6 Fusei Tomiyasu
(1885-1979)
(1885-1979)
Haiku by Japanese Poets 2
translated by Fay Aoyagi
translated by Fay Aoyagi
7 Dakotsu Iida
(1885-1962)
(1885-1962)
from Gendai no Haiku (Modern Haiku), edited by Shobin Hirai, Kodansha,
Tokyo, 1996
Tokyo, 1996
nanimokamo shitteirunari kamado neko
it knows
everything
a cat in the stove ash
kamado neko (cat in the stove ash) is a winter kigo.
it knows
everything
a cat in the stove ash
kamado neko (cat in the stove ash) is a winter kigo.
waga tsukue tsuma ga shimewori tsukushi muku
my wife
takes up my desk
to peel horsetails
my wife
takes up my desk
to peel horsetails
nanohana to iu heibon o aishikeri
commonness
of rape blossoms
I admire
commonness
of rape blossoms
I admire
kitsunebi o shinji otoko o shinjizaru
she believes
the spirit of fox god
but does not trust men
she believes
the spirit of fox god
but does not trust men
utsukushiki shi o kantan ni oshieraru
I learn
beauty of dying
from a tree cricket
I learn
beauty of dying
from a tree cricket
hatsu nagisa fumite yowai o aishikeri
walking on the beach
for the first time of the year
I love my old age
walking on the beach
for the first time of the year
I love my old age
tamashii no tatoeba aki no hotaru kana
his spirit
I see it
in the autumn firefly
this haiku was written upon a death of the writer, Ryunosuke
Akutagawa.
his spirit
I see it
in the autumn firefly
this haiku was written upon a death of the writer, Ryunosuke
Akutagawa.
chi o tarite bogyuu no ayumu fuyuhi kana
a cow walks
dripping her milk
a winter day
a cow walks
dripping her milk
a winter day
nomichi yuku aki no ashioto shitagaeri
a walk through the field
footsteps of autumn
follow me
a walk through the field
footsteps of autumn
follow me
shunsetsu ni ko no shi aitsugu asa no shoku
morning candle
a death of my another son
on a day of spring snow
First and third sons of Dakotsu died in World War II.
morning candle
a death of my another son
on a day of spring snow
First and third sons of Dakotsu died in World War II.
chi ni chikaku sakite tsubaki no hana ochizu
blooming near
the ground
a camellia does not fall
blooming near
the ground
a camellia does not fall
ushi ayumu tsuchi ni hibikite kofuurin
cows walking--
an old wind chime
resonates with the earth
cows walking--
an old wind chime
resonates with the earth
imo no tsuyu renzan kage o tadashuusu
dew on potatoes
the mountain ridge straightens
its shadow
This is Dakotsu's most famous haiku.
In this page, I failed to translate the power of his haiku into
English. I do hope, at least, I stirred reader's interest to
explore in his wok. I believe that Dakotsu Iida is one of the
greatest haiku poets in the twentieth century.
dew on potatoes
the mountain ridge straightens
its shadow
This is Dakotsu's most famous haiku.
In this page, I failed to translate the power of his haiku into
English. I do hope, at least, I stirred reader's interest to
explore in his wok. I believe that Dakotsu Iida is one of the
greatest haiku poets in the twentieth century.