Session 31—Haiku of Yosa Buson
Topics for this session
Summer haiku by Yosa Buson
Poems for this session
- 51 さみだれや大河を前に家二軒
- 52 夏河を越すうれしさよ手に草履
- 53 夕風や水青鷺の脛をうつ
- 54 不二ひとつうづみ残してわかばかな
Details
51 さみだれや大河を前に家二軒
さみだれ | や | たいが | を | まへ | に | いへ | にけん
Collection: 『句橋』 • 1777, at age 62 and one of his more productive years, producing many of his most well-regarded poems
Author: 与謝蕪村（よさぶそん）
Special requests for preparing this poem
- Be ready with an answer to this question: How is this poem different in poetic focus than this one by Bashō: さみだれを集めてはやし最上川（はやし＝adj. for "fast" 最上川 is the larger river, Mogami River) Do not search the web for an answer.
52 夏河を越すうれしさよ手に草履
なつかは | を | こす | うれしさ | よ | て | に | ざうり
Collection: Found only in 『蕪村句集』 and his private selection anthology • 1754, while he was living in Miyazu, "a small town on the coast of the Sea of Japan some sixty miles northwest of Kyoto" (Ueda, Path of Thorns, 29), so a very early poem by him
Author: 与謝蕪村（よさぶそん）
Special requests for preparing this poem
- View these pages to see what 草履 for him would look like: Page
53 夕風や水青鷺の脛をうつ
ゆふかぜ | や | みづ | あをさぎ | の | はぎ | を | うつ
Collection: 『宿の日記』 • 1774, age 59
Author: 与謝蕪村（よさぶそん）
Special requests for preparing this poem
- View this for 青鷺の脛: Page
- Read this about the "Back to Bashō" reform movement that starts a year before this poem is written: "Kitō ... alluded to this others [poets studying under Buson] and implied that they were poets trying to emulate the true poetic style of Bashō. In his opinion ... haikai poets in the first half of the eighteenth century had lowered poetic standards by trying to follow the style of 'lightness' [軽み] and ending up writing plain, uninspiring poems. Chora, Kyōtai, and Bakusui had revolted against that trend by learning from Bashō's earlier style of writing, in which they found the authentic voice of the master." (Ueda, The Path of Flowering Thorn, 79)
54 不二ひとつうづみ残してわかばかな
ふじ | ひとつ | うづみ | のこし | て | わかば | かな
Collection: 『耳たむし』「蕪村七部集」 and elsewhere • before 1771
Author:与謝蕪村（よさぶそん）
Poems are covered in the order presented. We may not be able to discuss all poems listed. It is likely that I will add links and preparation requests as we go along, even in the last hour before class. There is no class participation grade so all of this work is optional, but interesting, and will enhance your ability to share in the session. Poem details are given in class and not repeated. Take excellent notes. They are the basis for the test. Our course goals in order of priority: 1) above all, appreciation of the poem as a poem, 2) understanding the components of the poems (the words in their function as grammar and their history in poems), 3) details of authors and collections. Prepare with these priorities in mind.