Comments : To bring in the New Year, here're two poems, one by Kobayashi Issa and another nod in his direction by Richard Hass. Happy 2015, everyone.
Here's Kobayashi Issa's haiku for the day :
New Year's Day--
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
Translated by Robert Hass
After the gentle poet Kobayashi Issa
Richard Hass
Richard Hass
New Year’s morning—
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
A huge frog and I
staring at each other,
neither of us moves.
staring at each other,
neither of us moves.
This moth saw brightness
in a woman’s chamber—
burned to a crisp.
in a woman’s chamber—
burned to a crisp.
Asked how old he was
the boy in the new kimono
stretched out all five fingers.
the boy in the new kimono
stretched out all five fingers.
Blossoms at night,
like people
moved by music
like people
moved by music
Napped half the day;
no one
punished me!
no one
punished me!
Fiftieth birthday:
From now on,
It’s all clear profit,
every sky.
It’s all clear profit,
every sky.
Don’t worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually.
I keep house
casually.
These sea slugs,
they just don’t seem
Japanese.
they just don’t seem
Japanese.
Hell:
Bright autumn moon;
pond snails crying
in the saucepan.
pond snails crying
in the saucepan.
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