Friday, July 02, 2010
horse-shit mountain
Thursday, July 01, 2010
New renku Issa & Sakuo
Milkyway | [Jul. 2nd, 2010|10:59 am] |
in cold water sipping the stars...Milky Way 冷水にすすり込だる天の川 by Issa and David' translation. the loneliness of travel soaks into my stomach 旅の寂しさ腹に浸みこむ by Sakuo |
Monday, May 31, 2010
sweet
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Iris
Friday, May 28, 2010
firefly in a cage
Monday, May 24, 2010
100525northern rain
Sunday, May 23, 2010
deep plum rain
Sunday, April 18, 2010
now I watch
Issa 一茶1813 age 51
now I watch
with careful attention...
autumn dusk
ima ni natte nen irite miru aki no kure
今に成って念入て見る秋の暮
translated by Dr. David http://cat.xula.edu/issa/
Sakuo note; 1813, Age 51
In autumn Issa’s inheritance dispute finally settled, he moves into his family home. It has passed 12 years since his father’s died.
Father’s asset was divided half and half between the brothers.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
warmth
かのことのもしも還らば暖かし
kano koto no moshi mo kaeraba atatakashi
Lee & Emiko’s English
that memory
if it comes to life again…
warmth within me
Seasonal word ( spring)
Sakuo note: Masajo’s first husband was very handsome guy. He always remind
me Dean Martin . He visited her home by motor bike.
After happy marriage with her, he suddenly disappeared leaving her and child. It is said because of big loss of gamble. Masajo’s dramatic life has started from this point.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
pagoda
Issa 一茶1818 age 56
how good
to see a pagoda!
billowing clouds
yoi hodo ni to^ no mie keri kumo no mine
よい程に塔の見へけり雲の峰
Issa is playing the game of imagining what shapes in the clouds look like. In one of them he perceives the pagoda of a Buddhist temple. translated by David Lanoue http://cat.xula.edu/issa/
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
sleepless
Masajo真砂女 1969 age 63
冬の夜の海眠らねば眠られず
fuyu no yo no umi nemura neba nemura rezu
Lee & Emiko’s English
a night in winter---
unless the sea can slumber
I too am sleepless
As the night deepens the surf sound gets into my ears and I can not fall asleep.
People do sleep at night, but the sea does not. I will stay awake with the sea;
the sea is alive.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
servants
Issa, 1795 age 33
the servants
all are new...
Little New Year's
meshi tsukai atarashiki kana ko sho^gatsu
召仕新しき哉小正月
Little New Year's is celebrated on the 15th and 16th days of First Month. Meshi tsukau is an old expression for a nobleman sending for a person to come and render a service; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1612. Shinji Ogawa notes that in Issa's time, this phrase could signify any one of a wide range of employees, from samurai to maids.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/ by David Lanoue.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
with snow
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
singing plover
Issa 一茶 1815 Age 53
けぶたくも庵を放れな鳴千鳥
kebutaku mo io wo hanare na naku chidori
David’s English
though it's smoky
don't leave my hut!
singing plover
.
Kebutai or kebutashi is an old word meaning to suffocate on smoke; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 570. http://cat.xula.edu/issa/
Sakuo note;
Who is a plover? At the time Issa’s new bride was in the hut.
She was crying her solitude, because Issa was stay at Edo from September to December 21. The plover was Issa’s new bride.
What does it mean smoky? Issa’s step mother’s family lived at the next of Issa’s house. Issa and the family had struggled for long years on father’s assets.
Both families felt smoky each others.
At Edo city Issa was thinking his young bride who was solitary at the home.
Sakuo’s haiga
Saturday, March 13, 2010
loneliness
flowering raoe
Issa 一茶 1812 Age 50
なの花のとっぱづれ也ふじの山
na no hana no toppazure nari fuji no yama
David’s English
at the edge
of the flowering rape...
Mount Fuji
Rape (or canola) is a bright yellow flowering plant of Asia.
sakuo haiga
At this time he stayed in Edo,visiting haiku friends in Bousou in Kantou field.. This hu is read at there.Tuesday, March 09, 2010
white peach
Monday, March 08, 2010
sleeping in
Issa 一茶 1821 age 59
寝並んで小蝶と猫と和尚哉
ne narande ko cho^ to neko to osho^ kana
David’s English
sleeping in a row--
little butterfly, cat
pries
The priest is a head priest. In the poem, Issa shows relationship and loving connection between three quite different creatures. Presented in a progression from small to large; the butterfly, cat and priest show themselves to be, in the moment, a little family.
sakuo haiga
Friday, March 05, 2010
pampas grass
Saturday, February 27, 2010
rain or shine
Issa 一茶 1811 age 49
雨笠も日笠もあなた任せ哉
ama-gasa mo higasa mo anata makase kana
David’s English
umbrella-hats
sun hats...
trust in Buddha!
The phrase anata makase ("trust in the Beyond!") refers specifically to trusting in the saving power of Amida Buddha. "Umbrella-hats" (ama-gasa) and "parasols" (higasa) protect from rain and sun, respectively. Issa's meaning seems to be: Rain or shine, the best course is to trust in Buddha!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
morning glory
Masajo 真砂女 1969 age 63
朝顔は実に幸せは小さきに足る
asagao wa mi ni shiawase wa chisaki ni taru
Lee&Emiko’s English
morning -glory
the small promise of its seeds
is sufficient
I will not set my hopes too high. This humble happiness at hand now is what I must treasure. T morning-glory that bloomed every morning is bearing seeds now. I will gather them for next year to grow the beautiful flowers again.
Seasonal word: morning-glory (autumn)
Monday, February 22, 2010
sleeping tree
長の日やびんづるどのと合歓の花
naga no hi ya binzuru dono to nemu [no] hana
David’s English
a long day--
Holy Binzuru and blossoms
of sleeping tree
Binzuru is a Buddhist saint, one of the 16 Enlightened Ones. Folk custom dictates that if one prayerfully rubs his image, he or she will recover from illness; http://cat.xula.edu/issa/
sakuo haiga