Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Haiku Of Issa





The distant mountains  

are reflected in the eye

of the dragonfly.



Before I arrived,

who were the people living here?

Only the violet flowers remain.




Arise from sleep, old cat,

and with great yawns

and stretchings -

Amble out for love.



Live in simple faith -

just as this

trusting cherry

Flowers, fades, and falls.




What a moon -

if only she were here,

my grumbling wife.




~ Kobayashi Issa

(1763 ~ 1828)


4 comments:

  1. It was saturday afternoon Prannav was talking his mom, suddenly I see Ramesh waving at me and came rushing towards us. I though he might be concerned about me taking Prannav away, He may not know I dont have a place at the moment.

    He came and handed over his collection of Haiku, I latter discovered he was a respected Haiku poet. It have found my last love for Haiku.

    He took Prannav along with him for a movie.
    Issa Haiku flashed in my mind

    Come with me,
    let's play together -
    Sparrow without a mother.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Basho is one of the greatest Haiku Poet but for me no one like Issa.

    Right at my feet --
    and when did you get here,
    snail?

    Once in the box
    every one of them is equal -
    the chess pieces

    Wild goose, wild goose,
    At what age
    Did you make your first journey?


    Not yet become a Buddha,
    This ancient pine tree,
    Dreaming.

    Visiting the graves,
    The old dog
    Leads the way.

    From the Great Buddha's
    great nose, a swallow comes
    gliding out

    First kimono -
    may you quickly grow to
    a naughty age

    Despite the morning frost -
    a child
    selling flowers

    ReplyDelete
  3. And some more too infact, Issa was one of Japan's most prolific poets. He left in his journals over twenty thousand haikus.

    The season's first melon
    clutched in its arms -
    the child sleeps

    The spring rain;
    a little girl teaches
    the cat to dance.

    The winter fly
    I caught and finally freed
    the cat quickly ate

    Goes out,
    comes back--
    the loves of a cat.

    People working fields,
    from my deepest heart, I bow.
    Now a little nap

    serenly
    gazing up at the mountain -
    a toad

    Even with insects--
    some can sing,
    some can't.

    For you too, my fleas,
    the night passes so slowly.
    But you won't be lonely.

    I'm going out,
    flies, so relax,
    make love.

    In this mountain village,
    shining in my soup bowl,
    the bright moon arrives

    The moon and the flowers,
    forty-nine years,
    walking around, wasting time.

    Great moon
    woven in plum scent,
    all mine.

    Here is Shinano
    are famous moons, and buddhas,
    and our good noodles

    Just by being,
    I'm here -
    in the snow-fall.

    Give me a homeland,
    and a passionate woman,
    and a winter alone

    Winter seclusion;
    listening, that evening,
    to rain in the mountains.

    ReplyDelete
  4. See the world through issa heart its lovely until then....

    ReplyDelete