lacquered clog

Issa 一茶 1818 age 55

塗下駄の方へと桜ちりにけり
nurigeta no ho^ e to sakura chiri ni keri

David’s English

toward lacquered clogs
cherry blossoms
scatter

Visit,Haiku of Kobayashi Issa

sakuo Haiga

Lacquered clog was luxury goods in Edo era.
Owner of clogs is rich sponsor of the gorgeous prostitute

midwinter egg

Masajo 真砂女 1994 age 88

不機嫌の二つ割つたる寒卵
fukihgen no futatsu wattaru kan tamago

Lee & Emiko’s English

in a bad temper
I break two
midwinter eggs

Seasonal word: midwinter (winter )
Note: Midwinter eggs are laid during the midwinter period, which
happens to be the hen’s natural laying-period, so the eggs are very
nutritious. The bright yellow yolk makes the people associate it with
light or flame, and it brightens their heart in the cold weather.

sakuo haiga

snow fall

Issa 一茶 1806 age 44

大年にかぎって雪の降にけり

o^toshi ni kagitte yuki no furi ni keri

David’s English

marking the end
of another year...
Snowfall

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

sakuo haiga

雪道はお年玉には邪魔となる

yki miti ha otosidama niha gyam ni naru

snow paths

prevent me

from Happy presents

frost-rimed forest

Masajo 真砂女 1986 age 80

霧氷林 をんな汚れしごとく佇つ

muhyo^orin on’na yogoreshi gotoku tatsu

Lee & Emiko’s English

frost-rimed forest---

a woman as if unchaste

stands still

Seasonal word: frost-rimed forest (winter )

sakuo haiga

sniffling

Issa 一茶 1825 age 63

酒時をかいで戻るや煤払
saka-doki wo kaide modoru ya susu harai

David’s English

sniffling I take
another sake break...
sweeping soot

Literally, Issa "returns to sake time, sniffling (or sneezing)."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

waterfall in winter

Masajo 真砂女 1994 age ８８

冬の滝音を殺して落ちにけり
fuyu no taki oto wo koroshite ochi ni keri

Lee & Emiko’s English

waterfall in winter—
it quiets itself
and falls

Seasonal: waterfall in winter (winter)

sakuo haiga

fish frolicking

Issa 一茶 1804 age 42

魚どもの遊びありくや菊の花

uodomo no asobi ariku ya kiku no hana

David’s English

fish frolicking
on foot...
chrysanthemums

Ariku, I assume, is a variant of aruku, "to walk." Issa presents the strange image of fish, left over from a flood, wriggling among the chrysanthemums. This is the first of two haiku in a row written about a flood at Nagareyama village in Shimosa Province. The second one is as follows: yu^zuki ya nagare nokori no kirigirisu evening moon-- surviving the flood a katydid Issa entered Nagareyama on the 27th day of Eighth Month, 1804, amid rainy weather. He wrote both of the haiku on the 2nd day of Ninth Month.

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

sakuo haiga

a mole

Masajo 真砂女 1994 age 88

泣き黒子育てて泣かぬ牡蠣を割る
nakihokuro sodatete nakanu kaki wo waru

Lee & Emiko’s English

a mole under my eye:
I nurture it and split an oyster
that does not cry

Seasonal word: oyster ( winter )
Note: It is said that if one cry a lot, a mole under one’s eye grows
darker or becomes more visible. Therefore one who has a mole in this spot is said to live a tearful life. Masajo’s sorrow makes her think she is growing a mole.

sakuo haiga

Her moles are her men related. They brought her hazards, but she
used them as leverage to open her fortune. And she got the success of business and haiku achievement.

summer cicada

Issa 一茶 1814

夏の蝉なくが此世の栄よう哉

natsu no semi naku ga kono yo no eiyo^ kana

David’s English

the chirring of summer cicadas
their gift
to this world

.

by Issa, 1814

Shinji Ogawa's paraphrase guided my translation: "For the summer cicadas the chirring is their great accomplishment in this world." I wonder if Issa might be alluding to his own "chirring" as a poet--his own accomplishment or gift? http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

April Issa married with a young bride.

She said, “You are only doing haiku all day long”

Issa replied.

Haiku Guy

David sensei has published Haiku Novel named " Haiku Guy"
The book's introduction has issed on web.

Please come and see this new style novel.
haikuguy.com/hgj.html

Sakuo has two books, left is Issa's book and right is David's book.

no escaping

Masajo 真砂女 1994 ８８才

どうしても落葉踏まねば行けぬ路

do^shitemo ochiba fumaneba yukenu michi

Lee & Emiko’s English

no escaping it—

I must step on fallen leaves

to take this path

Seasonal word: fallen leaves ( winter )

sakuo haiga

a wifeless man

Issa 一茶 1815

妻なしが草を咲かせて夕涼

tsuma nashi [ga] kusa wo sakasete yu^suzumi

David’s English

a wifeless man
makes his plants bloom...
evening cool

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

sakuo haiga

This ku was made on 1815.

The year before Issa had married with Kiku, chrysanthemum,

after his long single life in Edo city.

lover's arrow

Masajo  真砂女 1986  age 80

 

恋の矢の的はづしけり秋の風

koi no ya no mato hazushi keri aki no kaze

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

love ‘s arrow

has missed its mark--

autumn wind

 

Seasonal word: autumn wind (autumn)

 

sakuo haiga

trust

Issa 一茶 1813

あなた任せ任せぞとしは犬もとり
anata makase makase zo toshi wa inu mo tori

David’s English

trust, trust in Buddha!
you're a year older too
dog

The season word in this haiku, toshitori, ("growing old") relates to the year's ending; in the traditional Japanese system for counting age, everyone gains a year on New Year's Day. Here, Issa advises the dog to trust, as he does, in the saving power of Amida Buddha while they both move one step closer to death.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

sea shells

Masajo 真砂女 1986 age 80

秋風や裸足の爪の貝と化し
aki kaze ya hadashi no tume no kai to kashi

Lee & Emiko’s English

autumn breeze—
the nails on mu bare feet
become sea shells

Seasonal word: autumn breeze (autumn)

sakuo haiga