Haiku Room

Welcome to haiku room.
How about having a break?

There is short poetry called a haiku poem in Japan.
“Haiku “is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables in the pattern of 5-7-5 .
Including a seasonal word in it.
The splendid haiku resembles a splendid picture.
The following are famous haiku.

閑さや  岩にしみ入る  蝉の声

Shizukasa ya
Iwa ni shimiiru
Semi no koe

The utter silence …, cutting through the very stone a cicada’s rasp
by Matso Basyo (1644-1694)

season word : 蝉 = semi = cicada
season : 夏=natsu=summer

1689, Basho made this haiku in Risshaku-ji Temple in Yamagata.
The scenery does not still change.

大紅葉 燃え上らんと  しつつあり

Oo-momiji
Moe agaranto
Shitsutsu ari

autumn foliage, mountain is likely to burn.
by Takahama Kyoshi  (1874-1959)

season word : 紅葉=Momiji=autumn foliage
season :秋=aki=autumn

The autumn leaves, there, are extremely beautiful.
It seems that the mountain is burning.

こがらしや　海に夕日を　吹き落す

Kogarashi ya
Umi ni yu-hi o
Fuki tobasu

The cold winter wind
Has blown the evening sun
Beyond the sea.
by Natsume Soseki （1867-1916）

season word : こがらし=kogarashi=cold winter wind
season : 冬=fuyu=winter

菜の花や 月は東に 日は西に

Na-no-hana ya
Tsuki wa higashi ni
Hi wa Nishi ni

Canola flower
The moon rises in the east
The sun sets in the west
by Yosa Buson (1716-1784)

season word : 菜の花=Na-no-hana=Canola flower
season : 春=haru=spring

extensive fields of Canola flower
The time zone which is daytime and also night
The moon rises in the east ,The sun sets in the west

夏草や つわものどもが 夢の跡

Natsu-kusa ya
Tsuwamono domo ga
Yume no ato

Summer grasses
All that remains
Of warriors’ dreams
by Matso Basyo (1644-1694)

season word : 夏草=Natsu-kusa=Summer grasses
season : 夏=natsu=Summer

Basho made this haiku in Hiraizumi.
Hiraizumi was a big city 900 years ago.
Population is 100,000 people.
Hiraizumi disappeared by war.
The Basho visits Hiraizumi 300 years ago.
There was not the city that prospered there.
Only summer grass was growing luxuriantly.

荒海や 佐渡に横たふ 天の川

Ara-umi ya
Sa-do ni yokotau
ama-no-gawa

Billow-crested seas!
Flowing towards Sado Isle
heaven’s Milky Way
by Matso Basyo (1644-1694)

season word : 天の川=ama-no-gawa=heaven’s Milky Way
season : 秋=aki=autumn

1689, Basho made this haiku in Izumozaki ( Niigata).
Sado is island.
Political offenders exiled to Sado in old days.
Heaven’s Milky between Izumozaki and Sado.

大空に 伸び傾ける 冬木かな    

O-zora ni
Nobi Katamukeru
Fuyu-ki kana

Under the wide open sky
A winter tree is spreading
And leaning to one side
by Takahama Kyoshi  (1874-1959)

season word : 冬木=Fuyu-ki=winter tree
season : 冬=fuyu=winter

古池や蛙飛こむ水のおと

Furu-ike ya
Kawazu tobikomu
Mizu no oto

An old silent pond,
A frog jumps intothe pond,
splash! Silence again.
by Matso Basyo (1644-1694)

season word : 蛙=Kawazu=frog
season : 春=haru =spring