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Thursday, August 21, 2008

cat's love calls

一茶 1812年
猫なくや中を流るる角田川
neko naku ya naka nagaruru sumida-gawa

David’s English
cats' love calls--
between them flows
Sumida River

by Issa, 1812

Shinji Ogawa helped me to visualize what is happening in this haiku: two cats ready for lovemaking separated by the wide river. Following almost immediately in Issa's journal is this verse: edo neko no awatadashisa yo sumida-gawa the Edo cat in a frenzy... Sumida River
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga
Sumida River is wide, like as Thames, Moscow and Hudson,
Love call can’t reach at other bank.

8 comments:

Pris said...

Ohh, I love this, too. The poor cat looks so sad sitting alone on this side. Your art picked the haiku up perfectly.

Magyar said...

... Love this; yearning that cannot be satisfied.
_In humor, perhaps this is from where the term "Catboat," originated. _m

shanna said...

cattails one of my favorite..this is excellent sakuo san
make my day
aloha
shanna

Unknown said...

Pris san thank you for your kind compliment.
Issa would be a sad cat himself.

sakuo.

Unknown said...

Magyar san thank you for coming and kind comment in which you said "Catboat",please let me have more detail if you would like.

sakuo.

Unknown said...

Shanna san, I am very glad to have your comment, as the cat lover.
The cat sad but humor!!

aloha!

sakuo.

Magyar said...

The Catboat... a small sail boat with a single large sail, its mast positioned... very far forward at the bow of the boat. _m

Unknown said...

Thank you Magyar san for your kind information.
I will paint it in my haiga.

sakuo.