Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,
After his "Narrow Road" Basho stayed on traveling through his world, ancient Japan. In the summer of 1690 he visited Kyoto (nowadays Tokyo) and he wrote our haiku for today,
a river breeze" on the river bank at Shijo at Kyoto. It's assumed that there is a picture of Basho wearing a light persimmon robe. That persimmon robe is the theme of this haiku.
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
and write all my haiku.
kawa kaze
ya usu gaki ki taru yu suzumi
a river
breeze
the one wearing a light persimmon robe
enjoying the coolness
© Basho (Tr. jane Reichhold)
With this haiku came, as was common use in Basho's time, a preface to introduce the haiku moment. Such a preface however can pollute the scene for the reader, who has maybe another scene in his/her mind while reading the haiku. As I look at myself than I am not a proponent of such introductory prefaces because I love to "make my own visual" of the haiku. Both, the poet and the reader of the poem are the heart and soul of the poem, together they make the haiku, but that's just my opinion.
"From the beginning to the middle of June, a special platform is set up right on the river bank at Shijo at Kyoto, and people enjoy drinking and eating all night. Women tie their sashes properly, 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 that can only be seen in the capital".
It's a wonderful haiku and there is enough inspiration hidden in it to write an all new haiku as is our goal ...
This is my attempt:
hot summer day
lying naked in the sun
no need for coolness
© Chèvrefeuille
 |
hot summer day
forest bathing in the nude
enjoying the coolness
© Chèvrefeuille |
This episode is
open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until May 31st at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode,
moonrise, later on.
