peony

Issa 一茶 1818

盃をちよいと置たるぼたん哉
sakazuki wo choi to okitaru botan kana

David’s English

I lay my sake cup
on top for a moment...
peony
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo’s supposition

At the moment, Issa was staying in Naganuma where many his students were gathered. Note; Naganuma is 20 kilo meters far from Issa’s village.

Among them there was Mr. Nabuti Sato who loved poem, painting, and gardening. Especially he was an expert of chrysanthemum and peony.

Nabuti’s haiku.
我庵を狭しと牡丹咲きにけり
waga iho wo semasi botan sakini keri

my hut garden
is narrowed by
blooming peonies

Issa was enjoying party with his familiar haiku friends in Naganuma, watching Nabuti’s peony.

And sakuo’s haiga.

in this life

Masajo 真砂女   1986年80歳

 

今生のいまが倖せ衣被

konjo no ima ga shiawase kinukatsugi

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

in this life

the happiest moment now

boiled baby taros

 

Seasonal word: boiled taros (autumn)

 

sakuo  renku & haiga

 

仕事も恋も今花盛り　

sigoto mo koi mo ima hanazakari

 

my work and my love too

now in full bloom

snatching

Issa 一茶 1814

ぼた餅をつかんでかすむ烏哉
botamochi wo tsukande kasumu karasu kana

David’s English

snatching a jellied rice cake
in the mist...
crow

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

sakuo haiga

age 52 married on 11th of Fourth Month
Issa’s happiest time.

short night

Masajo 真砂女 1986年80歳

短夜や嫌いな人も夢に佇ち
mijikayo ya kiraina hito mo yume ni tati

Lee & Emiko’s English

short night—
also someone I dislike
in my dream

Seasonal word: short night( summer)

sakuo haiga

festive jelly

Issa 一茶 1819

こんにゃくもお十二日はつ時雨

konnyaku mo o-ju^ ni nichi zo hatsu shigure

 

David’s English

for festive jelly too
the venerable Twelfth Day...
first winter rain

.

Tenth Month, 12th day is the Death-Day anniversary of the great poet, Basho^. This day is also called "First Winter Rain Anniversary" (shigure ki). Shinji Ogawa explains that konnyaku might be translated, "devil's tongue jelly." Konnyaku is kneaded devil's tongue root (Amorphophallus Rivieri). http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

morning's laugh

Issa 一茶 1809

朝笑いくらに買か花の春
asa warai ikura ni kau ka hana no haru

David’s English

morning's laugh--
"How much do they cost,
spring's blossoms?"
.
The answer, of course, is "Nothing!" A silly, yet profound, question. The opening phrase, "morning's laugh" (asa warai) might be taken to mean, "morning's joke" or "first joke of the morning."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

bats flying

Masajo 真砂女 1994  age 88

 

女より買いし恨みや蚊喰鳥

onna yori kaisi urami ya kakuidori

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

 a woman’s hatred

is what I have invited--

bats flying

 

Seasonal word: bat( summer)

 

sakuo haiga

slander parties

Issa 一茶 1822 age 60

人誹る会が立なり冬籠
hito soshiru kai ga tatsunari fuyugomori

David’s English

the slander parties
begin...
winter seclusion

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

sakuo haiga

It’s sweet talk

love fulfilled

Masajo 真砂女  1994  age  88

 

恋遂げし蛍ゆつくり夜明け待つ

koi togeshi hotaru yukkuri yoake matsu

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

love fulfilled…

fireflies leisurely await

the sunrise

 

Seasonal word: firefly ( summer )

 

sakuo haiga

Zenko Temple

Issa 一茶

菜の花や西へむかへば善光寺
na no hana ya nishi e mukaeba zenko^ji

David’s English

flowering rape--
and looking west
Zenko Temple

Zenko^ Temple (Zenko^ji) is the major Pure Land temple in Issa's home province. Since the Buddha's Pure Land was thought to lie somewhere in the mythic west, the direction alluded to in this haiku is significant. Shinji Ogawa adds, "A rape plant blooms bright yellow flowers in spring in Japan. The seeds are used to make cooking oil. It is rather a common sight in spring that the bright yellow flowers cover the farmland as far as the eye can reach. Obviously, Issa was well aware of Buson's famous haiku, na no hana ya tsuki wa higashi hi wa nishi ni, that is, "Flowering rape.../the moon in the east/ the sun in the west."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo haiga

Rape plant was precious side income of rice farmer. It was used for
mainly lighting, of course for cooking oil ,
Buson was a man of west province, Kansai where had monopolized
the rape oil, exporting to Edo, eastern province.
Then Issa’s time new comer appeared. One of them was Issa’s home province.
Watching rape field, Issa would proudly made this haiku.
And West means western paradise, as well as Pure land of Budha.

my kimono

Masajo 真砂女　1986　age 80

 

わが衣白き牡丹と昏れ残る

waga koromo shiroki botan to kure nokoru

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

my kimono

and the white peony

linger in twilight

 

Seasonal word: peony ( spring )

sakuo haiga

 

foolish bird

Issa 一茶 1820 age 58

ばか鳥よ羽ぬけてから何しあん
baka tori yo ha nukete kara nan shian

David’s English

foolish bird--
after molting
what are you thinking?

by Issa, 1820

According to Shinji Ogawa, Issa is punning here with two meanings of ha: "feather" and "tooth." The bird that has shed its feathers is really Issa who has lost his teeth.
To unsubscribe, visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga