uneasy crossing the peak

David’s English
glimpsing suspicious me
the deer sounds
the alarm

waga nari wo usan to mite ya shika no naku
我形をうさんと見てや鹿の鳴
　　　　　　　　　　　　 一茶

Issa, 1820
Age 58
At the year before Sato dies.Tenth Month, 5th day, his second son, Ishitarô, is born.
After 3 months, he dies.

sakuo Renku
不安を誘うこの峠越え
fuan wo sasou kono touge goe

it makes me uneasy
crossing the peak

metalic surface trial

This is the picture that is celebration of Issa's first daughter.
Same image has featured before with colors.

sakuo.

the birth of Angele

David’s English
the whole village
pays them court...
silkworms

mura naka ni kigen toraruru kaiko kana

一茶
村中にきげんとらるる蚕哉

by Issa, 1818

1818, Age 56
Fifth Month, 4th day, a daughter, Sato, was born.
His first and second sons have died soon after their birth.
People surround Issa celebrated a baby Sato who was an Angele
for Issa as well as surround.

sakuo Renku
minna iwau ya tenshi no tanjyou
皆祝うや天使の誕生

all villagers celebrate
the birth of Angele

only my trouble

David’s English
the sky colors
of dawn have changed
to summer clothes

曙の空色衣かへにけり　　　　一茶
akebono no sora iro koromo kae ni keri
by Issa, 1807

sakuo Comment
1807 7th month Issa returned to home village for attending to father’s funnel patry held at 7 years later from father’s death.
The father said his assets should be divided even between Issa and brother.
But it has been not executed till now. How long has suffered Issa?

Renku
かわらぬものは我が難儀のみ
kawaranu mono ha waga nangi nomi

the unchangeable is
only my trouble

three belt story

shanna san, Sandy san,
here is my rest of the story on " three belts"
Don't you think it looks like Monet.

sakuo.

thank you, Jasminka san

thank you ,Jasminka san for your helping me to make fine frame.
I downloaded Fast Stone Image Viewer that you have suggested me.
And choice this frame.
I will try it more on my Every day Issa

sakuo.

all gone to the next world

year unknown

一茶
かすむ日に古くもならぬ卒塔婆哉
kasumu hi ni furuku mo naranu sotoba kana

David’s English
in the misty day
not growing older...
grave tablets

sakuo comment
Dr, David said, the sotoba or "stupa" is a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine. In Japan the wooden plate that shaped “stupa” is also called “sotoba”
Every chance, we Buddhist stands sotoba in the grave yard for holding a service for a departed soul

Issa has cruel destiny.
From his age 54 to 60, Issa has lost 4 children and lastly his wife.
Every season of every year he had to stand sotobas.

Renku
一人残して皆あの世へ
hitori nook shi te minna anoyo he

leaving only me
all gone to the next world

my wife died

1823
一茶
苗代のむら直りけり夜の雨
nawashiro no mura naori keri yoru no ame

David’s English
fixing the unevenness
in the rice-seedling bed...
evening rain

sakuo comment and Renku
His wife Kiku, has been ill since Feburaly, and dies on 12th day of Fifth Month,
When it is in the middle of rice planting.
The rice-seeding bed has been prepared before one month.
Kiku was earnest about planting rice in stead of Issa who was a wondering poet
She would say to Issa [ the bed is uneven] that Issa reminds with sorrows.

Renku
田植えを待ちし妻は亡し
taue wo matishi tuma ha nashi

longing for planting rice
my wife has died

with warm friends

1820
一茶
雨の夜や鉢のぼたんの品定
ame no yo ya hachi no botan no shinasadame

David’s English
a rainy night--
sizing up the potted
peony

sakuo Comment
Last year lovely daughter die.
I suppose that Issa made this ku in Naganuma where were there 10 his students.
And he could forget his sorrows among the haiku friends.

Renku
友としばしの憂さを忘れん
tomo to sibashi no usa wo harasan

with warm friends briefly
drown my sorrows

settle a quarrele

1824 Age 62, married with second wife, After 3 months he divorceｄ.

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

David’s comment
In Issa's time the citizens of Edo (present-day Tokyo) were famously loud and argumentative.
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo’s Comment and Renku.
fire and quarrel are the symbol of blooming Edo, said Edo proverb.
Edo was one million city as well as military city.
There were full of warriors and their supporter. Percentage of man and female
was 65%-35%. So it was full with activity.

Renku
止めに行かんかいざ信濃から
tomeni ikan ka iza sinano kara

let’s go to settle quarrel
from Shinano

puffer fish, delicous but poison

1803

一茶
どこを風が吹かとひとり鰒哉
doko wo kaze ga fuka to hitori fukuto kana

David’s English
to wherever
the wind may blow it...
a puffer fish

sakuo Comment
Puffer fish tastes very good, but is poison fish.
There were many gourmets who die by eating the fish.

Japanese old proverb said.
河豚は食いたし命は惜しい
fugu ha kuitasi inoti ha oshii

wish to eat puffer fish
but not to die

David’s Comment
Issa spells fukuto ("tetrodon" or "pufferfish") using the Japanese character for awabi ("abalone"). In this haiku, he puns with fuka to ("blows") and fukuto ("pufferfish"). He seems to be referring to a fish that has been caught and now will be sent to who-knows-where. 

unforgettable Edo !

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.

一茶
大の字に寝て涼しさよ淋しさよ
dai no ji ni nete suzushisa yo sabishisa yo

David’s English
lying spread-eagle
so cool
so lonely

comment
With arms and legs spread wide, the poet's body forms the Japanese character "big" (dai no ji)--the first word in the Japanese text of this poem.

sakuo Renku
[so cool] is his home village. [ so lonely] is here far from Edo city where he spent his 35 years.

江戸の賑わい忘れられず
edo no nigiwai wasure rarezu

the booｍing in Edo
is unforgettable

praying for rain

This is a photo up loaded to Narayanan's site.

Issa
雨乞に夜ひと経よむ僧徒哉
ame-goi ni yo hito kyou yomu souto kana

translated by sakuo
praying for rain
in night intone a sutra
Buddist monk

sakuo

Rice tax is the half of harvest

1814 52 years old.

一茶
枯々や俵の山になく烏
karegare ya tawara no yama ni naku karasu

David’s English
winter withering
on a pile of rice bags
the crow caws

sakuo Renku
米の半分年貢で取られ
kome no hanbun nengu de torare

the half of the harvest
robbed as rice-tax

return to Nature

1826 Age 64

一茶
置露や我は草木にいつならん
oku tsuyu ya ware wa kusaki ni itsu naran

David’s English
dewdrops forming--
when might I become
grass...or a tree?


sakuo Renku
自然に戻る時ぞ近づく
shizen ni modoru toki zo tikaduku

returning to Nature
the time come up

Poor General

1804
一茶
鍋ずみを目口に入てなく蛙
nabe-zumi wo meguchi ni irete naku kawazu

David’s English
the kettle's soot
in his mouth and eyes...
croaking frog

David’s image
Someone (Issa?) is cleaning soot from a kettle, some of which is getting into the frog's mouth and eyes.

1804
age 42 years, leaving from Katsusika sect, study at Natsume who was his teacher as well as rich sponsor helping Issa’s life.

sakuo’s image
The frog is Issa who was poor and need help of Natsume, at whose house Issa visited everyday for getting meal and money. He did housekeeping works, for example, sweeping soot, repairing screen and everything. He was called as poor general or poor god.

sakuo’s Renku
皆が笑う貧乏大将
minna ga warau binbou-taisyou

All laugh at me
Poor General

Chiyoni's well bucket

year unknown

一茶
鶯のはねかへさるるつるべ哉
uguisu no hanekae saruru tsurube kana

David's English
the nightingale
is bouncing about...
well bucket

David’s image
I picture a nightingale landing on a hanging bucket that starts rocking wildly up and down: an ephemeral moment captured in haiku.

sakuo's image.
The nightingale is Issa who lived in 1763—1827
The most famous haiku related to [well bucket] made by Chiyoni lived in 1703—1775
So when Issa look at well bucket, he reminded Chiyoni.

sakuo's Renku
朝顔つるべ
千代尼に参った
asagao turube chiyoni ni maitsuta

the well bucket and morning glory
I surrender to Chiyoni

self portrait

dream for ever

1806

一茶
山里の寝顔にかかるかすみ哉
yama-zato no ne-gao ni kakaru kasumi kana

David's English
draping the mountain
village's sleeping face...
mist

sakuo's Renku
夢の続きを何時までも
yume no tuduki wo itumade mo

wish the dreams
continuing for ever

Sandy san

Sandy san,
I don'nt know how to up load image file to WHC-m.
So I show you my remaking of your Haiga at here.
If it would be helpfull for your imagination, I am very appriciated.


sakuo.