Basho Revisited, white poppy

This episode I will look closer to another not so wellknown haiku written by 'my master' Matsuo Basho. This haiku he wrote in the Summer of 1683. In that time he used the Kanshicho-style He called it 'in the spirit of the Chinese verse', in that style he didn't used the strict syllables-count of the classical haiku, 5-7-5. He wrote in this style 'till 1685. He even did re-write Kanshicho-styled haiku into the classical way in the years after.
First I will give the Romanji text and there after the English translation.

White poppies

shira geshi ya   shigure no hana no   saki tsu ran

white poppy
it must have bloomed
from a wintry shower

As you can see ... this haiku is in Kanshicho-style. Let's take a closer look at the Romanji text and count the characters (syllables).

shi-ra ge-shi ya (5 syllables or characters)
shi-gu-re no ha-na no (7 syllables or characters)
sa-ki tsu ran (4 syllables or characters)

And now let us look at the English translation. Is that also in Kanshicho?

white poppy (2 syllables)
it must have bloomed (5 syllables)
from a wintry shower (5 syllables)

ps. I have used a syllables-counter on the www 

The English haiku is also in Kanshicho. Kanshicho is just another way of writing haiku.  In our Western world we use our own way of translating the Japanese haiku and that's not always following the classical syllables-count. So maybe we can say that all Western haiku are in Kanshicho?
Well maybe, but as you and I know, in the Western world we have a lot of classical written haiku, sometimes convulsively counted to serve the rules of the classical syllables-count 5-7-5. I am not a fan of that classical style, counted verse, but I do like to write them sometimes. To me the classical way of writing haiku is very difficult. Maybe that's because English isn't my mother tongue.
By the way. The haiku written by Basho, the one in this episode, was published in a three-volume collection of haikai by Ochi Etsujin in 1717.

As you may know, my dear visitors, I write in every episode of Basho Revisited a haiku inspired on the one by Basho and that I try to write that new one in the Spirit of Basho's haiku. I would love to share here a classical counted haiku, but ... well I didn't succeeded in that task. So I have composed a new haiku in Kanshicho-style with a touch of Basho's Spirit in it.

poppies at sunrise

at sunrise
poppies still redder
sacrifice for God

Awesome! Gorgeous haiku in Kanshicho-style. Hope you enjoyed the read and of course the whole episode.

'Till next time.

Basho Revisited, the moon of Seta

I am close to the wiccan and live with the lunar calendar. It is amazing to see that sometimes we have twice a full moon in one month. In the Wiccan tradition we call that Blue Moon this will occur this year in August. In August we have a Blue Moon (on August 31). Blue Moon is for Wiccans worth a celebration and it will be a great celebration.
Basho wrote a haiku on this event of the Blue Moon. It occurred in the Autumn of 1692 as we may belief (according to Jane Reichold) but I did some research on this and came to the conclusion that in Basho's lifetime a Blue Moon had occurred twenty times. According to the year in which the following haiku was written, the Blue Moon, wasn't in Autumn but on April 30th (or in March, as we follow the lunar calendar).
In 1689 a Blue Moon occurred on August 30th and as we know, according to the lunar calendar, this has to be July and that's in the midst of summer. I think Basho was impressed of the Blue Moon and wrote this haiku later. Until now, in my lifetime (1963 - now) a Blue Moon occurred 20 times.
OK back to Basho Revisited.

meigetsu wa   futatsu sugi te mo   seta no tsuki


the full moon
even coming twice in a month
the moon of Seta

A nice one, not so well known, but it shows that Basho was one with nature.
As you have read above I did some research on Blue Moon and while I was doing that I ran into some other names for the moon and in particular the full moon. Names as harvest Moon, Black Moon, Wet - and dry Moon. The last two brought me some insight in the Hawaiian mythology and astrology. So I had to write a haiku on those.

Water Bearer (constellation)

The next haiku is based on the Hawaiian mythology and astrology. The Hawaiians thought that when the moon was in its first quarter in January and February that the moon was a bowl in which the Gods gathered rain water for spring. In that period of the year the Hawaiians can see what they call the Water Bearer (a constellation) the name of the moon in that same period is Kulua.

dripping wet moon
the Water Bearer spills
water from the bowl

Isn't it a nice haiku? It's another one in the Spirit of Chèvrefeuille, but is it in the Spirit of Basho?

'till next time.

Namaste

Basho Revisited, a river breeze

Also published for: The Gooseberry Garden Poetry Picnic

And for: Poets United The Poetry Pantry

In some of Basho's haiku he refers to himself as part of the scene or looks to the scene from a distance. Not very common for haiku poets. It isn't done to be part of your own haiku as haiku poet, but rules are there to be once read and than to forget them immediately.
In the following haiku he does both. He is part of the scene, but is also watching it from a distance. I think it's a great way to write haiku (unless it wasn't common).
This "not being part of your own haiku" is still in our times one of the rules. Rules? Basho once said: "Know the rules of writing haiku and forget them immediately". Well ... that's my way to write haiku. So I 'forgot' the rules of the classical haiku and embraced the rules of the Kanshicho style in which Basho wrote his haiku between 1683 and 1685. In that style the syllable count is different and less important. But as Basho said: "Forget the rules immediately". Well I can say "forgetting the rules feels good and makes my mind free". With that thought I have written all my haiku in this series of Basho Revisited.

kawa kaze ya   usu gaki ki taru   yu suzumi

a river breeze
the one wearing a light persimmon robe
enjoying the coolness

Basho wrote a preface to this haiku. (Source: Jane reichhold's Old Pond: Basho's (almost) thousand haiku).
"Enjoying the cool breeze on the bank of Shijo, an observance is practiced from the beginning to the middle of June. A special floor is set up right on the river, and people enjoy drinking and eating all night. Women tie their sashes correctly tight, and men wear their formal long coats. I see even the apprentices of a cooper and the blacksmith. They seem to have too much leisure time, singing and making noise. This is probably a scene which can only be seen in the capital (Edo, now called Tokyo).

observing the crowd
having fun on the seashore
almost naked

I love the full beaches in summer. Everyone has fun enjoying the warm summer and the coolness of the sea.
Children laugh making sandcastles, grown ups reading, playing, drinking, eating and laughing. Summer is a wonderful season and I think ... everyone enjoys it.

Until next time, sincerely,

Have a great summer! :)

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,

Basho Revisited, washing my feet

The following haiku was published by Daichu in a collection of Basho's handwritten poems, but actually this verse is 'unconfirmed' at being Basho's. Let us take a closer look at the verse.

ashi arote   tsui ake yasuki   maro ne kana


washing my feet
I fall asleep for the short night
with my clothes on

When I read this the first time I thought 'this is a nice haiku by Basho', but when I read further I was struck by lightning as I read the comment of Jane Reichhold that this was an 'unconfirmed' haiku by Basho. I was in shock. This couldn't be. I read the haiku again and again and it stays a haiku by Basho, but why than 'unconfirmed'?
Let us take a closer look. Why do I think this is a haiku by Basho? I don't pretend that I am a Basho connoisseur, but (as other haiku poets say) I write my own haiku in the same tone and sense as Basho. So I think I can say that I know how Basho wrote. Am I immodest ... that's up to you my dear visitors.

Credits: Stonehenge Summer solstice

This haiku has Zen in it, it has humour and it has a season word 'the short night'.
Basho was very tired while he crafted this one, he even don't had the strenght to wash his feet and put off his clothes. While washing his feet he falls asleep and misses the shortest night of the year, the summer solstice. In that part is the Zen. The shortest night missing because you're to tired, it feels like emptiness and also brings enlightenment.
Time is such a rare thing, time flies. Time doesn't excist is what this haiku says. It's a wonderful haiku. Although mentioned an 'unconfirmed' one by Basho. I think it's 'now confirmed' that this is a haiku by Basho. Daichu was right when he enclosed this haiku in the collection of Basho's handwritten haiku.

And now ... I have to write a haiku by myself in Basho's Spirit.

at dawn
I wash my feet with dew
the longest day

Well ... it's not completely in the Spirit of Basho, but it's for sure in the Spirit of Chèvrefeuille ... and that is CONFIRMED :)


Sincerely

Basho Revisited, the sound of water

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

You remember for sure Basho's haiku 'Old Pond':

an old pond
a frog jumps in
the sound of water

The following haiku by Basho has the same third sentence but fails to achieve the importance that it does have in the above verse.
Basho wrote the following haiku in the Summer of 1688.

taneshisa ya   aota ni suzuma   mizu no ato


delightfulness
cooling one self in a rice paddy
the sound of water

As we look closer at both verses we can see the picture, but in 'Old Pond' the main figure is the frog and in 'delightfulness' it's a human. Basho uses the same third sentence but, there is a difference in 'the sound of water'. In 'Old Pond' the sound of water is very short. It's just the frog who breaks the water. That sound is the essence of haiku, short as an eye-blinck, just a 'aha-erlebnis'.
In 'delightfulness' the sound of water is made by a human who is cooling his feet in the water of the rice paddy. That 'sound of water' is a longer sound, the sound of splashing. In 'delightfulness' the cool water of the rice paddy is the 'aha-erlebnis'. How refreshing the cool water of the rice paddy on a hot summer day.

In my opinion 'the sound of water' in 'Old Pond' is stronger and important for the picture. In 'delightfulness' 'the sound of water' is less important for the picture. It's the coolness of the water of the rice paddy that's important.
Well it's just a thought, a reverie ....

with my bare feet
in the cool grass of dawn
Ah! what a feeling

Not bad I think. A well balanced haiku written in a sleepless night. Is this in the Spirit of Basho? Yes, I think so ...

Sincerely,

Basho Revisited, even a long day

The Skylark is a great singer. It could be easily compared with the Nightingale who's song is delicious and delicate. I wrote several haiku about the skylark, for example:

the last rays of light

skylarks falling towards earth -

cicadas sing

or

skylark, skylark
what has become of you
I miss your song

But this series is not about haiku which I have written, it's about Basho's haiku.
In the Summer of 1687 Basho wrote the next one:

nagaki hi mo    saezuri tara nu    hibari kana


even a long day
is not enough for the singing
of a skylark

This is very true. I love to hear the song of the skylark 24/7 because its song is so ... breath taking. His song makes me happy. For his song the day is never to long, it's never enough.

skylark's song
even in my dreams
he still sings

Isn't it a great feeling that even in our dreams the skylark sings his song?

This is what haiku must be, a lovely picture full of grace ... and in the Spirit of Basho.


Sincerely,