persimmon blossoms

一茶
柿の花おちてぞ人の目に留る
kaki no hana ochite zo hito no me ni tomaru

David’s English
persimmon blossoms
falling...
only now noticed

Shinji Ogawa paraphrases: "persimmon blossoms ... only after falling down they are noticed." He adds, "Persimmon blooms in a very modest way; the view of the red-brown flowers is obscured by the summer leaves."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo renku
死後に世に出る　我が俳句かな
sigo ni yo ni deru waga haiku kana

after my death admitted
my haiku in the world

beautiful courtesan

David’s English
beautiful courtesan--
new clothes for her hometown's
Buddha

keisei ya zaisho no mida e kinu kubari
.傾城や在所のみだへ衣配
by Issa, 1825

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

sakuo renku 連句
何時か我子が　産めるよう
ituka wagako ga umeru you

sometime wishing to bear my baby

in honor of the equinox

David’s English
in honor of the equinox
the hedge
turns green

一茶　
御彼岸のぎりに青みしかきね哉
o-higan no giri ni aomishi kakine kana

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

sakuo renku
mountain covered with snow
no news of cherry blossom

山に雪あり　花の便りなし
yama ni yuki ari hana no tayori nashi

such intricate

David's English
such intricate
wildflowers bloomed!
in one short night

Issa, 1817
te no konda kusa no hana zoyo mijika yo ni
手の込んだ草の花ぞよ短夜に

The flowers bloomed overnight. This haiku refers to a short night of summer. Shinij Ogawa explains, "The phrase, te no konda, means 'complex' or 'intricate.'"
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sakuo comment
Issa 1817,
He had stayed in Edo since October 1816.
He didn’t come back to his home till July 1817.
How did his young wife feel his long absence?

sakuo renku
重ね帯解き　開く花かな
kasane obi toki hiraku hana kana

many sashes undone
the flower blooms

you fleas

David’s English
for you fleas
the night must be long...
and lonely?

一茶
蚤どもがさぞ夜永だろ淋しかろ
nomi domo ga sazo yonaga daro sabishi karo

Issa, 1813, Age 51
Second Month, he is living in Kashiwabara in a rented house. In autumn, his inheritance dispute finally settled, he moves into his family home.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo comment
At this time he decided to settle down in his native town, giving up his 37 years Edo life. But often he reminded his lively Edo life.

honorable ally

the yellow rose's
honorable ally...
a frog

yamabuki no o-mikata mo^[su] kawazu kana
山吹の御味方申す蛙かな
by Issa, 1812
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo’s comment
First line
[山吹　yamabuki ] has two means.
They are plant, a Japanese rose.
and color, bright golden yellow that means 小判 a koban;
a former Japanese oval gold coin.
If you prefer yellow rose, it has double season word.

Sakuo’s English
Koban the gold coin
honorable ally...
a frog

Sakuo　renku and renga
旅の餞別　小判三両
tabi no senbetu koban san ryou

as a present of travel
three gold coin


David’s English

cats yowling

David’s English
cats yowling
separated by a wall--
tragic lovers

neko naku ya hei wo hedatete awanu koi
.猫鳴や塀をへだててあはぬ恋
by Issa, 1824

Literally, the "lovers will not or do not meet" (awanu koi).
Visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo　 link picture.

the whole town second version

David’s English
the whole town sleeps
while the cormorants
toil

一茶
一村やうにかせがせて夕枕

sakuo renku and renga (second version)
The word cormorant always remind us exploitation by employer.
In first version it was[tax robber and taxpayer]
And second version is [ inn master and Oiran girls]

夜の吉原　鵜の稼ぎ時
yoru no Yoshihara uno kasegi doki

night at Yoshihara
the cormorants are busy

Reference;
Yoshihara: sexual leisure palace in Edo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshiwara
Cormorant　(＋fishing)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant_Fishing_on_the_Nagara_River

the whole town

David’s Englsh
the whole town sleeps
while the cormorants
toil

Issa 1817
hito mura ya u ni kasegasete yu^makura
一村やうにかせがせて夕枕

Issa ends the haiku with the image, yu^makura ("night pillows"). A more literally faithful but harder to picture translation would be: the whole town-- while the cormorants are made to work night pillows Japanese fishermen use cormorants. Tied to a tether, these sea birds dive for fish that they are forced to disgorge.

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

sakuo renku and renga
何時の世も税を取る人取られる人.
ituno yo mo zei wo toru hito torareru hito

In every generation
there are tax robbers
and taxpayers

dropping willow

David’s English
drooping willow--
the gate's crookedness
not quite hidden

一茶　1816年.
垂柳門の曲りはかくれぬぞ
tare yanagi kado no magari wa kakurenu zo

by Issa, 1816 Age 54



sakuo renku & renga
Two years before, married with 28 years bridal.
Fourth Month, a son is born, but soon dies.

若妻手を引き　背を伸ばす
waka-tuma te wo hiki se wo nobasu
young wife lead with hand
old stretch his back

first snowfall

David’s English
watching first snowfall
in a rotten mood...
Shinano Mountain

一茶　1810年
むつかしや初雪見ゆるしなの山
mutsukashi ya hatsu yuki miyuru shinano yama
by Issa, 1810

Issa's mountainous home province of Shinano, present-day Nagano Prefecture, is known for its hard, bitter winters. The haiku is ironic: poets in other locations look forward to the first snow as a joyous occasion; for Issa it's just plain hard. Mutsukashiki is an old word that can signify having a bad or unpleasant feeling; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1597.
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo Renku & haiga
At his age 48, Issa began to dispute inheritance of his father’s asset.
His half brother’s family has strongly resisted.

山の向こうに　怖い顔待つ
yama no mukou ni kowai kaomatu
beyond the mountain

can't chase!

David’s English

don't chase, don't chase
children!
that flea has kids

ouna ouna ouna kodomo yo ko mochi nomi
追な追な追な子どもよ子持蚤

by Issa, 1814

In the original Issa repeats "don't chase" three times.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo Haiga

In the world of man

David’s English
"In the world of man
there are no blossoms!"
mountain cuckoo

hito no yo ni hana wa nashi to ya kankodori
人の世に花はなしとや閑古鳥
1814
Issa Age 52
Fourth Month, 11th day, he marries Kiku ("Chrysanthemum": age 28).

Sakuo Renku
菊に出会えて今が一番
Kiku ni deaete ima ga itiban

meet with Kiku
happiest at present

they even sell tea

David’s English
they even sell tea
not worth a fart!
summer trees

he no yo^na cha mo ureru nari natsu kodachi
.屁のやうな茶もうれる也夏木立
by Issa, 1816

David comment　
Originally, I translated this literally: "tea that smells like a fart. Shinji Ogawa points out that he no yo^na ("fart-like") is an idiom for "worthless."
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

singing insect too

David’s English

singing insects, too
make music
in this world

naku mushi mo fushi wo tsuketari yo no naka wa
鳴虫も節を付たり世の中は

by Issa,　1820, Age 58
Tenth Month, his second son is born.　Before year his first daughter died.

Sakuo’s comment.
What melody did the insects sing? Joyful? or Sorrowful?
I think it is half and half.

Sakuo’s translation

singing insect too
with a melody
in this world

mocking the farmer

David’s　English
mocking the farmer
plowing, the strutting
crow

hata uchi no mane shite aruku karasu kana
畠打の真似して歩く烏哉
by Issa,

1814, Age 52
Fourth Month, 11th day, he marries
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo comment.
At first I think this is peaceful spring haiku.
But after ward I realize it is very severe poem.

Hata-uti (farm plowing) is Spring Kigo. It means newly farm work begins. Why the crow mocking and follow after the farmer? The crow need to find and pick up caterpillars,　larvae and　eggs. They need food for breeding their babies.
So the crow must up and down his head to catch their food.
Those poses are very similar to farm’s plowing action.
The bird can get easily find the insect from the ground that was just plowed by the farmer.

Issa is always severe to watch the nature including human
being

floating leaves

David‘ｓ　English
floating leaves, floating leaves
lotus blossom horseflies
feed

uki ha uki ha hasu no abu ni zo kuwarekeru
.うき葉うき葉蓮の虻にぞ喰れける
by Issa, 1810
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo’s comment.
What happen about Issa in 1810
11 years has passed since his father’s death.
Though the term he wanted to share the half of father’s asset to his half brother’s family who has strongly insist
Issa’s unfair.
As his getting older, Issa decided to leave from Edo and settle down at his home village.
On May 1810 with this strong will he returned for the negotiation with his brother’s family.
He was defeated strongly by the family .The almost
of villagers had jointed to the brother’s side.
He was thinking that his life in Edo was as floating leaves without home and steadily profession.
His family has possessed some acres land, possible to keeping to cultivate and to work as transporter with horse.
So the family’s potential was rich as lotus, but it was occupied by half brother’s family.
They were angry as like horseflies that attacked violently Issa.

the barley's autumn

David’s English

the barley's autumn
like real autumn...
cold drizzle

mugi aki ya hon no aki yori samui ame
.麦秋や本の秋より寒い雨

by Issa, 1824

sakuo' comment
[the barley's autumn] is about June. It is early summer.
It is not colder than autumn, but Issa said so . Why?
1824 fifth month, Issa has married with second wife.
On Eighth Month they divorce.
Their marriage was only two and half month.
His second wife was cold existence for Issa.

cicada chirrs

David’s English
a cicada chirrs--
the pinwheel so utterly
red

semi naku ya tsuku-zuku aka[i] kazaguruma
せみなくやつくづく赤い風車
by Issa, 1819

David's comment
Shinji Ogawa notes that this image of a child's red toy "brings tears to our eyes," since in the summer of that year (1819) the poet's daughter, Sato, died. This haiku was composed during the Fourth Intercalary Month, 1819. Sato died in Sixth Month.

frost-killed grass

David English
frost-killed grass
"Gimme rice!"
a sparrow sings

shimogare ya kome kurero tote naku suzume
.霜がれや米くれろとて鳴雀
by Issa, 1816

sakuo comment.
This year Natsume, Seibi died.
He had been Issa’s big sponsor as well as good friend of haiku.
I think without Seibi Issa’s life would be changed.

to the wood fire

一茶1819年
ほたの火にせなか向けり最明寺
hota no hi ni senaka muke keri saimyo^ji


David’s English

turning my back
to the wood fire...
Saimyo Temple

Sakuo comment
hota is winter season word which means log.
Special part of wood, that is root dried well.
So the hota is well burn ,making warm the surrounding livings.

Sakuo renku

やっと着きたる今晩の宿
Yatsuto tukitaru konban no yado

at last arriving at
the inn tonight

Toribe Field

David’s English

Toribe Field--
ugly cuckoo!
ugly crow!

Issa, 1824
とり辺野やしこ時鳥しこ烏
toribe[no] ya shiko hototogisu shiko karasu

sakuo renku
灯遠く　鳥達の宴
tomoshibi touku toritati no en　

light is far away
birds begin party

heavy snow

David’s English
heavy snow--
from the dinner tray's edge
Echigo mountains

o^yuki ya zen no kiwa kara echigo yama
.大雪や膳の際から越後山

by Issa, 1813 Age 51.

sakuo haiga

bird's nest

一茶
鳥の巣や翌は切らるる門の松
Issa, 1804, age 42.
tori no su ya asu wa kiraruru kado no matsu

David’s English
bird's nest--
tomorrow the pine by the gate
will be cut down

sakuo　haiga

first snow

David's English
first snowfall--
bordering the outhouse
Sumida River

はつ雪や雪隠のきはも角田川

一茶　１８13年

sakuo　俳画

snow melting

David's English
butterflies flit--
deep in Shinano
tracks of sandals

cho^ tobu ya shinano no oku no zo^ri michi

蝶とぶやしなののおくの草履道

by Issa, 1811

sakuo renku
雪融けうれし草履で歩く
yuki doke ureshi zouri de aruku

delighted with snow melting
walk with sandals

kamakura

Dr. David translate and comment

Kamakura--
these days scarecrows
are the gatekeepers

kamakura ya ima wa kagashi no yashiki mori

.鎌倉や今はかがしの屋敷守

by Issa, 1792

This is Issa's earliest haiku that we have on the subject of scarecrows. The "gatekeepers" (yashiki mori) might also be translated, "keepers of the mansions." Kamakura is one of Japan's ancient capitals, on Sagami Bay southwest of Tokyo. http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo comment.
1792 Issa was 30 years old.
Third Month, 25th day, Issa start on a journey to Shikoku Island.
In a few days, he reached at Kamakura and saw the old mansion of Minamoto Yotitomo, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamoto_no_Yoritomo
who is the first Syogun and the founder of Government by warrior.

sakuo haiga

Edo voices

一茶
江戸声や花見の果のけん嘩かひ
edo-goe ya hanami no hate no kenka kai

David’s English
Edo voices--
the blossom viewing ends
in a quarrel

by Issa, 1824

In Issa's time the citizens of Edo (present-day Tokyo) were famously loud and argumentative.

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

sakuo comment
Fire and quarrel were a special bloom in Edo city.
There were many single warriors, males servants and young craftsmen in Edo city.
The man and woman ratio of Edo was known as 7 ; 3.
Broken speech and quarrel on the liquor were daily happening.
Edo might be Western town in Hollywood cinema.

sakuo renku
ボルトの数に揃わぬナット
boruto no kazu ni sorowanu natsuto

excess number of bolt
not match to less nut

cherry blossom shade

一茶　1810年
花の陰我は狐に化されし
hana no kage waga wa kitsune ni bakasareshi

David’s English
cherry blossom shade--
a fox spirit
has enchanted me!

by Issa, 1810

sakuo haiga

my sleepy mind

一茶　　1793年　31歳
寝心に花を算へる雨夜哉
ne-gokoro ni hana wo kazoeru amayo kana

David’s English
my sleepy mind
counting cherry blossoms...
a rainy night

by Issa, 1793

David's comment
Shinji Ogawa notes that this haiku alludes a famous Chinese poem, "A Spring Morning," by Meng Haoran (691-740). Shinji translates: I awake in the late morning of spring The bird songs are all around me I might hear the storm in the night I wonder how many blossoms have fallen
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

deer in love

一茶　1822年　　60歳
鹿鳴や川をへだてて忍ぶ恋
shika naku ya kawa wo hedatete shinobu koi


David translation
they cry to each other
across a river
deer in love

by Issa, 1822　Age 60

sakuo haiga

warrior

一茶　1803年
兵が足の跡ありけしの花
tsuwamono ga ashi no ato ari keshi no hana

David's English and comment
in the footprints
of the warrior...
Poppies
http://haikuguy.com/issa/haiku.php?code=392.11a

sakuo.
Issa, 1803　age 41 live in Edo.
He had journeyed around the northern district of Edo, getting acquaintance with Akimoto,
his biggest sponsor as well as best haiku friend.
At this time he was leaving from old Haiku sect that has come
from Basho.

The warrior is Basho himself or Basho’s famous haiku "summer grasses.../ all the remains/ of warriors・dreams."

If so, the footprint is Basho’s evidence that shows Basho has come here. The evidence is a monument stone that is carved with the above “summer grasses…”
There were many such stones in near Edo.

Why poppy is picked up instead of “summer grasses”
The flower is a drug so that it brings instant happiness of dream.

sakuo renku
芭蕉の句碑や 夢の魔の花
bashyo n kuhi ya yume no ma no hana

Bashou’s monument and
dreamy drug flowers

sakuo’ English
the warrior’s
footprint is there
poppies

cherry blossom

一茶　1818年
花さくや伊達に加へし空ぎせる
hana saku ya date ni kuwaeshi kara giseru

David’s English
cherry blossoms--
playing the dandy, in my mouth
an empty pipe

sakuo　comment
This ku comes from Kabuki, Japanese Opera that has started on Edo era
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki
One of famous number is siranami –gonin otoko (white wave 5men)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benten_Koz%C5%8D
It is 5 robber’s story , among them there is an actor wearing female dress.
His name is Benten-kozou, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benten_Koz%C5%8D
He stout famous phrase with pipe under cherry blossom.
Issa made this ku, imaging this drama.

young leaves

一茶　1822年
山里や毎日日日わかれじも
yama-zato ya mainichi hi nichi wakare-jimo

David’s English
mountain village--
every day, day after day
the last frost

sakuo Renku
初夏と騙され枯れる若い葉
syoka to dama sare kareru wakai ha

deceived that early summer has come
young leaves die

dog and inscet

一茶　1816
山犬の穴の中よりきりぎりす
yama inu no ana no naka yori kirigirisu


David’s English
crawling out
the wild dog's hole...
a katydid

Issa, 1816　 Age 54

sakuo Renku
犬と虫との妙な二重奏
inu to mushi to no myouna nijyuusou

dog and insect
strange duet

trudging

一茶　　1821
でくでくと蚤まけせぬや田舎猫
deku-deku to nomi make senu ya inaka neko

David’s English
trudging along
enduring his fleas...
country cat


Issa, 1821 Age 54.
7 years has passed from his marriage.
Issa was tired of his wife.

sakuo renku 連句
あらが見え来る結婚七年
ara ga mie kuru ketsukon hiti nen

her defect appearing
after 7 year’s marriage

morning frost

一茶　　1820
朝霜やしかも子どものお花売
asa shimo ya shikamo kodomo no o-hana uri

David’s English
morning frost--
yet still a child
sells flowers

Issa, 1820　age 58.
Last June his first daughter died

sakuo　連句
あるだけ買って娘の墓へ
aru dake katsute musume no haka he

buy all her flowers
to daughter’s grave

60 years old

一茶　
まん六の春と成りけり門の雪
manroku no haru to nari keri kado no yuki

David’s English
some "proper spring"
this is!
snow at the gate

by Issa 1822

This first haiku of the year has a prescript in which Issa claims that Gautama Buddha, waking up one morning and seeing the light of the stars, came to a realization that he had been living in sin for the previous forty-nine years. Issa, though he now has reached his own sixtieth year, declares that he is too set in his ways to change. He will remain a fool, he declares. See Makoto Ueda, Dew on the Grass: The Life and Poetry of Kobayashi Issa (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2004) 140. Issa doesn't mention his age in the haiku itself. It is springtime, but winter's snow is still piled up at the gate, suggesting that Issa, like the weather, has not changed. Manroku is an old word that signifies propriety, justice, or fairness; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1547.
visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo translation
60 years old
my new spring
snow at my gate

Issa, 1822 age 60.
According Japanese custom, people celebrate the age of 60 years,
because animal calendar year is consisted by 12 kind of animals.
After 5 around, 60 years has passed. 60 years is believed lucky circle of long life.
People celebrate the 60 years old as happy being.
満六 manroku means [ full 60 years old ]. The celebration is called [kanreki 還暦]

mother cat

一茶　1823
女猫子ゆへの盗とく逃よ
onna neko ko yue no nusumi toku nige yo

David’s English
mother cat
steals for her kittens...
run faster!

millet cake

一茶 1818
ひへ餅にあんきな春が来たりけり
hie mochi ni ankina haru ga kitari keri

David’s translation
with cold rice cake
a peaceful spring
rolls in

sakuo’s translation
[ankina] has double meaning. One is peaceful. Another is an [ anko, 餡子、bean-paste] and kina [kinako,黄な粉,soybean flour]
[hie] is not cold but barn millet. It means Issa’s poor life.

with millet cake
sweet spring
has come


Issa 1818, Age 56
Fifth Month, 4th day, a daughter, Sato, is born.

sakuo renku
餡子や黄粉腹に子宝
anko ya kinako hara ni kodakara

bean-paste and soybean flour
in stmoch treasure baby

pebbles pounding

一茶　1816
小庇や砂利打やうな秋の雨
ko-bisashi ya jari utsu yo^na aki [no] ame

David’s English
like pebbles pounding
the eaves...
autumn rain

sakuo　Renku
親鳥の皆去り逝きし秋嵐
oya-tori no minna sariyukishi aki arashi

parent birds
all gone away
autumn storm

the love cat

一茶　　1821
恋猫や恐れ入たる這入口
koi neko ya osore-itaru hairiguchi

David’s English
the lover cat
filled with remorse
at my door

sakuo Renku
思いがけなく開く雨戸かな
omoigakenaku aku amado kana

unexpectedly open
a sliding shutter

wearing umbrella

一茶 1823
人々や笠きて花の雲に入
hito-bito [ya] kasa kite hana no kumo ni iru

David's English
wearing umbrella-hats
they enter the blossom
clouds

sakuo Renku
雨の山道さくら満開
ame no yamamiti sakura mankai

mountain road in rain
cherry blossoms in full bloom

temple blossoms

一茶　
寺の花はり合もなく散りにけり
tera no hana hariai mo naku chiri ni keri

David’s English
the temple blossoms
without struggle
fall

Issa, 1822 60 years old.
He has lost three babies till this time

sakuo renku
三人の子供の墓に櫻散る
sannin no kodomo no haka ni sakura tiru

on the graves
of three children
cherry blossom falling

next room

一茶
次の間の行灯で寝る夜寒哉
tsugi no ma no andon de neru yo samu kana

David’s English
by the next room's lamplight
I sleep...
a cold night

sakuo renku
われは一人寝隣は二人
ware ha hitori ne tonari ha futari

mines single bed
next double bed

night mist

小林　一茶　1819年　57歳
.夕霧や馬の覚し橋の穴
yûgiri ya uma no oboeshi hashi no ana

David’s English
night mist--
the horse remembers
the bridge's hole

sakuo renku
落ちずに済んで又霧の中
otizu ni sunde mata kiri no naka

without dropping
again into the mist

the penny toss hole

一茶　1812年
穴一のあなかしましや花の陰
ana ichi no ana kashimashi ya hana no kage

David’s English
an uproar 'round
the penny toss hole...
blossom shade

sakuo paint

gums for grinders

一茶　1813年
.すりこ木のやうな歯茎も花の春
surikogi no yo^na haguki mo hana no haru

David’s English
with gums for grinders
greeting the blossoming
spring

by Issa, 1813

Literally, his gums are "like pestles" (surikogi no yo^na). Though he may be missing teeth, Issa greets the new year, new spring with excitement.

sakuo paint