wild geese

Issa 一茶 1825

雁がねの気どきに並ぶ烏かな

kari ga ne no kidori ni narabu karasu kana

David’s English

wild geese clamoring
and one pretentious
crow

Note: wild geese

Sakuo haiga

sleeping in

Masajo　真砂女1969 age 63

カーテンの二重に垂るゝ朝寝かな

Ka^ten no nijyu^ni taruru asane kana

Lee & Emiko’s English

window curtains---

a double layer

for sleeping in

Seasonal word: sleeping in (spring)

Sakuo haiga

winter rain

Issa　一茶　1821

古郷は小意地の悪い時雨哉

furusato wa ko iji no warui shigure kana

David’s English

my home village
in an ugly mood...
the winter rain

similar haiku: winter rain

Sakuo haiga

a night of spring

Masajo　真砂女1969 age 63

水飲みてふたたびねむり夜半の春

mizu nomite futatabi nemuri yowa no haru

Lee & Emiko’s English

a drink of water

then again to sleep

a night in spring

Seasonal word: a night in spring (spring)

Note: The spring night is somewhat sensual, while the autumn night is solitary or lonely.

Sakuo haiga

smelling

Issa　一茶　1818

酒臭し小便くさし菊の花

sake kusashi sho^ben kusashi kiku no hana

David’s English

smelling like sake
smelling like piss
chrysanthemums

Note:http://haikuguy.com/issa/search.php?keywords=smelling+like+sake&year=1818

Sakuo haiga

April Fool

Masajo　真砂女1969 age 63

四月馬鹿髪結いあげてどこへも出ず
shigatsu baka kami yuiagete doko e mo dezu

Lee & Emiko’s English

April Fool---
I do up my hair and go
nowhere

Seasonal word: April fool (spring)

Sakuo haiga

decent spring

Issa　一茶　1822　age 60

一面にろくな春也門の雪

ichimen ni rokuna haru nari kado no yuki

David’s English

everywhere I look
a decent spring...
snow at my gate

Note: key word is decent spring.

sakuo haiga

solitude too

Masajo　真砂女1906 age 63

淋しさも草を焼く火もひろごりぬ

sabishisa mo kusa wo yaku hi mo hirogorinu

Lee & Emiko’s English

solitude, too

fire burning grass, too

have spread

Seasonal word: burning grass (spring)

Sakuo haiga

for the crow

Issa　一茶　

跡臼は烏のもちか西方寺

ato usu wa karasu no mochi ka saiho^ji

David’s English

is the next batch of rice cakes
for the crow?
Saiho Temple

Shinji Ogawa notes that ato usu means "the next batch of rice cakes" (not, as I originally thought, the "tub in back"). Issa makes a statement instead of a question: "The next batch of rice cakes is for the crow" (ato usu wa karasu no mochi ya). There are two types of usu or mill: (1) shiki usu (grinding hand-mill) and (2) a large wooden tub used for rice or herb cake making. The cake maker pounds the ingredients with a wooden mallet. The second definition fits here.

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

Not: Saiho Temple by Gavi

sakuo　haiga

blue blossom

Masajo　真砂女 1906 age 63

旅かなし白梅むしろ青しと見

tabi kanashi hakubai mushi ro aoshi to mi

Lee & Emiko’s English

sadness on a journey---

white plum blossoms

I see as blue

Seasonal word: white plum blossoms (spring)

Sakuo haiga

paper robes

Ｉｓｓａ　一茶　translated　Dr.　David

well suited--
down the slope they go
in paper robes

niaishi ya onnazaka oriru kamiko-dachi

.似合しや女坂下る紙衣達

by Issa, 1813

Paper robe (kamiko) is a winter season word: a thin, wind-resistant outer kimono. Onnazaka is a gentle slope.

Note　by　Greve Gabi　

Kamiko, the paper robes: http://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/2008/05/paper-robes-kamiko.html

Onnazaka, women’s slope: http://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/07/womens-slope.html

Sakuo haiga

frozen star

Masajo 真砂女 1961 age 55

凍星のわれをゆるさぬ光かな

iteboshi no ware wo yurusanu hikari kana

Lee & Emiko’s English

frozen star ---

unforgiving light

falls on me

Seasonal word: frozen star (winter)

sakuo haiga

has greened

Issa　一茶　1813　

age 51　one year before marriage

at the gate
a palm-sized rice field too
has greened

門先や掌程の田も青む

kado saki ya tenohira hodo no ta mo aomu

translated by Dr. David.

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

sakuo haiga

snow on snow

Masajo　真砂女　1961年　55歳

同じ空の下に住む雪つもるかな

onaji sora no sitani sumu yuki tsumoru kana

Lee & Emiko’s English

under the same sky

your life and my life…

snow piles on snow

Seasonal word; snow ( winter )

Note: Masajo moved to live in Tokyo, and her lover was in a

sanatorium in suburb of Tokyo. Masajo looked up in the sky and

thought they were living under the same sky now. Snow was falling

and was covering the ground. She wondered if his place also

covered with snow.

sakuo haiga

song less

Issa　一茶　1806　age 44

朝顔を 鳴なく したり きりぎりす

asagao wo naki naku shitari kirigirisu

David’s English

leaving the morning-glory
song less...
a katydid

.

Shinji Ogawa paraphrases, "The katydid made the morning-glory unable to sing." He speculates, "Issa may be saying that the katydid sang so well, this made the morning-glory silent." http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo’s haiga

shampooed haire

Masajo 真砂女 1961 age 55

洗髪乾かぬ雪となりにけり

araigami kawakanu yuki to nari ni keri

Lee & Emiko’s English

shampooed hair

remaining damp

it becomes snowy

Seasonal word: snow ( winter)

sakuo haiga

little pilgrim

Issa　一茶　1819　Age　５７

親よぶや凧上ながら小順礼

oya yobu [ya] tako age nagara ko junrei

David’s　English

calling his parents
while his kite rises!
little pilgrim

sakuo haiga

autumn gale

Masajo 真砂女1961 Age 55

野分中波にのまれてしまひたき

nowake naka nami ni nomarete shimaitaki

Lee & Emiko’s English

autumn gale---

to be sallowed by a wave

is my wish

Seasonal word: autumn gale (autumn)

sakuo renga

green acorn

Masajo 真砂女1961 Age 55

人恋し青き木の実を掌にぬくめ

hito koishi aoki konomi wo te ni nukume

Lee & Emiko’s English

longing for him

I warm a green acorn

in my hand

Seasonal word: acorn (autumn)

sakuo renga

plum blossom

Issa 一茶 1810 age 48

幼子や掴々したり梅の花

osanago ya nigi nigi shitari ume no hana

David’s English

the child
clutches them tightly...
plum blossoms

Issa suggests that the love of Nature's beauty is part of the human soul, not taught or learned. He also reveals, in this haiku, a connection and affinity between innocent child and fresh spring blossoms. We see in this clutching child a future poet.

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

sakuo renga