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

secluded house

一茶　1816年54歳
.かくれ家や日々草は若くなる
kakurega ya nichi-nichi kusa wa wakaku naru

David’s English
secluded house--
day after day more
baby grass

sakuo paint

for people

小林　一茶　1808年　46歳
人に人かがしにかがし日の暮るる
hito ni hito kagashi ni kagashi hi no kuru[ru]

David’s English
for people
and for scarecrows
the day ends

sakuo renku

over the wall

小林一茶　1825年　63歳
元朝に十念仏のゆききかな
ganchoo ni juu nembutsu no yukiki kana

David’s English
on New Year's morning
the prayers to Buddha
come and go

by Issa, 1825 age 63.

sakuo
It has 5 months passed since his divorce with his second wife.
he was in sick, paralytic.
On new years day he pray Budda, hearing his step brother also
praying too. Because they live side by side in one house, separating
with the wall.

sakuo renku and renga

on New Year's morning

by Issa, 1825 Age 64.

This haiku refers to the nembutsu (namu amida butsu): a prayer of thanksgiving for, and praise of, Amida Buddha's saving grace. Eons ago, Amida promised that all who rely on his saving power will be reborn in the Pure Land (the Western Paradise). According to Shinji Ogawa, the word ju^ nembutsu refers to a Buddhist scripture of that name.
I assume that it refers to a recitation of namu amida butsu ten times in a row. In any case, I took "ten" out of my translation, because this doesn't add much significance for the English speaking reader:
"ten prayers to Buddha" is now "the prayers to Buddha."

Tr. David Lanoue
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

.......................................................................

Here is more about the Amida Prayer.

To recite it 10 times each morning as a practise of the devoted believer.
http://haikutopics.blogspot.com/2006/11/namu-amida-butsu.html

Gabi

midwinter bathing

小林　一茶.寒垢離や首のあたりの水の月
kangori ya kubi no atari no mizu no tsuki

David’s English
midwinter bathing--
his head, the moon
in the water

During the midwinter purification ceremony, a bather's bald head takes the place of the moon in the water.

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


Gabi’s information.
Read more about the winter ascetic practices of Japan
http://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/10/winter-ascetic-practises.html >

frost-killed grass

小林一茶　　1819年　57歳
.霜がれや胡粉の剥し土団子
shimogare ya gofun no hagashi tsuchi dango

David’s English
frost-killed grass--
whitewash peeling off
the mud dumpling

sakuo comment
1819 the most sad year of Issa.
His daughter was affected by smallpox.
As the general custom,he pray fox god,
offering the mud dumpling.
If the sickness would be recovered, the mud
would be painted whitewash.
But she died.

sakuo renku
剥がれて吾が子　あの世へ旅立つ
hagarete wagako anoyo he tabidatu

peeling off
she gone to the other world

the hot spring's steam

一茶　　1821年
.温泉のけぶる際より田植哉
onsen no keburu kiwa yori taue kana

David’s English
touched by
the hot spring's steam...
planting rice

sakuo renku
湯治に辛い　田植え歌かな
touji ni turai taueuta kana

bitter to my bath treatment
rice planting song

sidesaddle

Issa’s haiku 1819
横乗の馬のつづくや夕がすみ
yokonori no uma no tsuzuku ya yu^gasumi

David’s English
riding sidesaddle
one by one...
evening mist



sakuo back verse
どこへ行くやら旅の劇団
dokohe iku yara tabi no gekidan

where going
travel drama group

clining to the wall

sakuo front verse
死に別れ独り寝出来ぬ蝶々かな
sini wakare hitori ne no dekinu tyoutyo kana

dead separation
couldn’t sleep alone
butterfly

Issa haiku 1824
ほっとして壁にすがるや夕小てふ
hotto shite kabe ni sugaru ya yu^ ko cho^

David’s English
clinging to the wall
with relief, evening's
little butterfly

sakuo back verse
壁は三月で蝶とお別れ
kabe ha mituki de tyou to owakare

after three months
the wall good-by to
the butterfly

draining the rice field

一茶　1818年落し水鰌も滝を上る也
otoshi mizu dojo^ mo taki wo noboru nari

David’s English
draining the rice field--
a loach also
climbs the rapids

sakuo renku
塾へ通う子夕焼け小焼け
jyuku he kayou ko yuuyake koyake

glowing sunset, declining sunset
attending to a private school

fly umbrella

一茶
.笠の蠅我より先へかけ入ぬ
kasa no hae ware yori saki e kakeirinu

David’s English
the fly on my umbrella-hat
beats me
inside

by Issa, 1819

sakuo renku
先に宿屋でお寿司注文
sakini yadoya de osusi tyumon

order first at the inn
Origa’s Sush

mountain's red leaves

一茶　　1792年

山紅葉入日を空へ返す哉
yama momiji irihi wo sora e kaesu kana

David’s English

mountain's red leaves
the setting sun returns
to the sky

sakuo video

bathing in the fallen

小林　一茶 　1815年
ちる梅をざぶりと浴てなく蛙
chiru ume wo zaburi to abite naku kawazu

David’s English
bathing in the fallen
plum blossoms...
the croaking frog

by Issa, 1815
Last year spring he marries Kiku　28 years.
On the summer and autumn he went to Edo, coming
back at the end of the year.
Next spring time, bathing haiku was made

sakuo renku
春のデュエット　クライマックス
haru no duetsuto kuraimatsukusu

spring duet
reach a climax