Basho Revisited, in the daytime a lock

In summer 1693 Basho decided to lock himself up. He would like to think over is his life and closed the gate to his home. You can see this as a retreat. He needed to seek closure for his life as a haiku master.
The following haiku he wrote, when he took this decision.

asagao ya   hiru wa jo orosu   mon mo kaki


morning glories
in the daytime a lock
upon the gate

With this haiku came a preface "Remarks on Closing the Gate', ... if anyone comes, I have to make unnecessary talk. If I go out to visit anyone, I feel bad for disturbing his living. I should be content without any friends. I should feel wealthy in spite of my poverty. A fifty-year-old man writes this for himself as precept for his edification'.
During the months of July and August, Basho closed his gate to visitors. Because the morning glory flower closes up during the day.

Looking to this I had the idea myself to go on a retreat, but that's not my way of living. I love people around me and I, for sure, will not close my gate for visitors. I am the opposite of Basho. I embrace the people around me. I can't live without them. Of course ... I take sometimes a few days for myself, but that's more to come to myself, to get new energy and inspiration.

Chevrefeuille's haiku-blog

a few days
to become myself
and be inspired


the Honeysuckle
in front of my house
guards the gate

A few new haiku inspired on the one by Basho. Are these in his Spirit? I don't know but these haiku wearing my signature that's for sure.

Basho Revisited continues 'till episode 75, so a little more than ten episodes will follow.

See you later ... as I will revisit Basho again.

Basho Revisited, how sleeves are wetted

According to Jane Reichhold's Old Pond: Basho's (almost) thousand haiku, Basho wrote the following haiku on Mount Yudano (bathroom). On this mountain was a spectacular waterfall which had been a Shinto place of worship since early times. Only men could visit it and only after a rigorous climb with several rituals and services in various temples. At the gate, after purification rites, they must remove their shoes to climb the rocks barefoot. In addition, before being allowed to view this wonder, each men had to swear never to reveal what he witnessed there. In modern times, in interests of disclosure, the secret of Mount Yudano has been revealed.
Due to the wearing away of the rock and the reddish minerals in the thermal-warmed water, the waterfall looks exactly like the private parts of a woman complete with sounds and gushing water. The practice can be thought of as worshipping the reproductive aspect of the feminine earth.
The priest Ekaku had asked Basho to write some poems on his visit to the three holy mountains of Dewa. Basho couldn't do that because it was an awesome experience for him and so he couldn't find the words. Also it was forbidden to talk about what he had witnessed on the mountain.

katara re nu   yudano ni nurasu   tometo kana


forbidden to say
how sleeves are wetted
in the bathroom

It's a strange story, but it has also something ... spiritual. To write a haiku in the same tone and sense as Basho did ... looks like climbing a mountain barefoot, but I will try.

what has happened?
petals of red roses around
the morning glory

an other haiku inspired by the one of Basho:

secret admirer -
petals of red roses around
my morning glory


A little bit of humour :)

Sincerely,

Basho Revisited, in full bloom

Basho was a well known haiku master. He was often invited at parties and Renga sessions and also invited friends at his own house.
The following haiku he wrote before he went off for one of his journeys. The haiku had preface, very common for that time. 'People came to the edge of the town to see me off and we had farewell drinks at the teahouse'.
The haiku is an example of the association and contrast techniques. Both the flowers and the partygoers are in 'full bloom' but the flowers seem to ignore the people while tyhe people admire the flowers. Some sources see the subject as typically 'haikai', because it is usual to go to view cherry blossoms or chrysanthemums, but no body wrote about morning glories (because they were so common).

asagao wa   sakamori shi ra nu   sakari kana

morning glories
ignoring the revelers
in full bloom

The above haiku, not a well known one by the way, was written in the Summer of 1688. Basho was at that time a well respected and honored haiku master with a large group of disciples or students.
What can I do to write a new haiku in the same Spirit as Basho's. I am not (yet) a haiku master. I pretend not to be one, but Basho is one (so not the only one!) who inspires me to write my haiku.

Let me see ... 'morning glories'  were common, so in my haiku there must be a common flower as we know them in The Netherlands (where I live). Also, just as in the haiku by Basho, there have to be people in it. The last sentence 'in full bloom' closes the haiku with strong energy. Well ... I have given it a try.


thousand daisies
around the farmer's house -
lowing of a cow

Is this it? Let me look. First daisies are very common in my country. We see them mostly in the fields of farmers and the lowing of cows ... well cows are very Dutch :)
Yes, I think I succeeded in my goal to write a haiku in Basho's Spirit.

Sincerely,