Whilst learning how to speak Japanese or travelling in Japan, you will most likely come across a well known form of poetry known as ‘ Haiku ‘.
‘Haiku’ started as ‘ Hokku ‘ or ’starting verse ‘- the opening and most important stanza in a longer group of linked verses. Towards the end of the Nineteenth Century the term haiku came into popular usage and the 17 syllable form consisting of three lines of verse was established.
The first line of a haiku traditionally contains 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables and the third line 5 syllables.
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), a Japanese poet is recognised as a master of ‘classical haiku’. In his literary work, Basho used zen-like perceptions and observations of the world around him which imbued his poetry with profound beauty and meaning. He also had a sense of humour.
Here is taste of some of his work:
An old pond!
A frog jumps in-
The splash of water.
Now then, let’s go out
to enjoy the snow…
until I slip and fall!
Harvest moon:
around the pond I wander
and the night is gone.
No blossoms and no moon,
and he is drinking sake
all alone!
Won’t you come and see
loneliness? Just one leaf
from the kiri tree.
Temple bells die out.
The fragrant blossoms remain.
A perfect evening!
Another year is gone.
A traveler’s shade on my head,
straw sandals at my feet
