morning-glory ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

even here

Issa　一茶

こなたにも安置して有梅の花

kona[ta] ni mo anchi shi[te] are ume no hana

 

David‘s　English

even here
a holy image enshrined
plum blossoms

by Issa, 1821

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

 

sakuo haiga

First month of this year his second son died on the mother’s back, after 100 days life.

queenching

Masajyo 　真砂女

　

渇癒す泉に罪の顔写し

katsu iyasu izumi ni tsumi no kao utsushi

Lee & Emiko's Englsih

queenching my thirst---

a sinner's face reflected

in the spring

Seasonal word: a spring ( summer )

sakuo haiga

if only she were here

Issa　一茶

 

小言いふ相手もあらばけふの月

kogoto iu aite mo araba kyo^ no tsuki

David’s English

 

if only she were here
for me to nag...
tonight's moon!

 

by Issa, 1823

David's special comment on translation

 

sakuo haiga

our spoken words

Masajyo 真砂女

滝の音に言葉とられし涼しさよ

taki no ne ni kotoba torareshi suzushisa yo

Lee & Emiko's English

our spoken words

carried away by the waterfall---

coolness!

Seasonal word:waterfall ( summer ), coolness ( summer )

sakuo haiga

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

true love

Masajyo 　真砂女

愛たしか夏蝉朝を奏でけり
ai tasika natsuzemi asa wo kanade keri

Lee& Emiko's English

true love---
summer cicadas play
amorning tune

Seasonal word: summer cicada ( summer )

sakuo haiga

the painted face

Issa 　一茶

顔染し乙女も春の暮る哉

kao someshi otome mo haru no kururu kana

David's English

for the painted faced 

maiden too... 

spring dusk

by Issa, 1805  age 43,staying in Edo

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

sakuo haiga

a woman alone

Masajyo 　真砂女

女一人目覚めてのぞく蛍篭
on'na hitori mezamete nozoku hotaru kago

Lee & Emiko's English

a woman alone---
she wakes up and peeks into
the firefly cage

Seasonal word: firefly ( summer)

sakuo haiga

the baby monkey

Issa  一茶

猿の子に酒くれる也茸狩
saru no ko ni sake kureru nari kinoko-gari

David's English

for the baby monkey
a nip of sake...
mushroom hunting

by Issa, 1819
Issa writes a variation of this haiku, also in 1819: tabi no ko ni sake kureru nari kinoko-gari for the traveling child a nip of sake... mushroom hunting Shinji Ogawa comments, "I think what Issa is trying to depict in these two haiku is the racket created by the mushroom hunting party: a bunch of drunkards who offer sake to whomever they meet."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

heartsick day

Masajyo 真砂女

心病む日なり籐椅子にふかくいて

kokoro yamu hi nari touisu ni fukaku ite

Lee & Emiko's English

heartsick day---

nested deeply

in the rattan chair

seasonal word: rattan chair ( summer )

sakuo haiga

his prowling route

Issa 一茶

通路も花の上也やまと猫
kayoiji mo hana no ue nari yamato neko

David's English

his prowling route
over the flowers...
a Japanese cat

by Issa, 1824
Issa suggests that the cat has a sensitive Japanese soul, for it chooses to go through the blossoms. Yamato is an old word for Japan.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

plum so green

Masajyo　真砂女

梅青し女のもてる悪だくみ
ume aoshi on'na no moteru warudakumi

Lee & Emiko's English

plums so green
a woman embracing
a malicious design

Seasonal word: plum(summer)

sakuo haiga　

a little hole in the window

Issa 一茶

秋の夜や窓の小穴が笛を吹
aki no yo ya mado no ko ana ga fue wo fuku

David's English

autumn evening--
a little hole in the window
blows flute

Issa, 1811　aged 49,


sakuo haiga

What melodies did the flute blow?

Was it his physical　decline?
Or inheritance strugle with halfbrother?
Or frustration of ranking as Haikuist in Edo?

enterrin summer

Masajyo 真砂女

夏に入るや瞼の裏に海生まれ
natsu ni iru ya mabuta no ura ni umi umare

Lee and Emiko's English

entering summer---
behind my eyelids
the sea is born

Seasonal word: entering summer ( summer)

sakuo haiga

toothharding

Issa 一茶　 1819

David's English

New Year's tooth-hardening

meal...

yet toothless!

hagatame no ha ichi mai mo nakari keri

葉固の歯一枚もなかりけり

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

sakuo haiga

Issa got lovely daughter.8 months has passed since her birth.

Her milk tooth didn't appese.Issa was anxious about it .

French issa and English Issa

On 17~30 November, at NHK Gallery,

Issa Display has been opened.
Mr.Ikeda haiga painter and Mr.Mabesoone French translator are the originator.
Shinano-machi Issa native town sponsored them.

Accidentally I participated as haiga painter with Dr. David's English.
I titled " French Issa and English Issa"

cyclamen

Masajyo 真砂女

シクッラメン人を恋ふ夜の眉蒼し

sikuramen hito wo kou yo no mayu aoshi

Lee & Emiko's English

cyclamen---

longing for him tonight

I shave my eyebrows

Seasonal word: cyclamen ( winter)

sakuo haiga

spring butterfly

Issa 一茶
うそうそと雨降中を春のてふ
uso-uso to ame furu naka wo haru no cho^

David's　English
nervously
through the raindrops...
spring butterfly

by Issa, 1804
Uso-uso can mean "uneasily" or "full of anxiety"; Kogo dai

jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 196.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga
Uso-uso measns [ really?]
Issa and butterfly were suprisied suddenly rain.

from the spoon

Masajyo 真砂女

匙を逃げし苺ひと粒春うれい
saji wo nigeshi ichigo hitotsubu haru urei

Lee & Emiko's English

from the spoon
one strawberry escapes---
spring sorrow

Seasonal word: spring sorrow (spring)

sakuo haiga

no divine punishment

Issa 一茶

今迄は罰もあたらず昼寝蚊屋
ima made wa bachi mo atarazu hirune kaya

David's English

no divine punishment yet--
napping
under the net

by Issa, 1819


In Pure Land Haiku: The Art of Priest Issa, I write: The key

phrase is the first:ima made wa--"yet" or "up to now." Divine

retribution may come in time, but for now the poet enjoys a

pleasant summer nap. Viewed outside of the context of

Jo^doshinshu^ belief, this haiku seems blatantly irreligious.

However, Issa is actually exhibiting authentic piety as he naps,

leaving both punishment and salvation in the capable hands of

Amida Buddha (Reno/Tadoshi: Buddhist Books International,

2004) 122. This haiku is one of the "essential" 188 picked by

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

sakuo haiga

Through his whole life, Issa believed he is a san of peasant.
He always blame himself for eating without working in rice

field.
He asked to himself "Can I be afford to nap while all peasants

work hard at rice field in hot summer day".

Masajo 真砂女

情無しを恨むも愛か木瓜の雨

jounashi wo uramu mo ai ka boke no ame

Lee & Emiko's English

his cold-heartedness:

shouldn't my love begrudge it?

quince rain

Seasonal word: Japanese quince flower ( spring)

sakuo haiga

people scatter

Issa 一茶

人は蟻と打ちらかって鳴雲雀
hito wa ari to uchi-chirakatte naku hibari

David's　English

people scatter
like ants...
the lark sings

by Issa, 1814

An interesting haiku in which Issa adopts the larks' eye-in-the-sky perspective.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

the two back

Masajyo 真砂女

またよりを　もどせし仲や　囀れり
mata yori wo modoseshi naka ya saezureri

Lee & Emiko's English

the two back
on good terms agin---
birds twittering

Seasonal word: birds twittering( spring)

sakuo haiga

little smoke

Issa 一茶

小けぶりも若ひ匂ひのたばこ哉
ko keburi mo wakai nioi no tabako kana

David's English

just a little smoke--
the tobacco
smells young

by Issa, 1821
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo

fallen camellia

Masajyo 真砂女

落椿生き生きと紅たもちをり
oti tubaki ikiiki to beni tamoti wori

Lee and Emiko's English

a fallen camellia:
vivd vivid crimson
it remains

Seasonal word: fallen camellia ( spring)

sakuo haiga

She is a poet as well as a manager of pub.

morning glories

Issa 一茶

朝顔や下水の泥もあさのさま
asagao ya gesui no doro mo asa no sama

David’s　English

morning-glories

even in sewer mud

a morning scene


by Issa, 1805
Shinji Ogawa translated the final phrase,

asa no sama: "morning scene."

My original translation, though less literal, might be

a better haiku in English: morning-glories even

in sewer mud greet the dawn
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/



sakuo haiga

how piteous

Masajyo 真砂女

あわれ野火の草あるかぎり狂いけり
aware nobi no kusa aru kagiri kurui keri

Lee & Emiko's English

how piteous!
as long as there is grass
the wildfire rages

Seasonal word: wildfire (spring)

sakuo haiga

side-field

Issa 一茶

冬枯のほまちざかりや菊の花
fuyugare no homachi-zakari ya kiku no hana

David's English

the withered side-field
in full bloom...
chrysanthemums

by Issa, 1821

The "side-field" (homachi) is a plot of newly cultivated land that, in that period, was farmed in secret, evidently to avoid the daimyo's taxation; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1495.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

not a word for me

Masajyo & 真砂女


口きいてくれず冬濤見てばかり

kuchi kiite kurezu fuyunami mite bakari


Lee & Emiko's English


not a word for me

he just continues to watch

the winter waves


Seasonal word:winter wave (winter)


sakuo haiga

shame

Issa 一茶

はづかしや三十日が来ても草のてふ
hazukashi ya misoka ga kite mo kusa no cho^

David's English

shame, shame!
on the month's last day
a meadow butterfly

by Issa, 1810

In Issa's days, most people bought things on credit
and paid up at the end of the month or of the year.
Issa cannot pay his debt as penniless meadow butterfly.

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


sakuo haiga

falling snow

Masajyo　真砂女

降る雪やあざやかすぎし夢の虹
furu yuki ya azayaka sugishi yume no niji

Lee and Emiko’s English

falling snow---
too brilliant a rainbow
in my dream

Seasonal word: snow ( winter )

Sakuo haiga

first snow

Issa 一茶

初雪や雪駄ならして善光寺

hatu yuki ya setsuta narasite zenko-ji

 

sakuo’s English

first snowfall---

stomping setsuta sandal

at Zenko Temple

 

setsuta http://www.wasoh.com/setta/index.html

was a snobby sandal for playboy in Edo era.

It is not good for walking on snowy road. As to my imagination, Issa would

spent a night near the Temple and tomorrow morning he went to Zenko Temple with pleasant feeling.　

 

Chin’s haiga

Chin san is Taiwanese who is 80 years over, graduated from old Japanese Empire university in Taipei. He is Sakuo’s and Issa’s good friend.

more than anyone

Masajyo　真砂女

誰よりもこの人が好き枯草に

dare yorimo kono hito ga suki karekusa ni

Lee and Emiko's English

more than anyone

it is this man I love

on the withered grass

Seasonal word: withered grass(winter)

sakuo haiga

even the horse

Issa 一茶

uma made mo moegi no kaya ni netari keri
馬迄も萌黄の蚊屋に寝たりけり

David's English

even the horses
sleep in light green
mosquito nets!

by Issa, 1819
This haiku has the prescript, "Edo mansion."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

Who does live in behind ?

talke of divorce

Masajyo 　真砂女

水鳥や別れ話は女より
mizutori　ya　wakare banasi ha on^na yori

Lee & Emiko's English

waterbird---
talke of divorce
from the woman

I tried to talk about divorce, but failed. A far as I know,
it is always from the woman's side to bring up the subject of diverce.

Seasonal word; waterbird ( winter )

sakuo haiga

airing outside

Issa 一茶

mushiboshi ni neko mo hosarete itari keri
虫干に猫もほされて居たりけり

David's English

airing out the bedding
and
the cat

by Issa, 1815
Mushiboshi refers to a summer custom: putting clothing
and bedding outside in the sun. Here, the cat, too,
happily soaks up the sun, atop the futon or spread-out clothes.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga
Last year he married with young bridal. Next year his son will be born.
His happiest time.

detest the man

Masajyo 真砂女

男憎しされども恋し柳散る
otoko nikushi saredomo koishi yanagi chiru

Lee & Emiko's English

I detest the man
yet I long for him---
willow leaves falling

Seasonal word: willow leaves falling ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

helter-skelter

Issa　 一茶


yuki-atari-battari-batari uchiwa kana

行あたりばったりばたり団扇哉


David's English


helter-skelter

they flap and flap...

paper fans


by Issa, 1816A difficult haiku to translate. Yuki-atari-battari signifies "haphazard" or "happy-go-lucky." I picture a scene of several people, fanning themselves on a warm summer day with all sorts of different speeds and rhythms.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo　haiga


A priest come to pray for Issa's son who died only after 27 days.

Issa is losing his soul, hearing the sutra.

chrysanthemum blooming

Masajyo 真砂女

kikubiyori mini maku obi no nagaki kana
菊日和身にまく帯の長きかな

Lee & Emiko's English

chrysanthemum blooming---
the sash bound round my waistoh
so long

Seasonal word: chrysanthemums blooming ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

hailstones

Issa 一茶


arare chire kukurimakura wo ou kodomo

霰ちれ くくり枕を 負ふ子ども


David's English


fall, hailstones!

with pillow on his head

a child


by Issa, 1813

The child has invented a clever way to defy the weather.The pillow in question, kukurimakura, is stuffed with cotton or buckwheat chaff and tied at both ends; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 491. The child is young and, most likely, poor, but nevertheless demonstrates his human birthright of creativity--to Issa's applause.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga



Hurry back boy ! a baby on your back is cold.

autumn kimono

Masajyo 真砂女

夫運なき秋袷着たりけり
otto un naki akiawase kitari keri

Lee & Emiko's English

luck with husband
is sometning that eludes me---
autumn kimono

I married twice and divorced twice. My first marriage ended with themysterious disappearance of my husband. In the second one, I left the house of my own will. Since then I have been making my living in a corner of Tokyo.

Seasonal word ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

on the celebration

Issa 一茶


o-shu^gi ni yuki mo furu nari dondo yaki

御祝儀に雪も降也どんどやき


David's　English


snow falls

on the celebration...

New Year's bonfire


by Issa, 1816

On Little New Year's, the day of the year's first full moon ( First Month, 15th day), New Year's decorations of pine-and-bamboo and sacred Shinto rope are burned.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga


Age 54, his happiest New Year.

my hair down

Masajyo 真砂女


髪解くや情に溺れし秋の髪
kami toku ya jo ni oboreshi aki no kami

Lee and Emiko's English

I left my hair dwon...
it is drowning in desire
my autumn hair

Seasonal word: ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

harvest moon

Issa 　一茶
meigetsu ya yoko ni neru hito ogamu hito

名月や横に寝る人おがむ人


David's Englsh

harvest moon--

some are stretched out

some praying


by Issa, 1821 .



Originally, I envisioned only two people in the scene: "next to the sleeping man/ a praying man." Shinji Ogawa, however, visualizes more people: "some are lying down/ some praying." Several people, not just two, would typically attend a traditional Japanese moon-gazing party.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga



At this time he has lost three babies, and his wife was pregnant fourth baby.

in the sky's color

Masajyo 真砂女

空の色に見る海の色秋燕
sora no iro ni miru umi no iro aki-tsubame

Lee and Emiko's English

in the sky's color
the color of the sea---
autumn swallows

Seasonal word: autumn sparrows ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

Masajyo say good by to his airplane with sadness.