Something a little different graphically today for me. Enough of snow and cold! Time for spring! Here’s another haiku by Issa in 1813 – I like that cats feature prominently in his work – must have been a great guy 🙂
snatched
by the farm cat…
plum blossoms
If someone wants to suggest alternative phrasing…
image (cc) 2010 Hilary Farmer
on the eaves
firewood and a cat…
snow is melting
小庇の薪と猫と雪解哉
kobisashi ni maki to neko to yukige kana
Issa 1818
I find this one a bit funny – maybe it’s clear in the Japanese but does it mean the cat and the firewood are on the eaves with the melting snow? I didn’t think so as you can see from my accompanying doodle.
I decided to call it “winter’s end” but I suppose it could just as easily be a temporary thaw… I guess I’m just hoping!
A nice piece of trivia (well that ties in nicely with my blog name) is that this master haiku writer’s pen name, Issa means “a cup of tea”!
If you like the idea of reading more of his over 9500 haikus check this site. You can read random selections or pick something based on a season… or cats!
image (cc) 2010 Hilary Farmer
