One of the ideas that I had about traditional haiku was that it was always supposed to be a serious, meaningful reflection - or "snapshot", as we discussed last week - of nature or life. Turns out that is completely untrue. Many of the old masters wrote humorous haiku reflecting their situations as well, and late 19th-early 20th century haiku writers invoked more of modern life into their writings.
"The mosquitoes are out, they're out!"
says the idler,
walking along, slapping them.
says the idler,
walking along, slapping them.
- Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827)
Just now, the three bases
are loaded; uncontrollably
my heart is pounding.
- Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)
Changing lodgings,
pulling out nose hair, too;
plum flowers.
Uejima Onisura (1661-1738)
Just like the persimmons,
my testicles are cold
in the autumn wind.
Taigu Ryokan (1758-1831)
Ignoring the fact that I need
to sleep;
cats in spring
Inoue Seigetsu (1822-1887)
In a lodging you have gotten used to,
even the mosquitos
are interesting.
Takahama Kyoshi (1874-1959)
Completely naked,
I write and offer up a thought
for today.
Ogiwara Seisensui (1884-1976)
Shelling chestnuts;
how happy the children in beddy-bye will be
tomorrow.
Sugita Hisajo (1890-1946)
Will it be puckery?
I don't know;
I don't know;
the first-picked persimmon.
Fukuda Chiyo-Ni (1703-1775)
Our first telephone.
And sure enough,
my father's voice.
Hoshino Tatsuko (1903-1984)
Works cited:
Wilson, William Scott. A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Haiku: Tuttle Publishing, New York: 2022.
W. in CA
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chuckle, TB!
We can definitely identify with trying to sleep with our neighbors cats prowling on Spring and Summer nights!
Sleep can't come quickly.
Felines carouse and fight loud!
Despise their complaints!
Cats figure prominently into several haikus. Apparently they were quite common, judging from the commentary on them.
DeleteIn, out, in, out - Stop!
Can you not make up your mind?
"Just one more time, please."
Several of those tickled my fancy.
ReplyDeleteEd, the variety of life that is reflected in them is far beyond what most people associate with Haikus, I think.
DeleteAhem....Taigu Ryokan certainly got to the nub of the matter TB. This old man appreciates that reaction......:)
ReplyDeleteTheir honest reflections are sometimes surprising to me. We do not "think" of a poetry style with that kind of earthiness.
DeleteI'd say it still tracks. After all, where once photography was used as a novel, then time-saving, replacement for fancy portraits of fancy people, one might now be excused for thinking that its chief purpose is to capture moments of one's pets being silly little goobers.
ReplyDeletePorcelain shards fly,
Elixir of life wasted.
Yeah, the coffee was hot.
... Five, seven, five, Peanut. Not five, seven, six. D'oh.
DeleteP_P - So there is a school of haiku that uses 18 syllables instead of 17, so you are not wrong.
DeletePuddles of coffee
sadden me as I clean up:
Where is my caffeine?
Even humor is meaningful in the human experience. :)
ReplyDeleteWe humans sometimes take everything too seriously.
Delete