foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
5.0
I feel I will be reading this forever: but as I know I have read all the haiku this volume contains at least once, I am going to write a few small thoughts. Hass is not a speaker of Japanese, but uses a variety of translations by other poets, as well as direct translations, to create a new version of these poems. His translations are, overall, sensitive and poetic: sensitive to the theme and imagery of the original, and poetically pleasing. Hass provides excellent notes on many of the haiku, as well as introductions on each poet. The book contains some of the poet's prose works or longer poems, as well as appendices on haiku and the place of haiku in society at the time the poets were working. All this information is indispensable and this collection provides an excellent starting point for the novice.
As Hass translates work by only three poets, the reader is presented with a large selection of haiku from each poet, which allows her to gain some insight into each of them. Buson, also an artist, writes luminous, visual poetry that is both aesthetically pleasing and full of the sense of transience so important to the haiku writer. His work reminds me of ukiyo-e art distilled into a few words. Issa is a more earthy poet: he often writes about nature, particularly insects, and views spiders, fleas, flies, mosquitoes with interest and compassion. His work is the most humorous of the three: one of his poems seems to satirize the subjects of poets: "Moon, plum blossom / this, that / and the day goes by", and he mocks his own infirmities. Basho, the most famous haiku poet, and rightly so, combines a deeply sympathetic view of humanity and human suffering, with imagery of the transience of the natural world. He is constantly aware of his own fallibility as a human, as well as the grace and numinous quality of nature and those who inhabit it.
This is a book full of huge ideas distilled into tiny poems. There is so much here to think on, to meditate on, and to admire. It comforts and inspires. Hass's notes and introductions also provide excellent backgrounds which enriches my enjoyment of the poems.
As Hass translates work by only three poets, the reader is presented with a large selection of haiku from each poet, which allows her to gain some insight into each of them. Buson, also an artist, writes luminous, visual poetry that is both aesthetically pleasing and full of the sense of transience so important to the haiku writer. His work reminds me of ukiyo-e art distilled into a few words. Issa is a more earthy poet: he often writes about nature, particularly insects, and views spiders, fleas, flies, mosquitoes with interest and compassion. His work is the most humorous of the three: one of his poems seems to satirize the subjects of poets: "Moon, plum blossom / this, that / and the day goes by", and he mocks his own infirmities. Basho, the most famous haiku poet, and rightly so, combines a deeply sympathetic view of humanity and human suffering, with imagery of the transience of the natural world. He is constantly aware of his own fallibility as a human, as well as the grace and numinous quality of nature and those who inhabit it.
This is a book full of huge ideas distilled into tiny poems. There is so much here to think on, to meditate on, and to admire. It comforts and inspires. Hass's notes and introductions also provide excellent backgrounds which enriches my enjoyment of the poems.
cacia's review against another edition
3.0
Some favorites:
Many nights on the road
and not dead yet—
the end of autumn.
Winter rain—
the field stubble
has blackened.
Winter solitude—
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.
A field of cotton—
as if the moon
had flowered.
Buson
Autumn evening—
there's joy also
in loneliness.
By moonlight
the blossoming plum
is a tree in winter.
Escaped the nets,
escaped the ropes—
moon on the water.
The end of spring—
the poet is brooding
about editors.
The camellia—
it fell into the darkness
of the old well.
Harvest moon—
called at his house,
he was digging potatoes.
Before the white chrysanthemum
the scissors hesitate
a moment.
Issa
New Year's Day—
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
Children imitating cormorants
are even more wonderful
than cormorants.
Approaching my village:
Don't know about the people,
but all the scarecrows
are crooked.
Even with insects—
some can sing,
some can't.
Visiting the graves,
the old dog
leads the way.
The snail gets up
and goes to bed
with very little fuss.
Summer night—
even the stars
are whispering to each other.
Autumn moon—
a small boat
drifting down the tide.
Insects on a bough
floating downriver,
still singing.
Spoiler
BashouMany nights on the road
and not dead yet—
the end of autumn.
Winter rain—
the field stubble
has blackened.
Winter solitude—
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.
A field of cotton—
as if the moon
had flowered.
Buson
Autumn evening—
there's joy also
in loneliness.
By moonlight
the blossoming plum
is a tree in winter.
Escaped the nets,
escaped the ropes—
moon on the water.
The end of spring—
the poet is brooding
about editors.
The camellia—
it fell into the darkness
of the old well.
Harvest moon—
called at his house,
he was digging potatoes.
Before the white chrysanthemum
the scissors hesitate
a moment.
Issa
New Year's Day—
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.
Children imitating cormorants
are even more wonderful
than cormorants.
Approaching my village:
Don't know about the people,
but all the scarecrows
are crooked.
Even with insects—
some can sing,
some can't.
Visiting the graves,
the old dog
leads the way.
The snail gets up
and goes to bed
with very little fuss.
Summer night—
even the stars
are whispering to each other.
Autumn moon—
a small boat
drifting down the tide.
Insects on a bough
floating downriver,
still singing.
jakeyjake's review against another edition
4.0
This book was well worth
the twelve dollars it cost me-
a real page turner.
the twelve dollars it cost me-
a real page turner.
sarahelisewrites's review
5.0
Translations of haiku by three Japanese authors. Many of the poems are beautifully rendered into English. The book also contains useful notes and histories of the authors.
adrianasturalvarez's review
4.0
I took a class from Robert Haas during my undergrad. He was a vague teacher but his lectures were careful, rigorous, and were often delivered with a gentleness that made what would otherwise be burdensome topics graceful. So it is with this collection of Haiku by Buson, Basho, and Issa. Among the projects he set forth in the this edition, Haas wanted to show through contrast, how each master's personality and style comes through their work however restricted the form. The effect of reading this collection is that the differences become clear:
Issa's comical voice:
I'm going out,
Flies, so relax,
Make love.
Buson's imagery:
The spring sea rising
and falling, rising
and falling all day.
Basho's philosophical melancholy:
First day of spring-
I keep thinking about
the end of Autumn.
I highly recommend this collection for anyone interested in the Haiku form. Though there are some cultural and translational fault lines mapping the boundaries of this style of poetry the main ideas come through, often in unexpected ways: a flash of imagery or setting will set off a spontaneous feeling of sorrow or happiness, frustration or guilt.
Issa's comical voice:
I'm going out,
Flies, so relax,
Make love.
Buson's imagery:
The spring sea rising
and falling, rising
and falling all day.
Basho's philosophical melancholy:
First day of spring-
I keep thinking about
the end of Autumn.
I highly recommend this collection for anyone interested in the Haiku form. Though there are some cultural and translational fault lines mapping the boundaries of this style of poetry the main ideas come through, often in unexpected ways: a flash of imagery or setting will set off a spontaneous feeling of sorrow or happiness, frustration or guilt.
dandelionfluff's review against another edition
5.0
This edition surveys the works of Bashō, Buson, and Issa. Brilliant poets, all with introductions and extensive notes from Hass.
toad_maiden's review against another edition
5.0
This is an essential text for anyone interested in haiku. It is concise, palatable, and beautiful; collections of poems by three great haiku maters (Bashō, Buson, and Issa) are complemented by biographies, essays, and extensive endnotes by American poet Robert Hass. Wonderful for readers as well as poets who may want to try their hand at this complex little form.
jenbebookish's review
2.0
Ugh.
I am giving this two stars because I feel so out of my league that I feel bad giving it one star because I am hardly qualified to be rating a book on poetry!
Haiku style poetry is like, a big thing. And I am now willing to admit that I am just poetry retarded. My girlfriend gave me this book and said it was "great!" I was almost excited. As excited as I could be where poetry is involved. When I opened the book I thought I had gotten some weird version of the book. I was flipping thru pages every 5 seconds, reading the 7 or 8 words there were on every page.
"What is this?"
"Is this an actual book? What's happening?"
Oh, duh. Haiku poetry. As in that is why these pages were full of little snippets of words. That's the style. I was confused for a good 10 minutes before it occurred to me that was just the way the book was supposed to be. It wasn't a novel, it's poetry. Haiku poetry.
See. That's how dumb I am when it comes to poetry. I had no business reading this book and judging it with a totally ignorant & uninformed mind! But I have to say. This book just reminded me of why I don't like poetry. Every once in awhile there are poems that I enjoy, that sound nice, that mean something. But most of the stuff I either don't understand, or stuff I don't understand why/how it's supposed to be considered "good." Like this whole book. They are just words. Snippets of words. Didn't sound particularly good or tell a particular story or make particularly good sense. Just a few words on each page. I was doing a whole lotta flipping. But considering how little was actually on each page, I got thru this in one short sitting. Barely any reading time wasted. No big thang. At least I've reinforced my feelings on poetry.
I am giving this two stars because I feel so out of my league that I feel bad giving it one star because I am hardly qualified to be rating a book on poetry!
Haiku style poetry is like, a big thing. And I am now willing to admit that I am just poetry retarded. My girlfriend gave me this book and said it was "great!" I was almost excited. As excited as I could be where poetry is involved. When I opened the book I thought I had gotten some weird version of the book. I was flipping thru pages every 5 seconds, reading the 7 or 8 words there were on every page.
"What is this?"
"Is this an actual book? What's happening?"
Oh, duh. Haiku poetry. As in that is why these pages were full of little snippets of words. That's the style. I was confused for a good 10 minutes before it occurred to me that was just the way the book was supposed to be. It wasn't a novel, it's poetry. Haiku poetry.
See. That's how dumb I am when it comes to poetry. I had no business reading this book and judging it with a totally ignorant & uninformed mind! But I have to say. This book just reminded me of why I don't like poetry. Every once in awhile there are poems that I enjoy, that sound nice, that mean something. But most of the stuff I either don't understand, or stuff I don't understand why/how it's supposed to be considered "good." Like this whole book. They are just words. Snippets of words. Didn't sound particularly good or tell a particular story or make particularly good sense. Just a few words on each page. I was doing a whole lotta flipping. But considering how little was actually on each page, I got thru this in one short sitting. Barely any reading time wasted. No big thang. At least I've reinforced my feelings on poetry.
janedodge's review against another edition
2.0
I read this for my freshman humanities class and I have a hard time with Haiku. I know it is so important for Japanese culture; however, I find them to all blend together. I am inclined to feel a lot is lost in translation and I don't blame this entirely on Hass, but it would have been nice to have footnotes or other ways for context.
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