haiku & troiku inspired by Issa

For last weekend’s Troiku Weekend-Meditation Chevrefeuille chose two haiku by Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828):

“…one of the five greatest haiku poets ever. His haiku are known for the simple choice of words, but also for its emotions. Issa had a tough life in which he had to deal with several very hard things…”

First, Issa’s two haiku:

tonight’s moon–

how many mountains resemble

the ones back home?

~

going outside

plum blossoms dive in…

my lucky tea*

~

© Kobayashi Issa (Tr. David G. Lanoue)

*”lucky tea” is the first cup of tea on New Year’s Day.

Second, my haiku inspired by both of Issa’s poems:

~

missing home

I watch blossoms drown

in my tea

~

Third, a troiku, each verse starting with a line from the above haiku:

.

missing home

I long for the Gatineau Hills

in autumn

.

I watch blossoms drown

mourning their fragile beauty

lost in spring showers

.

in my tea

a jasmine flower unfolds

a morning blossom

.

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