you fleas

David’s English
for you fleas
the night must be long...
and lonely?

一茶
蚤どもがさぞ夜永だろ淋しかろ
nomi domo ga sazo yonaga daro sabishi karo

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

sakuo comment
At this time he decided to settle down in his native town, giving up his 37 years Edo life. But often he reminded his lively Edo life.

honorable ally

the yellow rose's
honorable ally...
a frog

yamabuki no o-mikata mo^[su] kawazu kana
山吹の御味方申す蛙かな
by Issa, 1812
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo’s comment
First line
[山吹　yamabuki ] has two means.
They are plant, a Japanese rose.
and color, bright golden yellow that means 小判 a koban;
a former Japanese oval gold coin.
If you prefer yellow rose, it has double season word.

Sakuo’s English
Koban the gold coin
honorable ally...
a frog

Sakuo　renku and renga
旅の餞別　小判三両
tabi no senbetu koban san ryou

as a present of travel
three gold coin


David’s English

cats yowling

David’s English
cats yowling
separated by a wall--
tragic lovers

neko naku ya hei wo hedatete awanu koi
.猫鳴や塀をへだててあはぬ恋
by Issa, 1824

Literally, the "lovers will not or do not meet" (awanu koi).
Visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo　 link picture.

the whole town second version

David’s English
the whole town sleeps
while the cormorants
toil

一茶
一村やうにかせがせて夕枕

sakuo renku and renga (second version)
The word cormorant always remind us exploitation by employer.
In first version it was[tax robber and taxpayer]
And second version is [ inn master and Oiran girls]

夜の吉原　鵜の稼ぎ時
yoru no Yoshihara uno kasegi doki

night at Yoshihara
the cormorants are busy

Reference;
Yoshihara: sexual leisure palace in Edo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshiwara
Cormorant　(＋fishing)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant_Fishing_on_the_Nagara_River

the whole town

David’s Englsh
the whole town sleeps
while the cormorants
toil

Issa 1817
hito mura ya u ni kasegasete yu^makura
一村やうにかせがせて夕枕

Issa ends the haiku with the image, yu^makura ("night pillows"). A more literally faithful but harder to picture translation would be: the whole town-- while the cormorants are made to work night pillows Japanese fishermen use cormorants. Tied to a tether, these sea birds dive for fish that they are forced to disgorge.

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

sakuo renku and renga
何時の世も税を取る人取られる人.
ituno yo mo zei wo toru hito torareru hito

In every generation
there are tax robbers
and taxpayers