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

the harvest moon

小林　一茶　1810
.名月やけふはあなたもいそがしき
meigetsu ya kyo^ wa anata mo isogashiki

David’s English
harvest moon--
tonight even you
are busy!

David comment
Is Issa implying that the moon is occupied with business elsewhere and therefore is unable to appear (i.e. it's a cloudy night)? Shinji Ogawa assisted with this translation.

sakuo renku
Issa 1810, age 48 staying in Edo. He was busy at Haiku activity.

各地の連の月見に呼ばれ
kakuti no ren no tsukimi ni yobare

invited to moon party
by every haiku groups

the chicken

小林　一茶　1822
.鶏のかき出したる茸かな
niwatori no kaki-ideshitaru kinoko kana

David’s　English
the chicken
scratches up
a mushroom

David’s comment
In Japanese as in English, this haiku reads as a simple declarative sentence that depicts, in simple terms, a simple scene. Is it too simple, too mundane to be considered poetry? Or is it poetry precisely because of its simplicity, because of Issa's patient attention to a here-and-now scene that others might overlook? The reader must decide.

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

sakuo
At 1822, Issa age 60.
After 8 year’s marriage three babies had lost.
The fourth baby was week.
Having aftereffect of paralysis, he wished a strong baby as his heir,
For increase of love energy he has eagerly collected medical herb.

renku
薬草飲んでわが茸元気に
yakusou non de waga take genkini

drink medical herb
refresh my mushroom

first geese

Issa, 1808
On November after long dispute the treaty settled among his families.
Geese come from north for passing winter.
They visit the poor town because they could glean ears of rice after finishing harvest.
The poor is the town, the fast harvest finish and the fast geese come.

sakuo Renku
冬又早く厳しい暮らし
fuyu mata hayaku kibishii kurasi

winter comes fast
and severe life

smoky

小林　一茶　1815年
けぶたくも庵を放れな鳴千鳥
kebutaku mo io wo hanare na naku chidori

David’s English
though it's smoky
don't leave my hut!
singing plover

Kebutai or kebutashi is an old word meaning to suffocate on smoke; Kogo dai jiten (Shogakukan 1983) 570. http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo inspired.
Plover is Kiku, Issa’s young wife.
1814, Age 52,
April married with Kiku at age 28.
August went to Edo for Haiku business, stayed till the end of the year.
December went back home.
1815,
Again leaving young wife,
September went to Edo.
December backed to home.

renku
隣の婆さん菊苛めるな
tonari no baasan kiku ijimeru na

granny next door
don’t disturb Kiku

spring butterfly

一茶 1814年52歳
.春のてふ大盃を又なめよ
haru no cho^ o^sakazuki wo mata name yo

David’s English
spring butterfly
at the big sake cup...
sip again!

Issa, 1814, age 52.
Married with 28 years young bride named Kiku
Chrysanthemum.
Kiku is a flower, so butterfly is Issa. Sake-cup means female organ.

sakuo renku
年寄り婿のお腰が立たず
tosiyori muko no okosi ga tatazu

old bridegroom
being unable to stand up

decorating the dog

Issa 1808 age 46.

David English translation

sakuo renku
Bush clover is one of representatives of autumn blooms.
From old times many poems have been created.
Of course Issa well knew it.

three days waiting

Issa, 1818, Age 56
夕立を三日待たせて三粒哉
yu^dachi wo mikka matasete mi tsubu kana

David's English
three days waiting
for this cloudburst...
three drops

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

sakuo renku
夜中に大雨あわてて行水
yonaka ni o-ame awatete gyouzui

heavy rain in mid night
rush to shower

whose palanquin?

by Issa, 1820

David’s comment
Some rich person being carried in a palanquin orders steaming hot buckwheat noodles being sold by a street vendor. Shinji Ogawa explains that the ni ("two") and hachi ("eight") in the name derive from the fact that these noodles were made with 20% flour and 80% buckwheat.

GABI’s info,.
More about the palanquin in Japan

sakuo renku
Who did ride on the palanquin?
I think it is a Gesya girl who has been called.

cold cold

Issa,original 1803
.風寒し寒し寒しと瓦当哉
kaze samushi samushi samushi to gwato^ kana

David's English and comment
"The wind
is cold! cold! cold!"
ceramic lamp

Issa imagines that his "ceramic lamp" (to^sei) is speaking ... and complaining.


Gabi’s information on gwato^瓦当
gatou mon'you　瓦当文様

sakuo aditinal

night traveler

Issa original
.夕涼に笠忘れけり後の宿　
yu^suzu ni kasa wasure keri ato no yado

David’s English
evening cool—
my umbrella-hat left
at the last inn

1821 age 59 http://cat.xula.edu/issa/　
after his marriage 7 years has passed. He already lost three children.

sakuo adtional
先に届いて夜旅迎える　

sakini totoite yotabi mukaeru

having been delivered
meet night traveler

lying spread-eagle

by Issa, 1813

David's comment http://haikuguy.com/issa/search.php?keywords=lying+spread-eagle&year=1813

sakuo comment.
1813, age51, In autumn, his inheritance dispute finally settled, he moves into his family home.
The dispute has longed for 13 years. Finally he got the half of father’s asset from his half brother’s family.
Almost villagers have supported half brother’s side.

sakuo renku.

Rat Day

by Issa
year unknown but same haikus in 1817 .
As formal wears instead of [formal trousers] there are used [courtier’s cap] and [a sword strapped] in those haikus.

Dr. David translates and comments

sakuo comment
Starting at Royal court, the Rat Day became popular spring festival
in Edo era.
Probably Issa would see his first son among the children.
He has died on May last year


Szeryng / Rubinstein - Beethoven Sonata No. 5 "Spring"

Mum wine

by Issa, 1820, Age 58.
Last year his daughter died.
Tenth month, his second son is born.

David's translation

sakuo comment and renku
かくれや＝not select house, a hut remote from residence.
呑手を雇ふ; what for the drinkers were hired ?
菊の酒; Mum Festival wine, I could’t find Festival in original haiku.
Mum is his wife, Kiku, chrysanthemum.
Last question; why his wife hired the drinkers, She was expected to
have a baby at early date, wishing that Issa doesn’t get out for drinking.
Then she called drinking friends to her home.

autum butterfly

by Issa 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.

David’s comment


sakuo renku & renga


Harvest moon--- video

dance with cat

by Issa, 1820 age 58.
Last year Sixth month dear daughter died.

Dr.David translation http://cat.xula.edu/issa/

sakuo renku and renga

Saint Jizo

by Issa

Dr,David comment.
Jizo^ is the beloved guardian deity of children. As Gabi Greve notes, Jizo^ is not a "saint" in the strictest sense, since saints are human beings. On the other hand, Jizo^ certainly is a supernatural helper of humans. It is because of this aspect of saintliness that I add "Saint" to the name in my translation: to let Western readers who might not know who Jizo^ is understand at least that he is a helpful religious figure. Most statues of Jizo hold a jewel in the left hand. This one also holds a plum.

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