jealous

Masajo 真砂女 1955 age 49

夏帯や夫への嫉妬さらになく
natuobi ya tsuma e no shitto sarani naku

Lee & Emiko’s English

summer obi---
jealous of my husband?
never!

Seasonal word: summer obi (kimono sash) ( summer)

sakuo’s renku & renga

自慢話や昨夜の女
jimanbanashi ya sakuya no onna

his bragging of
a woman of last night

nunoko

Issa 一茶 1821

卯の花に布子の膝の光哉
u no hana ni nunoko no hiza no hikari kana

David’s English

the deutzia blossoms
light up
my lap

Not translated: the subject of the haiku is wearing padded cotton clothing (nunoko).
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo renku & renga

初夏に綿入れ病疑う
syoka ni wataire yamai utagau

in early summer
wearing cotton cloth
Are you sick?

sorrow in spring

Masajo 真砂女 1955 age 49

人のそしり知つての春の愁ひかな
hito no soshiri shitte no haru no urei kana

Lee & Emiko’s English

people’s censure
I know all about it…
sorrow in spring

Seasonal word: spring sorrow ( spring )

In a small town people are more concerned about what other
are doing. From my hair style to the clothes I
wore, I was the target of their curiosity and objections. Being flamboyant for a small town, I took this interest as a matter of course.

sakuo renku

胸の想いを知る人ぞ無し
mune no omoi wo siruhito zo nashi

Nobody know
my passion in my heart

sakuo haiga

Harvest moon

Issa 一茶 1811 age 49

名月や薮蚊だらけの角田川

meigetsu ya yabu ka darake no sumida-gawa

David’s English

harvest moon--
Sumida River thick
with mosquitoes

According to R. H. Blyth, "thicket mosquito" (yabu ka) refers to a species of "striped mosquitoes"; Haiku (Tokyo: Hokuseido, 1949-1952; rpt. 1981-1982/reset paperback edition) 3.805. Robin D. Gill notes that the scientific name for these large striped, bloodthirsty mosquitoes is Stegomyia fasciata, according to Kenkyu^sha's Japanese-English Dictionary.

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

sakuo renku

痒さに耐えて名句を詠まん

kayusani taete meiku wo yoman

enduring the itch

I will make excellent haiku

sakuo haiga

cherry blossom fatique

Masajo 真砂女 1955 age 49

坐りたるまゝ帯とくや花疲れ

suwaritaru mama obit toku ya hanazukare

Lee & Emiko’s English

without standing up

I untie my obi---

blossom viewing fatigue

Seasonal word: cherry blossm fatigue ( spring )

Note: An obi ( kimono sash ) is usually tied and untied in standing position.

sakuo renku

独り住まいの勝手気ままに

hitori sumai no katsute kimama ni

being single life

do as like as I can

sakuo haiga

sakuo haiga

silkworm poop

Issa 一茶 1824 age 62

門々に青し蚕の屎の山
kado-gado ni aoshi kaiko no kuso no yama

David’s English

at gate after gate
green hills
of silkworm poop

People have dumped out little "mountains" of silkworm waste. According to Bridget Dole, silkworm droppings are "blackish green." About this curious haiku, she speculates, "Maybe when [the silkworms] are in the cocoons, everyone cleans out the rearing trays at the same time. The size of one's 'mountains' would be an indication of success." http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

Eighth month, Issa divorced after three month marriage.
While he was suffered by stroke.

Renku
繭を作らず我が庵捨てる
mayu wo tsukirazu waga iho suteru

without bearing cocoon
giving up my hut

cherrry blossom rain

Masajo 真砂女 1955 age 49

鏡台にぬきし指輪や花の雨

kyo^dai ni nukishi yubiwa ya hana no ame

Lee & Emiko’s English

on the dressing table

the ring removed from my finger---

cherry blossom rain

Seasonal word: cherry blossom rain ( spring )

sakuo haiga

若駒に曳かれ恋路行かん

wakakoma ni hikare koiji ikan

pulling by young horse

wish to go on love road

lining up

Issa 一茶 1812 age 50

今来たと顔を並べる乙鳥哉
ima kita to kao wo naraberu tsubame kana

David’s English

lining up
with newcomers' faces...
swallows
.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

Mrs. Kakyo Orimoto was Issa’s haiku student as well as reliable sponsor.
1810 July she was died, he knew it but couldn’t attend her funnel ceremony.
After two years on her memorial day, he came to her tomb to pray for her soul.

never born

Masajo 真砂女 1955 age 49

生まれざりせばと思うとき雁帰る

umarezariseba to omou toki kari kaeru

Lee & Emiko’s English

when I think

I should never have been born---

departing geese

I was extravagant in my way of living, but never thought it was a happy life.

How many times have I thought of not coming into being ?

Seasonal word: departing geese ( spring )

sakuo haiga

To All

A half of the book titled [ Love Haiku] has been pictured.

It takes one year.

I will keep to paint it’s haiga one more year.

Love Haiku contains Masajo’s selected haiku. And it is translated by Lee Gurga and Emiko Miyashita into English.

Thank you for your patience.

sakuo.