people scatter

Issa 一茶

人は蟻と打ちらかって鳴雲雀
hito wa ari to uchi-chirakatte naku hibari

David's　English

people scatter
like ants...
the lark sings

by Issa, 1814

An interesting haiku in which Issa adopts the larks' eye-in-the-sky perspective.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

the two back

Masajyo 真砂女

またよりを　もどせし仲や　囀れり
mata yori wo modoseshi naka ya saezureri

Lee & Emiko's English

the two back
on good terms agin---
birds twittering

Seasonal word: birds twittering( spring)

sakuo haiga

little smoke

Issa 一茶

小けぶりも若ひ匂ひのたばこ哉
ko keburi mo wakai nioi no tabako kana

David's English

just a little smoke--
the tobacco
smells young

by Issa, 1821
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo

fallen camellia

Masajyo 真砂女

落椿生き生きと紅たもちをり
oti tubaki ikiiki to beni tamoti wori

Lee and Emiko's English

a fallen camellia:
vivd vivid crimson
it remains

Seasonal word: fallen camellia ( spring)

sakuo haiga

She is a poet as well as a manager of pub.

morning glories

Issa 一茶

朝顔や下水の泥もあさのさま
asagao ya gesui no doro mo asa no sama

David’s　English

morning-glories

even in sewer mud

a morning scene


by Issa, 1805
Shinji Ogawa translated the final phrase,

asa no sama: "morning scene."

My original translation, though less literal, might be

a better haiku in English: morning-glories even

in sewer mud greet the dawn
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/



sakuo haiga

how piteous

Masajyo 真砂女

あわれ野火の草あるかぎり狂いけり
aware nobi no kusa aru kagiri kurui keri

Lee & Emiko's English

how piteous!
as long as there is grass
the wildfire rages

Seasonal word: wildfire (spring)

sakuo haiga

side-field

Issa 一茶

冬枯のほまちざかりや菊の花
fuyugare no homachi-zakari ya kiku no hana

David's English

the withered side-field
in full bloom...
chrysanthemums

by Issa, 1821

The "side-field" (homachi) is a plot of newly cultivated land that, in that period, was farmed in secret, evidently to avoid the daimyo's taxation; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 1495.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

not a word for me

Masajyo & 真砂女


口きいてくれず冬濤見てばかり

kuchi kiite kurezu fuyunami mite bakari


Lee & Emiko's English


not a word for me

he just continues to watch

the winter waves


Seasonal word:winter wave (winter)


sakuo haiga

shame

Issa 一茶

はづかしや三十日が来ても草のてふ
hazukashi ya misoka ga kite mo kusa no cho^

David's English

shame, shame!
on the month's last day
a meadow butterfly

by Issa, 1810

In Issa's days, most people bought things on credit
and paid up at the end of the month or of the year.
Issa cannot pay his debt as penniless meadow butterfly.

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


sakuo haiga

falling snow

Masajyo　真砂女

降る雪やあざやかすぎし夢の虹
furu yuki ya azayaka sugishi yume no niji

Lee and Emiko’s English

falling snow---
too brilliant a rainbow
in my dream

Seasonal word: snow ( winter )

Sakuo haiga

first snow

Issa 一茶

初雪や雪駄ならして善光寺

hatu yuki ya setsuta narasite zenko-ji

 

sakuo’s English

first snowfall---

stomping setsuta sandal

at Zenko Temple

 

setsuta http://www.wasoh.com/setta/index.html

was a snobby sandal for playboy in Edo era.

It is not good for walking on snowy road. As to my imagination, Issa would

spent a night near the Temple and tomorrow morning he went to Zenko Temple with pleasant feeling.　

 

Chin’s haiga

Chin san is Taiwanese who is 80 years over, graduated from old Japanese Empire university in Taipei. He is Sakuo’s and Issa’s good friend.

more than anyone

Masajyo　真砂女

誰よりもこの人が好き枯草に

dare yorimo kono hito ga suki karekusa ni

Lee and Emiko's English

more than anyone

it is this man I love

on the withered grass

Seasonal word: withered grass(winter)

sakuo haiga

even the horse

Issa 一茶

uma made mo moegi no kaya ni netari keri
馬迄も萌黄の蚊屋に寝たりけり

David's English

even the horses
sleep in light green
mosquito nets!

by Issa, 1819
This haiku has the prescript, "Edo mansion."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

Who does live in behind ?

talke of divorce

Masajyo 　真砂女

水鳥や別れ話は女より
mizutori　ya　wakare banasi ha on^na yori

Lee & Emiko's English

waterbird---
talke of divorce
from the woman

I tried to talk about divorce, but failed. A far as I know,
it is always from the woman's side to bring up the subject of diverce.

Seasonal word; waterbird ( winter )

sakuo haiga

airing outside

Issa 一茶

mushiboshi ni neko mo hosarete itari keri
虫干に猫もほされて居たりけり

David's English

airing out the bedding
and
the cat

by Issa, 1815
Mushiboshi refers to a summer custom: putting clothing
and bedding outside in the sun. Here, the cat, too,
happily soaks up the sun, atop the futon or spread-out clothes.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga
Last year he married with young bridal. Next year his son will be born.
His happiest time.

detest the man

Masajyo 真砂女

男憎しされども恋し柳散る
otoko nikushi saredomo koishi yanagi chiru

Lee & Emiko's English

I detest the man
yet I long for him---
willow leaves falling

Seasonal word: willow leaves falling ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

helter-skelter

Issa　 一茶


yuki-atari-battari-batari uchiwa kana

行あたりばったりばたり団扇哉


David's English


helter-skelter

they flap and flap...

paper fans


by Issa, 1816A difficult haiku to translate. Yuki-atari-battari signifies "haphazard" or "happy-go-lucky." I picture a scene of several people, fanning themselves on a warm summer day with all sorts of different speeds and rhythms.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo　haiga


A priest come to pray for Issa's son who died only after 27 days.

Issa is losing his soul, hearing the sutra.

chrysanthemum blooming

Masajyo 真砂女

kikubiyori mini maku obi no nagaki kana
菊日和身にまく帯の長きかな

Lee & Emiko's English

chrysanthemum blooming---
the sash bound round my waistoh
so long

Seasonal word: chrysanthemums blooming ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

hailstones

Issa 一茶


arare chire kukurimakura wo ou kodomo

霰ちれ くくり枕を 負ふ子ども


David's English


fall, hailstones!

with pillow on his head

a child


by Issa, 1813

The child has invented a clever way to defy the weather.The pillow in question, kukurimakura, is stuffed with cotton or buckwheat chaff and tied at both ends; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 491. The child is young and, most likely, poor, but nevertheless demonstrates his human birthright of creativity--to Issa's applause.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga



Hurry back boy ! a baby on your back is cold.

autumn kimono

Masajyo 真砂女

夫運なき秋袷着たりけり
otto un naki akiawase kitari keri

Lee & Emiko's English

luck with husband
is sometning that eludes me---
autumn kimono

I married twice and divorced twice. My first marriage ended with themysterious disappearance of my husband. In the second one, I left the house of my own will. Since then I have been making my living in a corner of Tokyo.

Seasonal word ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

on the celebration

Issa 一茶


o-shu^gi ni yuki mo furu nari dondo yaki

御祝儀に雪も降也どんどやき


David's　English


snow falls

on the celebration...

New Year's bonfire


by Issa, 1816

On Little New Year's, the day of the year's first full moon ( First Month, 15th day), New Year's decorations of pine-and-bamboo and sacred Shinto rope are burned.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga


Age 54, his happiest New Year.

my hair down

Masajyo 真砂女


髪解くや情に溺れし秋の髪
kami toku ya jo ni oboreshi aki no kami

Lee and Emiko's English

I left my hair dwon...
it is drowning in desire
my autumn hair

Seasonal word: ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

harvest moon

Issa 　一茶
meigetsu ya yoko ni neru hito ogamu hito

名月や横に寝る人おがむ人


David's Englsh

harvest moon--

some are stretched out

some praying


by Issa, 1821 .



Originally, I envisioned only two people in the scene: "next to the sleeping man/ a praying man." Shinji Ogawa, however, visualizes more people: "some are lying down/ some praying." Several people, not just two, would typically attend a traditional Japanese moon-gazing party.http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga



At this time he has lost three babies, and his wife was pregnant fourth baby.

in the sky's color

Masajyo 真砂女

空の色に見る海の色秋燕
sora no iro ni miru umi no iro aki-tsubame

Lee and Emiko's English

in the sky's color
the color of the sea---
autumn swallows

Seasonal word: autumn sparrows ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

Masajyo say good by to his airplane with sadness.

the gate's snow

Issa 一茶

kado no yuki shikaku ni sarete nagare keri
門の雪四角にされて流けり

David's　English

the gate's snow
in a perfect square
flows away

by Issa, 1818
Shinji Ogawa explains that sarete signifies the passive voice: the snow is "being cut square."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

The snow boys lose freedom and become stereotyped square.

summer kimono sash

Masajyo 真砂女

夏帯や運切りひらき切りひらき
natsuobi ya un kirihiraki kirihiraki

Lee & Emiko's English

summer kimono sash---
my destiny in my hand
in my own hands

My fortune is something I have hew out for myself. The only person I can
rely on is myself. I put on my summer kimono sash smartly and just keep
working.

Seasnal word: summer kimono sash ( summer)

sakuo haiga

copying nagging

Issa 一茶

sasa no ya no kogoto no mane wo naku kawazu

笹の家の小言の真似を鳴蛙

David's English

copying the nagging

in the thatched house...

croaking frogs

by Issa, 1816
The house is thatched with bamboo grass (sasa).

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

sakuo haiga

Ginbura or neigbour

Autumn is the season for festival.

Today we go to two festival in neighbor.
One is Kinuta studio that is institution for handicapped person's study and work.
And one more is a shrine called Mitsumine-jinjya.

http://ginbura.exblog.jp/9278042/

sakuo

nape of my neck

Masajyo 真砂女

襟足をみせて髪結う新樹かな
eriashi wo misete kami yu'u shinju kana

Lee and Emiko's　English

I put up my hair
so he sees the nape of my neck...
new green leaves

Seasonal word: trees fresh green leaves(summer)

sakuo haiga

the mouth

Issa 　一茶


蚤噛んだ口でなむあみだ仏哉

nomi kanda kuchi de namu amida butsu kan


David's English


the mouth that gnawed

a flea, "All praise

to Amida Buddha!"


by Issa, 1817

The nembutsu prayer is "Namu Amida Butsu"--"All praise to Amida Buddha!"http://cat.xula.edu/issa/


sakuo haiga

the last drop

Masajyo 真砂女

香水の一瓶終わり花の雨
kousui no hito bon owari hana no ame

Lee & Emiko's English

the last drop
from the perfume bottle---
cherry blossom rain

Seasonal word: cherry blossom rain ( spring )

sakuo haiga

billowing clouds

Issa 一茶

雲の峰いささか松が退くか
kumo no mine isasaka matsu ga shirizoku ka

David’s English

billowing clouds--

have the pine trees

shrunk a bit?

by Issa, 1803
Literally, Issa wonders if the pines have "retreated" (shirizoku): they look smaller below the massive "peaks of clouds" (kumo no mine). http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

your well being

Masajyo 　真砂女

onmi omu koto ikabakari kari kaeru
御身思うこと如何ばかり雁かえる

Lee and Emiko’s English

your well being
how much I care…
the geese depart

Seasonal word: geese depart ( winter)

sakuo haiga

melting snow

Issa 一茶

yuki-doke ya junrei shu^ mo asa no koe
雪どけや順礼衆も朝の声

David’s　English

melting snow--
the morning voices
of pilgrims

by Issa, 1810
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

letter cocealed

Masajyo　真砂女

ふところに手紙かくして日向ぼこ
futokoro ni tegami kakusite hinataboko

Lee & Emiko’s English

your letter concealed
in my Kimono’s breast pocket---
baking in winter sun

Seasonal word: baking in winter sun ( winter )

sakuo haiga

clear evening

Issa　一茶

yu^bare ya asagi ni narabu aki no yama
夕晴や浅黄に並ぶ秋の山

David’s English

clear evening--
lined up in the pale blue
autumn mountains
by Issa, 1816　 http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

sheer summer Kimono

Masajyo　真砂女

羅や人悲します恋をして

usumono ya hito kanasimasu koi wo shite

Lee & Emiko’s English

sheer summer kimono
it pushes them into misery
this love of mine

Seasonal word: sheer summer kimono ( summer )
Note: When Masajyo was 31 years old, she fell in love with one of hotel’s quests, Air Force Lieutenant Y.M.(1913-1977), then 24 years old.
In those days infidelity was a crime in Japan. Masajyo thought of herself
as a sinner and felt sorry for her parents, her husband, her lover, and
for herself. This is among the most popular of her love haiku.

sakuo haiga

rice field geese

Issa 一茶

田の雁や里の人数はけふもへる
ta no kari ya sato no ninzu wa kyo^ moeru

David’s English

rice field geese--
the village's population
surges

by Issa, 1811
Jean Cholley relates this haiku to the fact that many villagers in Issa's province of Shinano left in the cold autumn to seek work in Edo (today's Tokyo); En village de miséreux: Choix de poèmes de Kobayashi Issa (Paris: Gallimard, 1996) 238, note 52.

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

sakuo haiga

a moth dances

Masajyo 真砂女

火蛾舞へりよき襟あしをもてる人
higa maeri yoki eriashi wo moteru hito

Emiko’s English

a moth dances into the flame---
the nape of man’s neck
draws me in

Seasonal word: moth (summer)

sakuo haiga

chattring sparrow

Issa 一茶

むだ鳴になくは雀のまま子哉
muda naki ni naku wa suzume no mamako kana

David’s English

crying his cry
in vain…
the stepchild sparrow

by Issa, 1824
Issa was a stepchild.

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

sakuo haiga

What did Issa cry in this cry.
He cried vain things that is useless thing. Thing useless to whom?
It is to stepmother. At this time his step mother has already die.
Wife sometimes is a mother for his husband.
So in this case his step mother was his second wife who was cool for Issa.
At beginning of their marriage , Issa was very gay to chatter too much.
His second wife was a daughter of warrior whose rule is don’t chat.
So Issa’s second wife said don’t speak too much, you are a man.
Then comes this haiku.

spring loneliness

Masajyo 真砂女

春淋し波にとどかぬ石を投げ
haru sabishi name ni todokanu ishi won age

Lee & Emiko’s English

spring loneliness---
it falls short of the surf
this stone I toss

when I was filled with loneliness, I often went to the seaside in the mornings and evenings. With my thin arm I would toss a stone to the rough surf, but the stone hardly reach it. I felt I was completely helpless and trapped in my destiny at that time.
sakuo haiga

old book store and Apple

Ginza is the main amusement area in Tokyo,
gathering famous food shop, fashion, stationary, accessory and so on.
They are traditional stores form Edo era to modern times.

For ten years, curious omen has been seen.

Many foreign firms have opened their shops in Ginza.
Now all Ginza are covered with foreigners, especially famous Brand shops.
Yesterday I watched the picture scene.



And sakuo Haiku.

教文館　Kyoubunkan is famous and traditional book store, especial concerned on
Christian books. It has located in the center of Ginza.
　
教文館　リンゴ実りて　木の葉枯れ
kyobunkan ringo minori te konoha kare

old book store---
Apple gets fruits
and a leaf wither

firefly light

Masajyo 真砂女

蛍火や女の道をふみはずし
hotarubi ya onna no miti wo fumi hazushi

Lee & Emiko’s English

firefly light
I step off the path
of woman’s virtue

sakuo haiga.

fine moon

一茶

名月を取ってくれよと泣く子哉
ano tsuki wo totsute kure yo to naku ko kana

sakuo’s English

the fine moon
let me get it
crying child

September 15th is the special day of viewing autumn moon in Japan.
I posted haiga in which Issa views the moon together with her baby Sato.

Chen san’s haiga

My friend aged over 80 in Taiwan, called Mr.Chen（　陳淇澤　） sent me a wonderful Issa’s haiga ,
in which Sato is crying on her mother’s back.

“let me get the moon”

evening moon

一茶　1818年
藪並に餅もつく也宵の月

yabu nami ni mochi mo tsuku nari yoi no tsuki

David’s　English
in a stand of trees
pounding rice cakes...
evening moon

sakuo haiga
View together with my baby Sato.

poor but pure

wiscapis san gave me good hit.
I said the peanut is steamed in my recipe, but it is fault,
Peanut should be boiled.

Poor but pure story!

The peanuts have come from my neice who lives near at Mount Fuji.
I have grown up at the side of Fuji river.
There are wide and fat sand field in the river.
We could enjoy the harvest that almost are sold.



There remain a lot of off grade, small, un-mature peanuts.
We, poor but pure peasant, wash them and boil.
Because of being too raw, too green, it is better boiling than steaming them.
We enjoyed them very much.



Do you have same story?

sakuo’ haiku



清貧の
茹で落花生
世に出る
seihin no
yude ratsukasei
yo ni ideru


poor but pure

boild peanuts

world admit it

peanuts from niece

This is the package of peanuts.
It has been send by my niece who lives in local city near Mount Fuji.
Here is special recipe for raw peanuts that is traditional of my native district.

Put them into a deep pan. Pour salt water into the pan.
Steam 30 minutes. Up peanuts from the pan.
Let serve them with beer or Sake ( Japanese rice wine)

Haiku
niece sending
raw peanuts
quick package mail

sakuo.

first snowfall

一茶 　1810 年
初雪や鶏の朝声浅草寺
hatsu yuki ya tori no asa-goe sensôji

David’s English
first snowfall--
the rooster's morning crow
at Senso Temple

Sensôji is located in the Asakusa section of Edo, today's Tokyo.

http://haikuguy.com/issa/random.php?

sakuo haiga
I am a Gallus, a French rooster.

plovers singing

一茶　1811年
千鳥鳴九月三十日と諷ひけり
chidori naku kugatsu misoka to utai keri

David’s English
plovers singing--
"It's the last day
of Ninth Month!"

In the old Japanese calendar, Ninth Month, 30th day was the last day of autumn. The plovers, winter birds, are singing of their season which will begin, officially, tomorrow.
http://haikuguy.com/issa/random.php?

sakuo haiga
a lot of things to do.

April Waves

Masajyo 　真砂女

あるときは船より高き卯浪かな
arutoki wa fune yori takaki unami kana

Lee & Emiko’s English

at one time
rising above the boat . . .
April waves

Masajyo lived from 1906 to 2003, died at age 96.
Lee Gurga and Emiko Miyashita have issued “Love Haiku”.
http://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/translations/masajolovehaiku.html

sakuo renga

April wave is big and violent.
Masajyo loved the wave as the symbol of her life.
Passion drives all thing.

for the big

一茶　年代不明
大菊の秋もずんずとくれにけり
ôgiku no aki mo zunzu to kure ni keri

David’s Englsih
for the big
chrysanthemum too
autumn ends quickly

by Issa, year unknown.
http://haikuguy.com/issa/random.php?

sakuo haiga
This Ku has two kigo (season word), chrysanthemum and autumn.
The big chrysanthemum may his wife.