Kobayashi ISSA -- His POETRY

Samples of his Haiku

Kobayashi ISSA's Haiku

Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827) was also an important Japanese haiku poet who contributed to the development and transformation of Basho's original work. The selections below were translated and interpreted by Lucien Stryk and can be found along with many others in his book entitled The Dumpling Field. For more information on Issa and more of his poetry, you can refer to any of the books found at Cornell University at "Greg's Page." Let us now read and appreciate a few samples of ISSA's haiku.

Spring

Moist spring moon - raise a finger and it drips.	Early spring - stream flows toward my door
Great moon woven in plum scent, all mine.	Frog and I, eyeball to eyeball.
Reed warblers sing the great river still.	My empty face, betrayed by lightning.

Summer

Back gate opens itself - how long the day.	Heat waves - his smile still before me.
Summer shower - naked horse naked rider.	Step by step up summer mountain - suddenly the sea.
Cool breeze, tangled in a grass-blade.	Singing skylark - that narrow path leads to the sea.

Fall

Buddha Law, shining in leaf dew.	Autumn wind - mountain's shadow wavers
Cries of wild geese, rumors spread about me.	Dawn - fog of Mt. Asama spreads on my table.
Stillness - clouds peak in the lake.	Passing wild geese, lightening night mountains of Shinano.
By lightning, I creak across the bridge.	Wild geese, homing once more through smoke of Mt. Asama.

Winter

Just by being, I'm here - in the snow-fall.	Lost in bamboo but when moon lights - my house
Showering onto Mt. Kiso, the Milky Way.	What a moon - if only she were here, my bitter wife.
Hailstones - tumbling into the fire.	Faint, over the moonlit slope, a frozen temple gong.

End of the Issa haiku here.

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