Haiga 203

Haiku by Robert D. Wilson of USA.
Robert-san writes haiku based upon his experience as an US solder in Viet Nam.
This haiku here is about the farmer in Mekon delta area.
Robert-san is the ower and editor of a web-magazine called "simply haiku"
http://www.simplyhaiku.com/
I was once interviewed by the magazine.

----
Tomorrow, I will be attending the 4th WHA conference for Japanese members.
The conference will be held at a restaurant in Koishikawa Park in the middest of Tokyo.
http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/en/koishikawa/index.html
Tokyo University is within the walking distance from there.

Haiga 202

Yet, another haiga from Basho's journy book.
English translation:
Gathering as it goes
all the rains of June, how swiftly
the Mogami flows!
It is interesting that June here is actually May in original writting. This happens because in Basho's time, people here were usig the lunar calender.
I have never seen the Mogami river, but I have no problem in appreciating the haiku, What I do is abosorbing the essence of the haiku and visualizing it. The historical and geographical aspect of the haiku play undeniable part in appreciating the haiku. However, if you only stay with them, the appreciation remains rather limited. When you grasp the essence of the haiku, you will be free from all kinds of limitations.

Haiga 201

Another haiku from Basho's journey book.
The English translation:
In Kisakaa's rain,
Mimosas droop, like fair Hsi-shin
who languished with love's pain
(translated by Dorothy Britton)

Present day Kisakata is no longer what it used to be, land development has ruined the fine scenery. The scene with mimosa flowers blooming there reminded Basho of a Chinese beauty, Hsi-shih.
Japan, for a long time, looked to China for cultural inspiration (after Tokugawa Period, we looked to the Europe, and after the WW2 to USA). To understand Basho and the likes, one needs to have knowledge of Chinese culture and literature. My favorite haijin, Buson, too, learned paintings from Chinese traditions.

Haiga 200

Haiku by Matsuo Basho, from "Narrow Road to a Far Province(Oku)"
Basho wrote this haiku when he visited Nikko mountain and Nikko Shrine of Tokugawa Shogunate.
English translation is by Dorothy Britton.

Haiga 199

Haiku by Kiyoko Iwabuchi of Japan.I guess everyone has the similar experience by the fountain.

Haiga 198

Haiku by Matsuo Basho of Japan.
The Japanese callegraphy is by a friend of mine.
----
I am in the process of making haiga for all the haiku appeared in Basho's "Narrow Road of Oku". This haiga of the old pond is my trial in combining my artwork and the callegraphy. All will be done in the square format. There are 57 haiku to work with, and some are pretty difficult to visualize. This certainly will be big challenge.

Haiga 197

Haiku by Alan Summer of UK. Alan-san's haiku came to me with the Japanese translation. This is a good translation, written in the perfect haiku format 5-7-5. Mi-zu-ha-e-te Hi-ka-ri-ni-ka-su-mu Ko-ga-mo-ka-na.

Haiga 196

Haiku by Steven Addiss of the USA.
It seems that people in the Western countries prefer to use Japanese sumi and brush to make haiga artworks. I do not think the sumi and brush are essencial tools for haiga. In oldern days in Japan, those tools are the only means to write, draw, and paint. If poeple then had pen and ink, they must have used them to write haiku and to make haiga. I am using a drawing pencil for this haiga because it is a familiar tool for me, and probably for most contemporary Japanese. Impotant thing in haiga is to express the poetic content of the haiku you work with, not the means themselves.

Haiga 195

Haiku by Israel Lopez Balan of Mexico.
Warmth in the air, and Sakura in full bloom. It seems that Spring induces yawning in everyone. There is an old chinese poem about it. Soseki Natsume (haiga 194) also wrote a haiku about it.
Long day,
I part, leaving
my yawn contagious
I was on a train the other day, and wrote the following haiku.
Spring in mountain,
my train waits for
another one to pass

Haiga Exhibition

I will hold a haiga exhbition at Oyasato Gallery in my town. The exhibit will be from May 3rd through 6th, which is called "Golden Week" in Japan. I will probably show 70 to 80 haiga, and these include masters like Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, Santoka. Also included will be haijin from world over.

Haiga 194

Haiku by Soseki Natsume of Japan. Soseki was a well known novelist. He was also a good friend of Masaoka Shiki, and wrote many haiku himself.

Haiga 193

Haiku by Dee Evetts of USA & UK.
I saw Evetts-san, but I did not know who he was then because I was not involved with haiku and haiga making at that time. I was in Manhattan, met a friend of mine, and he invited me to Spring Street Haiku Club, where Evetts-san was leading a Kukai. Cor van den Huevel was among the haijins gathered there. I was just there as a casual observer, but at one time Evetts-san asked my opinion on a certain haiku shared there. He probably thought I knew something of haiku since I am a Japanese. Yes, he was right. Many Japanese know a thing or two of haiku, but only in Japanese language. Haiku written in foreign language is practically unknown to most Japanese, including myself. This experience in NY inspired me and a few months later I began to write haiku in English.

Haiga 192

Haiku by H.F.Noyes of USA. Noyes lives in Greece.