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--Apple-Mail-2-475603317
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This is a bit away from the usual topics here, but a couple of months=20
back, someone on NatureNS (I forget who -- Brian?) remarked upon the=20
extreme coincidence of questions coming up about a crane fly's=20
identity, with the fact that he was that very day about to teach a=20
class using a haiku involving the crane fly, by the Japanese poet Issa.
I'd never heard of Issa, but like epigrams about insects so wrote to=20=
the wife of a colleague who I know well, and who's knowledgeable about=20=
Japanese life and culture. They're both Japanese and live in the=20
largest city Fukuoka/Hakata on the south island, Kyushu, and I asked if=20=
she knew of any haiku including the crane fly/insects, or anything=20
about this poet. That part of her reply is included next, which,=20
along with the haiku examples from Issa that she sent, some may find=20
interesting. The fourth line added to each appears to be the English=20
transliteration of the original haiku.
Steve
(I sent this earlier but it didn't go through -- have changed the=20
subject line in case that's the problem)
... I also examined ISSA=92s poems translated into English. I copied=20
some below.=A0 ISSA who lived in 18 century is very popular here because=20=
we learn his poems in school. He made many poems, which have affection=20=
to something weak such as children and insects. Haiku is the poem with=20=
5-7-5 syllables and there is a rule that it has to include the word=20
which represents the season.=A0 Crane-Fly is a common insect here and is=20=
used as the word which represents summer. The image of Crane-Fly in=20
English is somehow romantic but Japanese name GAGANBO doesn=92t sound=20
beautiful. Anyway the poem you sent me is difficult for me so I=92ll=20
spend time studying it.=A0 The New York Times article about Fukuoka is=20=
also interesting. I didn=92t know about it. I=92m going to show the=20
article to my friends who learn English together.=A0
> Now cosmos are in full blossom ...=A0=A0=A0=A0
>
>
> =A0
> [INCH by INCH - 45 HAIKU by ISSA]
> First lightning bug this year
> Why do you turn away?
> It's me, Issa!
> Hatsubotaru Naze Hikikaesu Oredazoyo
> =A0
> Singing high ---
> A cricket on a log
> floating down the river
> Nakinagara Mushinonagaruru Ukigikana
> =A0
> A firefly
> creeping up my sleeve
> OK, I'm a blade of grass
> Wagasodeo Kusatoomouka Hau Hotaru
> =A0
> =46rom mossy stones
> clear water --- ha!
> Come on pigeons, sparrows!
> Kokeshimizu Saa Hatomokoyo Suzumekoyo
> =A0=A0
> No talent
> No blame either
> Now I'm in winter retreat
> Nounashiwa Tsumimomatanashi Fuyugomori
> =A0
--Apple-Mail-2-475603317
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
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<fontfamily><param>Comic Sans MS</param>This is a bit away from the
usual topics here, but a couple of months back, someone on NatureNS=20
(I forget who -- Brian?) remarked upon the extreme coincidence of
questions coming up about a crane fly's identity, with the fact that
he was that very day about to teach a class using a haiku involving
the crane fly, by the Japanese poet Issa. =20
I'd never heard of Issa, but like epigrams about insects so wrote
to the wife of a colleague who I know well, and who's knowledgeable
about Japanese life and culture. They're both Japanese and live in
the largest city Fukuoka/Hakata on the south island, Kyushu, and I
asked if she knew of any haiku including the crane fly/insects, or
anything about this poet. That part of her reply is included next,
which, along with the haiku examples from Issa that she sent, some may
find interesting. The fourth line added to each appears to be the
English transliteration of the original haiku. =20
Steve =20
(I sent this earlier but it didn't go through -- have changed the
subject line in case that's the problem)=20
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><color><param>076F,36A0,FFFD</param>...
I also examined ISSA=92s poems translated into English. I copied some
below.=A0 ISSA who lived in 18 century is very popular here because we
learn his poems in school. He made many poems, which have affection to
something weak such as children and insects. Haiku is the poem with
5-7-5 syllables and there is a rule that it has to include the word
which represents the season.=A0 Crane-Fly is a common insect here and is
used as the word which represents summer. The image of Crane-Fly in
English is somehow romantic but Japanese name GAGANBO doesn=92t sound
beautiful. Anyway the poem you sent me is difficult for me so I=92ll
spend time studying it.=A0 The New York Times article about Fukuoka is
also interesting. I didn=92t know about it. I=92m going to show the
article to my friends who learn English together.=A0
<excerpt>Now cosmos are in full blossom =
...=A0=A0=A0=A0</excerpt></color></fontfamily><excerpt>
<color><param>076F,36A0,FFFD</param>
</color><fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=A0</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>[INCH by INCH - 45 HAIKU by =
ISSA]</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>First lightning bug this =
year</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Why do you turn away?</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> It's me, Issa!</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Hatsubotaru Naze Hikikaesu =
Oredazoyo</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=A0</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Singing high ---</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> A cricket on a log</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> floating down the river</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Nakinagara Mushinonagaruru =
Ukigikana</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=A0</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>A firefly</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> creeping up my sleeve</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> OK, I'm a blade of grass</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Wagasodeo Kusatoomouka Hau =
Hotaru</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=A0</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=46rom mossy stones</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> clear water --- ha!</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Come on pigeons, sparrows!</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Kokeshimizu Saa Hatomokoyo =
Suzumekoyo</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>=A0=A0</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>No talent</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> No blame either</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Now I'm in winter retreat</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> Nounashiwa Tsumimomatanashi =
Fuyugomori</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Century</param>=A0</fontfamily>
</excerpt>=
--Apple-Mail-2-475603317--
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Index of Subjects