HAIKUby peter van der meulen

A haiku is a three line poem consisting of 5–7–5 syllables

for example:

the/ ca/the/dral/ bell (5)is sha/king/ a / few/ snow/flakes (7)from/ the/ mor/ning/ air (5)

-Virgilio

HISTORY

Haiku evolved from tanka (short poems) 31 syllable poems structured 5-7-5-7-7 developed by court poets in the Heian period (794-1185). These tanka were extended into renga (linked verses).

Renga were written in groups with a hokku (opening verse) of 17 syllables (5-7-5) which established a seasonal setting or mood around which the remainder of the poem was fashioned.

Four concepts intrinsic to a true haiku…

kigo

kireji

yugen

& kyo

kigo - a word suggesting a season

kireji - a cutting word such as ya… a moment to meditate

yugen - lies beneath the surface… touches the heart

kyo – become one with the object… do not impose yourself on it

-Bashõ

The original Japanese exhibits the 5-7-5 structure.

The translation most often does not.

furuike ya the old pond kawazu tobikomo a frog jumps mizo no oto splash! in the water

-Bashõ -Bashõ

.

hanamori yashiroki kashira otsukiawase

-Kyori

blossom guardstheir white headsfacing each other

-Kyori

There are four pre-eminent haiku poets…

Matsuo Bashõ

Yosa Buson

Kobayashi Issa

& Masaoka Shiki

MATSUO BASHÕ

1644-1694

Matsuo Bashõ 1644-1694

Airy spirituality

Related consciousness and nature

Objectively represented charged moments of real experience

how art beginsrice planting songsin the deep interior

-Bashõ

the winter stormhid in the bamboo groveand quieted away

-Bashõ

a clear waterfall into the ripple fall green pine needles -Bashõ

YOSA BUSON

1716-1783

Yosa Buson 1716-1783

By treating haiku images in a painterly style, highlighted imaginative expression

evening breeze — water is slapping against the legs of a white heron

-Buson

summer night ending so soon, on the river shallows still remains the moon in a sliver

-Buson

komu na yo gamata mo aro katsuki ni kari -Buson

will it come again…another night like this onewild geese and the moon

-Buson

KOBAYASHI ISSA

1763-1827

Kobayashi Issa 1763-1827

Childlike identification with nature and human behavior

Provided poetic experience accessible to common man.

“I make my appearance I. . . the toad emerge from my thicket.”

-Issa

the snail climbs Mount Fuji slowly. . .slowly

-Issa

the peonymade me measure itwith my fan

-Issa

MASAOKA SHIKI

1867-1902

Matsuoka Shiki 1867-1902

First modern haiku poet

Introduced witty tone and mental play

Popularized term haiku

write me down as one who loved poetryand persimmons

-Shiki

a school of trout swam bythe color of the water

-Shiki

going out of the house ten pacesand the vast autumn sea

-Shiki

on the sandy beachfootprints. . .long is the day of spring

-Shiki

Japan’s two main religions. . . Shintoism and Zen Buddhism. . . are both expressed through Haiku.

Shintoism worships kami – the spirits of nature.

oh butterfly. . .what are you dreaming fanning your wings

-Chiyo-ni

to pluck it a pityto leave it a pityah. . .this violet

-Naojo

Zen Buddhism which strives for nirvana through meditation.

the moon in the waterbroken and broken againstill it is there

-Choshu

snow has meltedon one shoulder of the great Buddha

-Shiki

from the noseof the colossal Buddha a swallow emerges

-Issa

Through haiku we are released into nearness.

As with all genuine art,

a true haiku is a clarification of

experience.

Roses. . . the flowers are easy to paint the leaves difficult

-Shiki

Class contemplating Japanese art in springtime… inspirational!

- ART 221-001 5/2009

Thank you, for your time. -peter