Japanese Haiku

If you didn't know (though I don't know how this could be from an otaku ...), the haiku style of poetry originates from Japan. Anyway, there was, apparently, a poet by the name of Issa who wrote a whole lot of these poems, which have been translated into other languages, but lost their effect, of course. Anyway, I'd like to know if anyone else has heard of this poet and/or can direct me to somewhere to find some of his work, in original Japanese, preferably. I'd greatly appreciate it.

I can only recall the title of one of Issa's haikus myself, that being My Grumbling Wife, which I read in an English text book, of all places ...

 

First off, thanks for the link. You rock, as always!

Well, how could I call myself a poet without being able to supply a brief haiku lesson?
Generally, haikus are about nature, the soul, things with depth. They are three-liners, with lines one and three being five syllables each, and line two having seven syllables. The lines are not supposed to rhyme.

Here's an example of a haiku I dedicated to a student-teacher at school who kept making me write haikus one day:
Haiku by "GNZ"
This aggravates me.
I lose my mind as I write
Another Haiku

And here's one I'm writing on the spot ...
Message: Reflection by "GNZ"
As I write these posts
I cannot help but wonder
What y'all think of me

Haikus are actually real easy, more so than limericks, even, if you have something to write about.

 

Let's not forget the Haiku 'contests' that used to happen in old times. (in japan, that is) One speaker would create a haiku, the next speaker would give a response in the form of two 7 syllable lines. They used to do this for hours on end. I listened to a couple of people going off on that kind of contest for a while once, it was very entertaining.

-UK

 

Sounds cool. I'll have to turn some of my chess-nerd buddies into poetry-freaks so we can try it out ...

 

Oh my.. this is reminding me of the endless lame haiku posts on the winamp boards. They were quite the fad for a while I'll see if I can dig some up

edit: found some!

Leaves rustle in the
Wind, leaving me with thoughts of
Improving this place.

Woe to he who writes
Not in haiku verse! Cursed will
Thee be. Straight to Hell!

Utter not, if your
Words do not obey ancient
Syllabic guidelines.

A voice proclaimed from
The heavens: "Five! Seven! Five!".
That is the true path.

All others merely
Lead to death, decay, and the
Sin of slothfullness.

The Ninth Circle shall
Be your just reward for not
Writing in haiku.

And thus, they began
To write, and write, following
Ancient, honored ways.

And there you have it. Now to see if I can churn out some of my own
ps, that thread had 288 responses

 

All those people have
Way too much time on their hands
With these bad haikus

 

yuki dakara,
yukkuri oboeru,
tomodachi wa

natsu umi to
mazui ramen wa
shiawase da

-UK
~~~~~~~~~~
bad japanese... InuYasha, you may rip my sides open if you so wish. translations later

 

I don't understand,
what the hell is a haiku?
They don't rhyme (and stuff).

 

When have I ripped into your Japanese? *sweatdrop*

I will,however provide translations.

Haiku #1:
My friend
Slowly remembers
Because it snows.

Haiku #2:
Summer seas and
Crappy ramen
Are happiness.

InuYasha - okay,so the translation doesn't fit the 5-7-5 syllable scheme,so sue me...

 

ok, maybe I didn't tell you, I have no poetic skillz. thanks for your translation, everyone knows just how bad I am! (no hard feelings, I promise you, I just wanted to provide some examples in japanese.

-UK
~~~~~~~~~~~~
should stick to engineering, it's safer for everyone that way

 

Ok,hey, here I go
Haiku is so coo, so sue
If ya don't like it

Well, there, I tried, yes
Trying to make seven syl-
lables, my friends, yup!

It sounds rid'culous
Had to do that to make it
Only seven syllables.

 

Re: When have I ripped into your Japanese? *sweatdrop*

Dude, translations almost never have the poetic quality of the original. Look at songs, for example. Enrique Iglesias's Ritmo Total, translated to Rhythm Divine in English sucks, but the original español is great. Same goes for Adeste Fideles and Stille Nacht. And think of all those songs translated from Japanese to English. I'm sure we all agree that the English versions suck. By the way, I know I used only song references here, but they're the only poems that I can guarantee that we all know.

So, in short:

GENTATSU: Learn every language so you can understand the feelings behind all poetry!
NO: I don't know about you, but I'm clueless to this stuff even when it's in English.
ZANSHI: Leave the poems to me. You guys just do whatever it is you do around here.
CC61: In my experience, that's not a whole lot.
GENTATSU: Hey!
NO: You know, I think he's right ...

 

Ach!

I just noticed that the last few words I said to my mother could be passed off as a bad haiku ... damn, I need a life ...

 

Allright. My turn to try...

InuYasha is
More than just a pretty face
Don't call him "Dogface"

Marionettes three
Contemplate the lives they led
With their one true love

Otakus unite
Take up the cause,our birthright
To stop bad poets

InuYasha - so much for my poetry ability...

 

Re: Allright. My turn to try...

Bad poets? Nobody I know, I hope ...

 

Is this the end, uh?
Yell'd the tallgeese pilot brave
His fate was seal-ed

ouh, to write haiku
I don't know what to really do
I'm not very good

I'll just keep trying,
why? Because it's so funny
To see me fail twice

Ouh, I'm bad at this...