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With two friends in September I visited a temple in Okayama Prefecture. The Temple’s name is Mairaiji [毎来寺]. It is also known as Hanga-dera [版画寺] because the sole priest tending that temple is a woodblock artist whose work has been exhibited in various countries. His temple name is IWAGAKI Shōdō [岩垣正道].As a way to raise money for the temple the priest prints and sells woodblock postcards of various Japanese poets who have a religious connection with Buddhism and especially with Zen. I bought some of these to send away as souvenirs to friends. A few I keep here to work into English before sending them off. This packet of postcards contains some haiku poems by Kobayashi Issa.Unfortunately I do not have permission to reproduce the woodblock aspect of the postcards. Those interested can search the internet to get some idea of what the artwork is. Here is a starting point: http://www.kurashiki-tabi.jp/blog/?p=850
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A HANDFUL OF ISSA
KOBAYASHI ISSA HAIKUTranslated by Scott Watson
English version copyright held by Scott Watson
Spring, 2015
鶯や松にとまれば松の聲
Bush warbler, o,
perched in pine
pine's voice
ほちほちと椿咲けり炭けぶり
One by one
camellia blooms
charcoal smoke
そよげそよげそよげわか竹今のうち
Move your thing
young bamboo
while you can
恋をせよ恋をせよ夏のせみ
Make love make love summer cicada
なまけるな雀はおどる蝶はまう
No being lazy
sparrows hop
butterflies flutter
よい秋や犬ころ草もころころと
Such an autumn!
Bristlegrass tumble
夕日影町一ぱいのとんぼ哉
Setting sun shadows town full of tonbo*
*tonbo = dragonflies
ともかくもあなたまかせの年のくれ
Any way is a leaving-things-to-Buddha year's end
