hazy night

Masajyo 　真砂女

おぼろ夜やアパートの鍵店の鍵

oboroyo ya apa-to no kagi mise no kagi

Lee and Emiko's English

hazy night---

the key to my apartment house

the key to my pub

Season word: hazy night ( spring )

sakuo haiga

under the cover

Issa　一茶

 

朝もやの紛に雁の立にけり

asa moya no magire ni kari no tachi ni keri

 

David's English

 

under the cover

of morning's haze

geese taking off

 

by Issa, 1815 

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

 

sakuo haiga

 

leave young wife

hurry to haiku friends

snow in spring

Masajyo 　真砂女

独語またおのれ慰む春の雪

dokugo mata onore nagusamu haru no yuki

Lee and Emiko's English

talking to myself

consoling myself once more...

snow in spring

Season word: snow in spring ( winter)

sakuo haiga

my spring

Issa 一茶

我春も上々吉よ梅の花

waga haru mo jo^jo^kichi yo ume no hana

David's　English

my spring 

is lucky, lucky! 

plum blossoms

by Issa, 1811　visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo Haiga

winter surf

Masajyo 真砂女

冬の波いまわれのみ寄するかな
fuyu no umi ima ware nomi ni yosuru kana

Lee and Emiko's English

winter surf
now it dashes aganist
me only

Seasonal word: winter surf ( winter)

sakuo haiga

winter wind

Issa 一茶

こがらしや隣と云もえちご山

kogarashi ya tonari to iu mo echigo yama

David's　English

winter wind-- 

next door, it seems 

Echigo mountains

by Issa, 1819

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

sakuo haiga

my chapped lips

Masajyo 真砂女

雪の夜の荒れし唇拭うかな
yuki no yo no areshi kutibiru nugu'u kana

Lee & Emiko's English

my chapped lips...
I smooth them
on a snowy night

Seasonal word: snow( winter)

sakuo haiga

in autumn wind

Issa　一茶

 

秋風にあなた任の小蝶哉

aki kaze ni anata makase no ko cho^ kana

 

David’s　English

in autumn wind
trusting in the Buddha...
little butterfly

. by Issa, 1805

Robin D. Gill assisted with this translation. Literally, the little butterfly "trusts in the Beyond," but in Issa's Pure Land sect this means trusting in the saving power of Amida Buddha to make possible its happy reincarnation, in the next life, in the Pure Land or Western Paradise. The cold autumn wind signifies the fact that death is near for the tiny, fragile creature. But instead of struggling against this inevitability, Issa suggests that the butterfly is surrendering to death, trusting death, and at the same time trusting in the Buddha. This is one of his most memorable images of religious surrender to Amida's "Other Power." http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

 

sakuo haiga

trust 70 % but uneasy 30%

How about you?

pure snow

Masajyo　真砂女

雪清浄黒手袋をもて掬う
yuki seijyou kuro tebukuro wo mote suku'u

Lee & Emiko's English
pure snow---
I scoop it up
with black gloves

Seasonal word: snow(winter)

sakuo haiga

my village bell

Issa　一茶

我郷の鐘や聞くらん雪の底

waga sato no kane ya kikuran yuki no soko

David's English

my village bell 

heard maybe, deep 

in the snow

by Issa, 1813

I added "maybe" to my translation because Issa's original is speculative: the bell "may be heard" (kikuran)

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

sakuo haiga

winter night

Masajyo　真砂女

冬の夜の鏡にうつるものにわれ

fuyu no yo no kagami ni utsuru mono ni ware

Lee & Emiko's English

winter night

things reflected in the mirror

including me

I unlock the door of my apartment house,and switch on the light. The face I find in the the vermilion-lacquered three-sided mirror shows real solitiude, unlike the cherrfull one I wear at work in my pub. My true self.

Seasonal word: winter

sakuo haiga

lacquered tray

Issa 一茶

ぬり盆にころりと蝿の滑りけり
nuribon ni korori to hea no suberi keri

David's　English

a lacquered tray--
whoops!
the fly slips

by Issa, 1819、 http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

1819, Age 57
Sixth month,His first daughter dies after one year and two months.
It was the saddest time in his whole life.

withered grass

Masajyo 　真砂女

枯草の人思うとき金色に
kare kusa no hito omou toki konjiki ni

Lee & Emiko's English

withered grass
when I think of him
burnished gold...

The bank of the Impperial Palace was withered beautifuly. When I saw it, his
image flashed in my mind. My heart beat faster and the withered grass began to
glow a golden color.

Seasonal word: withered grass( winter )

sakuo haiga

this blessing

Issa　一茶

極楽に行かぬ果報やことし酒
gokuraku ni ikanu kaho^ ya kotoshi sake

David’s　English

this blessing
not allowed in Paradise...
new sake

by Issa, 1822　aged 60

sakuo haiga

shall I betray

Masajyo 　真砂女

裏切るか裏切らるゝか鵙高音
uragiru ka uragirareru ka mozu takane

Lee & Emiko's English

shall I betray him
or let him betray me ?
the shrike's shrill cry

There was once a time of difficulty. I thought of breaking

faith with him before he did it to me but nothing happened

after all.

Seasonal word:shrike ( autumn)

sakuo haiga

hair and beards

Issa 　一茶

髪髭も白い仲間や花の陰

kami hige mo shiroi nakama ya hana no kage

David's English

hair and beards 

of comrades all white... 

blossom shade

by Issa, 1820   http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

my love

Masajyo 　真砂女

わが恋や秋風渡る中に在り

waga koi ya akikaze wataru naka ni ari

Lee& Emiko's English

my love---

the autumn wind

carries it on

Seasonal word: autumn wind ( autumn)

Note:Masajyo's love has continued for forty years. 

The love has become old, but it is still hale in the autumn wind.

sakuo haiga

young bamboo

Issa 　一茶

わか竹をたのみに思ふ小家哉
waka take ni tanomi ni omou ko ie kana

David's　English

depending on
the young bamboo...
little house

by Issa, 1812　http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

holy night

作雄　sakuo

時空超え発句楽しむ聖夜かな
jiku koe hotsuku tanosimu seiya kana

sakuo's English

over time and space
enjoying to make haiku
in holy night

sakuo haiga

So many things attacked us,but we could reach at the
Holy night.
Thanks to all Gods!
And all famlies be happy!

morning-glory

Masajyo 　真砂女

朝顔やすでにきのふのとなりしこと

asagao ya sudeni kinou to narishi koto

Lee & Emiko's English

morning-glory---

already it belongs

to yesterday

Note:Masajyo was longing desperately for it. And now it is 

over and the day has passed. Every moment of it has become 

something of the past. 

Yet every moment is still vivid in her mind. A morning-glory of 

yesterday will never bloom again.

Seasonal word: morning-glory ( autumn )

sakuo haiga

even here

Issa　一茶

こなたにも安置して有梅の花

kona[ta] ni mo anchi shi[te] are ume no hana

 

David‘s　English

even here
a holy image enshrined
plum blossoms

by Issa, 1821

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

 

sakuo haiga

First month of this year his second son died on the mother’s back, after 100 days life.

queenching

Masajyo 　真砂女

　

渇癒す泉に罪の顔写し

katsu iyasu izumi ni tsumi no kao utsushi

Lee & Emiko's Englsih

queenching my thirst---

a sinner's face reflected

in the spring

Seasonal word: a spring ( summer )

sakuo haiga

if only she were here

Issa　一茶

 

小言いふ相手もあらばけふの月

kogoto iu aite mo araba kyo^ no tsuki

David’s English

 

if only she were here
for me to nag...
tonight's moon!

 

by Issa, 1823

David's special comment on translation

 

sakuo haiga

our spoken words

Masajyo 真砂女

滝の音に言葉とられし涼しさよ

taki no ne ni kotoba torareshi suzushisa yo

Lee & Emiko's English

our spoken words

carried away by the waterfall---

coolness!

Seasonal word:waterfall ( summer ), coolness ( summer )

sakuo haiga

the whores

Issa 一茶

遊女めが見てけっかるぞ暑い舟

yu^jome ga mite kekkaru zo atsui fune

David's English

the whores 

are looking me over... 

from their boat in the heat

by Issa, 1817

Or: "the whore is/ looking me over.../from her boat in the heat." Jean Cholley explains that prostitutes operated on boats on the west bank of Sumida River in Edo (today's Tokyo).

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

sakuo haiga

true love

Masajyo 　真砂女

愛たしか夏蝉朝を奏でけり
ai tasika natsuzemi asa wo kanade keri

Lee& Emiko's English

true love---
summer cicadas play
amorning tune

Seasonal word: summer cicada ( summer )

sakuo haiga

the painted face

Issa 　一茶

顔染し乙女も春の暮る哉

kao someshi otome mo haru no kururu kana

David's English

for the painted faced 

maiden too... 

spring dusk

by Issa, 1805  age 43,staying in Edo

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

sakuo haiga

a woman alone

Masajyo 　真砂女

女一人目覚めてのぞく蛍篭
on'na hitori mezamete nozoku hotaru kago

Lee & Emiko's English

a woman alone---
she wakes up and peeks into
the firefly cage

Seasonal word: firefly ( summer)

sakuo haiga

the baby monkey

Issa  一茶

猿の子に酒くれる也茸狩
saru no ko ni sake kureru nari kinoko-gari

David's English

for the baby monkey
a nip of sake...
mushroom hunting

by Issa, 1819
Issa writes a variation of this haiku, also in 1819: tabi no ko ni sake kureru nari kinoko-gari for the traveling child a nip of sake... mushroom hunting Shinji Ogawa comments, "I think what Issa is trying to depict in these two haiku is the racket created by the mushroom hunting party: a bunch of drunkards who offer sake to whomever they meet."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

heartsick day

Masajyo 真砂女

心病む日なり籐椅子にふかくいて

kokoro yamu hi nari touisu ni fukaku ite

Lee & Emiko's English

heartsick day---

nested deeply

in the rattan chair

seasonal word: rattan chair ( summer )

sakuo haiga

his prowling route

Issa 一茶

通路も花の上也やまと猫
kayoiji mo hana no ue nari yamato neko

David's English

his prowling route
over the flowers...
a Japanese cat

by Issa, 1824
Issa suggests that the cat has a sensitive Japanese soul, for it chooses to go through the blossoms. Yamato is an old word for Japan.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

plum so green

Masajyo　真砂女

梅青し女のもてる悪だくみ
ume aoshi on'na no moteru warudakumi

Lee & Emiko's English

plums so green
a woman embracing
a malicious design

Seasonal word: plum(summer)

sakuo haiga　

a little hole in the window

Issa 一茶

秋の夜や窓の小穴が笛を吹
aki no yo ya mado no ko ana ga fue wo fuku

David's English

autumn evening--
a little hole in the window
blows flute

Issa, 1811　aged 49,


sakuo haiga

What melodies did the flute blow?

Was it his physical　decline?
Or inheritance strugle with halfbrother?
Or frustration of ranking as Haikuist in Edo?

enterrin summer

Masajyo 真砂女

夏に入るや瞼の裏に海生まれ
natsu ni iru ya mabuta no ura ni umi umare

Lee and Emiko's English

entering summer---
behind my eyelids
the sea is born

Seasonal word: entering summer ( summer)

sakuo haiga

toothharding

Issa 一茶　 1819

David's English

New Year's tooth-hardening

meal...

yet toothless!

hagatame no ha ichi mai mo nakari keri

葉固の歯一枚もなかりけり

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

sakuo haiga

Issa got lovely daughter.8 months has passed since her birth.

Her milk tooth didn't appese.Issa was anxious about it .

French issa and English Issa

On 17~30 November, at NHK Gallery,

Issa Display has been opened.
Mr.Ikeda haiga painter and Mr.Mabesoone French translator are the originator.
Shinano-machi Issa native town sponsored them.

Accidentally I participated as haiga painter with Dr. David's English.
I titled " French Issa and English Issa"

cyclamen

Masajyo 真砂女

シクッラメン人を恋ふ夜の眉蒼し

sikuramen hito wo kou yo no mayu aoshi

Lee & Emiko's English

cyclamen---

longing for him tonight

I shave my eyebrows

Seasonal word: cyclamen ( winter)

sakuo haiga

spring butterfly

Issa 一茶
うそうそと雨降中を春のてふ
uso-uso to ame furu naka wo haru no cho^

David's　English
nervously
through the raindrops...
spring butterfly

by Issa, 1804
Uso-uso can mean "uneasily" or "full of anxiety"; Kogo dai

jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 196.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga
Uso-uso measns [ really?]
Issa and butterfly were suprisied suddenly rain.

from the spoon

Masajyo 真砂女

匙を逃げし苺ひと粒春うれい
saji wo nigeshi ichigo hitotsubu haru urei

Lee & Emiko's English

from the spoon
one strawberry escapes---
spring sorrow

Seasonal word: spring sorrow (spring)

sakuo haiga

no divine punishment

Issa 一茶

今迄は罰もあたらず昼寝蚊屋
ima made wa bachi mo atarazu hirune kaya

David's English

no divine punishment yet--
napping
under the net

by Issa, 1819


In Pure Land Haiku: The Art of Priest Issa, I write: The key

phrase is the first:ima made wa--"yet" or "up to now." Divine

retribution may come in time, but for now the poet enjoys a

pleasant summer nap. Viewed outside of the context of

Jo^doshinshu^ belief, this haiku seems blatantly irreligious.

However, Issa is actually exhibiting authentic piety as he naps,

leaving both punishment and salvation in the capable hands of

Amida Buddha (Reno/Tadoshi: Buddhist Books International,

2004) 122. This haiku is one of the "essential" 188 picked by

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

sakuo haiga

Through his whole life, Issa believed he is a san of peasant.
He always blame himself for eating without working in rice

field.
He asked to himself "Can I be afford to nap while all peasants

work hard at rice field in hot summer day".

Masajo 真砂女

情無しを恨むも愛か木瓜の雨

jounashi wo uramu mo ai ka boke no ame

Lee & Emiko's English

his cold-heartedness:

shouldn't my love begrudge it?

quince rain

Seasonal word: Japanese quince flower ( spring)

sakuo haiga