SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 922 Title : 50 Haikus by Japanese Masters Author(s): David Purves Copyright holder(s): David Purves Text The haiku format is a form of poetic expression based on Zen Buddhism. This was developed from ancient Chinese models in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Haiku are normally restricted to three lines with a maximum number of seventeen syllables in a 5-7-9 syllabic pattern. There are no contrived rhymes, no metrical shackles and no title. Japanese artists, under the influence of Zen philosophy, have tended to use as few words as possible to express their feelings, and the resultant precise focus (being closer to the complete silence of cosmic consciousness) intensifies insight into the heart of experience. Dr Suzuki, Zen’s distinguished historian, tells us, ‘When a feeling reaches its highest pitch, even seventeen syllables may be too many.’ Early authentic examples of haiku occur in the writing of Sogi (1421-1502), but Matsuo Basho (1644-94) is regarded by many Japanese as their finest exponent of haiku. The following examples of haiku illustrate the use of this format until the beginning of the 20th century, when haiku were first introduced into the West, through the medium of English translations. Haiku have since become internationally fashionable, although the extent to which many haiku currently published in English, embody the quality of consciousness in the Japanese tradition, is open to question. Authentic Japanese haiku have never been concerned with wit, rhetoric, gimmickry, exhibitionism or pretension. Unfortunately, contemporary English may not now be a satisfactory register for haiku, since English has become detached from its social roots in any particular community, as a result of globalisation. It has been argued by some poets, that English has now become spiritually exhausted as a poetic language, and widespread adaptation as a technological medium for utilitarian purposes. Comparisons between renderings in Scots and English of haiku by Japanese masters suggest that recreations in literary Scots, have an energy and frisson that harmonise well with the true spirit of haiku. Accordingly, the following 50 haiku have been rendered in Scots, a register which has a long record for poetry of a high order. C’awa lat’s see aw the rael flouers o this dulefu warld! Basho (1644-94) The fishmongir’s staw--- hou cauld the deid lips o the sautit bream. Basho The lairk lilts abuin aw day an the haill day is no lang aneuch. Basho Back at the lair --- Ah bend ma sabbin til the Back End wund! Basho Bi the craw’s mankit forleitit nest, a braw ploum tree. Basho The auld pypar’s puil, lowp-plowter-lowp-plowter--- a mukkil puddok. Basho Back End muin an the breingin tyde faems up til the verra houss yett. Basho Waesum lassie cat--- that thin an shilpit lyke on radge an barley. Basho Cum lat’s gae an hae a look at the snaw or we’r aw beirit. Basho Doverin on horseback, the reik frae the tea fyres drifts up til the muin. Basho The end o the road but we ir aye leevin yit, this Back End forenicht. Basho Wuthert gress pylin even on anaith het waves. Basho Here a dreich muir: Ah’l airt ma naig ti whaur the sweet burds sing. Basho Ir the sum short cuts in the mukkil lift abuin, simmer muin? Lady Sute-jo (1633-98) The laiverok --- tovin i the lift abuin--- hir yung wul sterve. Sora (1649-1710) Haepit for burnin--- the brushwuid for aw ettils aye ti bud. Boncho (?-1714) Ah think verra shame, aw thir braw claes on me--- no ae steik ma ain. Lady Sono-jo (1649-1723) Even in ma ain hame toun again, Ah sleep nou lyker a traivlar. Kyorai (1651-1704) Melon— hou wul it keep itsell sae smertlyke. Ransetsu (1654-1707) The bern’s brunt doun but nou Ah can fairlie see the cauld muin abuin. Masahide (1657-1723) Blissit nicht throu the mesks drifts the whyte braith o dancers. Kikaku (1661-1707) Abuin the boat aw the bellies pass o the wyld geese fliein. Kikaku Parritch haepit in a perfit bowle, sunlicht o Ne-erday. Joso (1662-1704) Aboot the lair whuffs o Spring haar hings on-- Ah’m haurlie leevin. Joso Thir brainches war the first ti bud-- fawin blossoms. Joso Sailboats in lyne--- owreby, a gray lyke island dernt in the mist. Hokushi (1665-1718) Nicht snaw--- the neibor’s cock craw souns myles awa. Shiko (1665-1731) Smaw boats fishin--- eftir whit, thinks Ah, as snaw pouthers ma hat. Shiko Eftir yon fell dream hou unco vieve an rael this braw iris is! Shushiki (1669-1725) Up on the rock the waves can juist rax til fresh snaw. Tanlan (1674-1741) In the melon patch, the thief an sleikit tod meet ither heid on. Taigi (1709-72) Ayont saucht the gray kytes skraich even on in the gloamin. Taigi Deer i the rain--- thrie cries ir heard an syne nae mair. Buson (1715-83) Dew on the brammil a hantil sair jaggie thorns sherp an whyte. Buson Throu the snaw the lichts o yon hames that clasht thair yetts on ma face. Buson Nichtingale-- haurlie ever seen cam twyce the-day Kito (1740-89) Gean blossoms— in siclyke pairts the verra gress aye blooms anaw. Issa (1763-1827) A guidlyke warld the kristal dew-draps faws in yins an twas. Issa Juist you tak tent aw ye creepie-crawlie things the bell o transcience. Issa Flies swairmin aw owre----- whitever dae thay want wi thir auld runkilt haunds?. Issa Whitna lyke warld---- whan lotus flouers ir ploued doun intil the grund. Issa Look oot, ye fyreflies! Ye’l mebbe clour yeir wee heids on that whunstane. Issa Closer an closer nou ti paradise but hou cauld Ah im! Issa In ma houss wi me the verra myce an fyreflies git alang brawlie Issa In this warld even the butterflies, maun aern thair keep. Issa Thing ti be forgot: the pot whaur this flouer blooms this ae Spring day. Issa The Gowk sings ti me whyles, til the ferr ben, turn aboot. Issa Dew faw, an the seeds o Hell ir sawn aince mair. Issa In the blouster the chesnuts race alang the bamboo porch. Shiki (1867-1902) Basket chair its lane left in the pine tree’s shaidae forleiten Shiki This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 100+ Text details Method of composition: Wordprocessed Year of composition: 2004 Title of original (if translation): Various Author of original (if translation): Various Japanese masters Language of original (if translation): Japanese Word count: 1039 General description: 50 haikus with an accompanying introduction Text setting Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Prose: nonfiction: Author Author details Author id: 17 Forenames: David Surname: Purves Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1920 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Biochemist Place of birth: Selkirk Region of birth: Selkirk Birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Edinburgh Region of residence: Midlothian Residence CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Master Grocer Father's place of birth: Selkirk Father's region of birth: Selkirk Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Selkirk Mother's region of birth: Selkirk Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: All circumstances Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: