fish frolicking

Issa 一茶 1804 age 42

魚どもの遊びありくや菊の花

uodomo no asobi ariku ya kiku no hana

David’s English

fish frolicking
on foot...
chrysanthemums

Ariku, I assume, is a variant of aruku, "to walk." Issa presents the strange image of fish, left over from a flood, wriggling among the chrysanthemums. This is the first of two haiku in a row written about a flood at Nagareyama village in Shimosa Province. The second one is as follows: yu^zuki ya nagare nokori no kirigirisu evening moon-- surviving the flood a katydid Issa entered Nagareyama on the 27th day of Eighth Month, 1804, amid rainy weather. He wrote both of the haiku on the 2nd day of Ninth Month.

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

sakuo haiga

a mole

Masajo 真砂女 1994 age 88

泣き黒子育てて泣かぬ牡蠣を割る
nakihokuro sodatete nakanu kaki wo waru

Lee & Emiko’s English

a mole under my eye:
I nurture it and split an oyster
that does not cry

Seasonal word: oyster ( winter )
Note: It is said that if one cry a lot, a mole under one’s eye grows
darker or becomes more visible. Therefore one who has a mole in this spot is said to live a tearful life. Masajo’s sorrow makes her think she is growing a mole.

sakuo haiga

Her moles are her men related. They brought her hazards, but she
used them as leverage to open her fortune. And she got the success of business and haiku achievement.

summer cicada

Issa 一茶 1814

夏の蝉なくが此世の栄よう哉

natsu no semi naku ga kono yo no eiyo^ kana

David’s English

the chirring of summer cicadas
their gift
to this world

.

by Issa, 1814

Shinji Ogawa's paraphrase guided my translation: "For the summer cicadas the chirring is their great accomplishment in this world." I wonder if Issa might be alluding to his own "chirring" as a poet--his own accomplishment or gift? http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

April Issa married with a young bride.

She said, “You are only doing haiku all day long”

Issa replied.

Haiku Guy

David sensei has published Haiku Novel named " Haiku Guy"
The book's introduction has issed on web.

Please come and see this new style novel.
haikuguy.com/hgj.html

Sakuo has two books, left is Issa's book and right is David's book.

no escaping

Masajo 真砂女 1994 ８８才

どうしても落葉踏まねば行けぬ路

do^shitemo ochiba fumaneba yukenu michi

Lee & Emiko’s English

no escaping it—

I must step on fallen leaves

to take this path

Seasonal word: fallen leaves ( winter )

sakuo haiga

a wifeless man

Issa 一茶 1815

妻なしが草を咲かせて夕涼

tsuma nashi [ga] kusa wo sakasete yu^suzumi

David’s English

a wifeless man
makes his plants bloom...
evening cool

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

sakuo haiga

This ku was made on 1815.

The year before Issa had married with Kiku, chrysanthemum,

after his long single life in Edo city.

lover's arrow

Masajo  真砂女 1986  age 80

 

恋の矢の的はづしけり秋の風

koi no ya no mato hazushi keri aki no kaze

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

love ‘s arrow

has missed its mark--

autumn wind

 

Seasonal word: autumn wind (autumn)

 

sakuo haiga

trust

Issa 一茶 1813

あなた任せ任せぞとしは犬もとり
anata makase makase zo toshi wa inu mo tori

David’s English

trust, trust in Buddha!
you're a year older too
dog

The season word in this haiku, toshitori, ("growing old") relates to the year's ending; in the traditional Japanese system for counting age, everyone gains a year on New Year's Day. Here, Issa advises the dog to trust, as he does, in the saving power of Amida Buddha while they both move one step closer to death.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

sea shells

Masajo 真砂女 1986 age 80

秋風や裸足の爪の貝と化し
aki kaze ya hadashi no tume no kai to kashi

Lee & Emiko’s English

autumn breeze—
the nails on mu bare feet
become sea shells

Seasonal word: autumn breeze (autumn)

sakuo haiga

peony

Issa 一茶 1818

盃をちよいと置たるぼたん哉
sakazuki wo choi to okitaru botan kana

David’s English

I lay my sake cup
on top for a moment...
peony
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo’s supposition

At the moment, Issa was staying in Naganuma where many his students were gathered. Note; Naganuma is 20 kilo meters far from Issa’s village.

Among them there was Mr. Nabuti Sato who loved poem, painting, and gardening. Especially he was an expert of chrysanthemum and peony.

Nabuti’s haiku.
我庵を狭しと牡丹咲きにけり
waga iho wo semasi botan sakini keri

my hut garden
is narrowed by
blooming peonies

Issa was enjoying party with his familiar haiku friends in Naganuma, watching Nabuti’s peony.

And sakuo’s haiga.

in this life

Masajo 真砂女   1986年80歳

 

今生のいまが倖せ衣被

konjo no ima ga shiawase kinukatsugi

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

in this life

the happiest moment now

boiled baby taros

 

Seasonal word: boiled taros (autumn)

 

sakuo  renku & haiga

 

仕事も恋も今花盛り　

sigoto mo koi mo ima hanazakari

 

my work and my love too

now in full bloom

snatching

Issa 一茶 1814

ぼた餅をつかんでかすむ烏哉
botamochi wo tsukande kasumu karasu kana

David’s English

snatching a jellied rice cake
in the mist...
crow

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

sakuo haiga

age 52 married on 11th of Fourth Month
Issa’s happiest time.

short night

Masajo 真砂女 1986年80歳

短夜や嫌いな人も夢に佇ち
mijikayo ya kiraina hito mo yume ni tati

Lee & Emiko’s English

short night—
also someone I dislike
in my dream

Seasonal word: short night( summer)

sakuo haiga

festive jelly

Issa 一茶 1819

こんにゃくもお十二日はつ時雨

konnyaku mo o-ju^ ni nichi zo hatsu shigure

 

David’s English

for festive jelly too
the venerable Twelfth Day...
first winter rain

.

Tenth Month, 12th day is the Death-Day anniversary of the great poet, Basho^. This day is also called "First Winter Rain Anniversary" (shigure ki). Shinji Ogawa explains that konnyaku might be translated, "devil's tongue jelly." Konnyaku is kneaded devil's tongue root (Amorphophallus Rivieri). http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

morning's laugh

Issa 一茶 1809

朝笑いくらに買か花の春
asa warai ikura ni kau ka hana no haru

David’s English

morning's laugh--
"How much do they cost,
spring's blossoms?"
.
The answer, of course, is "Nothing!" A silly, yet profound, question. The opening phrase, "morning's laugh" (asa warai) might be taken to mean, "morning's joke" or "first joke of the morning."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

bats flying

Masajo 真砂女 1994  age 88

 

女より買いし恨みや蚊喰鳥

onna yori kaisi urami ya kakuidori

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

 a woman’s hatred

is what I have invited--

bats flying

 

Seasonal word: bat( summer)

 

sakuo haiga

slander parties

Issa 一茶 1822 age 60

人誹る会が立なり冬籠
hito soshiru kai ga tatsunari fuyugomori

David’s English

the slander parties
begin...
winter seclusion

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

sakuo haiga

It’s sweet talk

love fulfilled

Masajo 真砂女  1994  age  88

 

恋遂げし蛍ゆつくり夜明け待つ

koi togeshi hotaru yukkuri yoake matsu

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

love fulfilled…

fireflies leisurely await

the sunrise

 

Seasonal word: firefly ( summer )

 

sakuo haiga

Zenko Temple

Issa 一茶

菜の花や西へむかへば善光寺
na no hana ya nishi e mukaeba zenko^ji

David’s English

flowering rape--
and looking west
Zenko Temple

Zenko^ Temple (Zenko^ji) is the major Pure Land temple in Issa's home province. Since the Buddha's Pure Land was thought to lie somewhere in the mythic west, the direction alluded to in this haiku is significant. Shinji Ogawa adds, "A rape plant blooms bright yellow flowers in spring in Japan. The seeds are used to make cooking oil. It is rather a common sight in spring that the bright yellow flowers cover the farmland as far as the eye can reach. Obviously, Issa was well aware of Buson's famous haiku, na no hana ya tsuki wa higashi hi wa nishi ni, that is, "Flowering rape.../the moon in the east/ the sun in the west."
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

Sakuo haiga

Rape plant was precious side income of rice farmer. It was used for
mainly lighting, of course for cooking oil ,
Buson was a man of west province, Kansai where had monopolized
the rape oil, exporting to Edo, eastern province.
Then Issa’s time new comer appeared. One of them was Issa’s home province.
Watching rape field, Issa would proudly made this haiku.
And West means western paradise, as well as Pure land of Budha.

my kimono

Masajo 真砂女　1986　age 80

 

わが衣白き牡丹と昏れ残る

waga koromo shiroki botan to kure nokoru

 

Lee & Emiko’s English

 

my kimono

and the white peony

linger in twilight

 

Seasonal word: peony ( spring )

sakuo haiga

 

foolish bird

Issa 一茶 1820 age 58

ばか鳥よ羽ぬけてから何しあん
baka tori yo ha nukete kara nan shian

David’s English

foolish bird--
after molting
what are you thinking?

by Issa, 1820

According to Shinji Ogawa, Issa is punning here with two meanings of ha: "feather" and "tooth." The bird that has shed its feathers is really Issa who has lost his teeth.
To unsubscribe, visit http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

fortune at last

Masajo 真砂女 1994 age 88

運やつと向いて来し桃咲きにけり
un yatto muite kishi momo saki ni keri

Lee & Emiko's English

fortune at last
comes my way—
beach trees blooming

Seasonal word:peach tree ( spring )

sakuo haiga

fukagawa

Issa 一茶　1817　age 52.

深川や舟も一組とし忘
fukagawa ya fune mo hito-gumi toshiwasure

David's English

Fukagawa-- 
on a boat, too, a party 
drinks away the year

This haiku refers to an end-of-year drinking party. Fukagawa is a neighborhood in Edo (today's Tokyo) on Sumida River's east bank. The great haiku poet Basho^ lived there in his Basho^-an ("Banana-leaf hermitage").
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

spring sorrow

Masajo　真砂女　1906　age 88

春愁を抱くほど花を買いにけり
shunshu^ wo daku hodo hana wo kai ni keri

Lee & Emiko’s English

spring sorrow—
I buy enough flowers
to embrace it

Seasonal: spring sorrow (spring)

sakuo haiga

little straw mat

Issa　一茶　 1819, Age 57

さむしろや一文橋も霧の立
samushiro ya ichi mon hashi mo kiri no tatsu

David’s English

little straw mat--
even on a one-penny bridge
mist rises

Who is sitting on the little straw mat? I picture the toll collector.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

In my case a beggar is sitting on the mat beside bridge on which
toll collector is keeping the bridge from outlaw.

secrets come

Masajo　真砂女　1906 age 88

隠しごと親子にもあり桜餅
kakusigoto oyako nimo ari asakuramoti

Lee & Emiko’s English

secrets come between
even mothers and daughters—
cherry blossom cakes

Seasonal word: cherry blossom cake ( spring)
Note: Cherry blossom cake is a cake wrapped in a salted cherry leaf; it is
a specialty of the spring season. It is usually pale pink like cherry
blossoms and its cherry leaf flavor is favored by many peoples.

sakuo haiga

a previous life's bond

Issa　一茶　１８２５　age 63
On last year he divorced, he suffers a stroke ,lost his power of speech for a while.

過去のやくそくかよ袖に寝小てふ
kako no yakusoku ka yo sode ni neru ko cho^

David’s　English
a previous life's bond?
little butterfly
on my sleeve, asleep

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

sakuo haiga

fruit of labor

Masajo　真砂女　1994　age 88

働いて作りし花見衣かな
hataraite tsukurishi hanamigoromo kana

Lee and Emiko’s English
fruit of my labor:
this cherry blossom viewing
kimono

Seasonal word: cherry blossom viewing (spring)
Note: Usually the husband buys kimono for his wife, but Masajo
earned her kimono for cherry blossom viewing by working in her pub.
Cherry blossom viewing kimonos are usually very fancy and expensive,
and can cost one million yen( about $10,000) or more. Masajo shows her pride.

sakuo haiga

grassy meadow

Issa　一茶　1825年　aged 63

After he divorced,
he was stricken with paralysis.
He rode on palanquin, visiting his students.

草原や提灯行に虫すだく
kusabara ya cho^chin yuku ni mushi sudaku

David’s English

grassy meadow--
insects crowd 'round
the paper lantern
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo haiga

hazy spring night

Masajyo　真砂女　1996、age　88

おぼろ夜や女も咥え煙草して
oboroyo ya on’na mo kuwae tabako site

Lee &Emuko’s English

hazy spring night—
a woman too with a cigarette
between her teeth

Seasonal word* hazy spring night (spring)

sakuo haiga

devoted child

Issa 一茶　1819

ぎりのある子を呼ばるかよ夕雀

giri no aru ko wo yobaru ka yo yu^ suzume

 

David’s English

are you calling
for your devoted child?
evening sparrow

. by Issa, 1819

 

sakuo haiga

[ぎりのある子 giri no aru ko] means step child.

Issa’s mother who was a step mother. She was calling him.

How did it sound? It depends on your sensibility.

fall quickly

Issa　一茶　1816年

 

古郷をとく降かくせ霧時雨　

furusato wo toku furikakuse kiri shigure

 

David’s English

fall quickly, hide
my home village...
mist and cold rain

 

sakuo haiga

At this time Issa was staying in Edo.