The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa

by Robert Hass (Editor, Translator), Matsuo Bashō, Yosa Buson

American readers have been fascinated since their exposure to Japanese culture late in the nineteenth century, with the brief Japanese poem called the hokku or haiku. The seventeen-syllable form is rooted in a Japanese tradition of close observation of nature, of making poetry from subtle suggestion. Infused by its great practitioners with the spirit of Zen Buddhism, the haiku has served as an example of the power of direct observation to the first generation of American modernist poets like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams and also as an example of spontaneity and Zen alertness to the new poets of the 1950s. This definitive collection brings together in fresh translations by an American poet the essential poems of the three greatest haiku masters: Matsuo Basho in the seventeenth century; Yosa Buson in the eighteenth century; and Kobayashi Issa in the early nineteenth century. Robert Hass has written a lively and informed introduction, provided brief examples by each poet of their work in the haibun, or poetic prose form, and included informal notes to the poems. This is a useful and inspiring addition to the Essential Poets series.

Genres: Poetry, Japan, Japanese Literature, Nonfiction, Classics, Anthologies, History

352 pages, Library Binding

First published May 1, 1994

About the author

Robert Hass was born in San Francisco and lives in Berkeley, California, where he teaches at the University of California. He served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 1995 to 1997. A MacArthur Fellow and a two-time winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, he has published poems, literary essays, and translations. He is married to the poet Brenda Hillman.

Reviews

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

...the three men represent three types of the poet—Basho the ascetic and seeker, Buson the artist, Issa the humanist—and their differences are clear at a glance when you read them.

Deep autumn—
my neighbor,
how does he live, I wonder?

*

Tethered horse;
snow
in both stirrups.

*

Don’t worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually.

[Harriet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book of haiku by Basho, Buson, and Issa, translated and edited with great care and intelligence by Robert Hass. I keep this book by my bed, actually, and am continually dipping into it; it's a great cure for too much Facebook, email, text messages, etc. The beauty of a haiku is to distil a whole world, or thought, into three lines that linger and unfold their meaning slowly, or else burst into meaning like a private, joyful fireworks.

[Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basho--favorite poems/lines:

"Winter solitude--
in a world of one color
the sound of wind."

"Don't imitate me--
it's as boring
as the two halves of a melon."

"Who mourns makes grief his master.
Who drinks makes pleasure his master."

"Don't follow in the footsteps of the old poets,
seek what they sought."

"Every form of insentient existence--plants, stones, or utensils--has its own individual feelings similar to those of men."

"When we observe calmly, we discover that all things have their fulfillment."

"One need not be a haiku poet, but if someone doesn't live inside ordinary life and understand ordinary feelings, he's not likely to be a poet."

Buson--favorite poem is "mourning for Hokuju Rosen" This is one of the most beautiful poems I have ever read! I wish I owned this book for that poem.

Here is a haiku by Buson:
"I go,
you stay:
two autumns."

Issa--haiku poems:

"Don't worry, spiders.
I keep house
casually."

"Even with insects--
some can sing,
some can't."

"For you fleas too
the nights must be long,
they must be lonely."

"All the time I pray to Buddha,
I keep on
killing mosquitoes."

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me wish there were renga parties in my neighborhood that I could attend. One of the most unfortunate things about the Western poetic tradition -- when contrasted with, say, the Eastern poetic tradition or the Western music tradition or the Western mathematics tradition -- is how rarely collaboration occurs among different practitioners.

One interesting thing about Basho, Buson, and Issa, which Hass duly emphasizes in his editorial notes, is how devoutly Buddhist they all were. These three poets were all so damn conscientious, so damn hagridden by their unceasing awareness of how they *should* feel or how they *should* act in a given situation. I can't help but wonder if this omnipresent religiosity dilutes the force of their poetry at all. It certainly makes their prose and their longer poems seem oversentimental at times. Ultimately, however, this fact merely serves to highlight the inherent powerfulness of the haiku form: a form that forces a poet to focus his attention narrowly on small idiosyncratic real-world things so that, even though these three poets had many spiritual sentiments in common, their three oeuvres turned out to be anything but homogenous.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sad, that i don't know who I lent this too. Because this book is a constant companion. You can open it anywhere, and BAM, killdeer, a little slice of this very moment right here, with a twist of lemon and a cherry blossom

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing my love for Japanese literature, my husband gave me this book some years ago. It was edited by one of our favorite poets, Robert Hass, which makes it that much more incredible. I think this is the best primer for haiku in English translation for any reader. I was floored by the depth, beauty, and simplicity--and challenged to make my own writing so succinct and clear.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Essential Haiku is a distillation of a distillation, the best of the best, a delight of simplicity, beauty, and truth. This book has reminded me of the brilliance of poetry, and the wonder that a tiny haiku holds. I will read more poetry. I will read more haiku.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"First day of spring-
I keep thinking about
the end of autumn."
-Matsuo Basho

"He's on the porch
to escape his wife and kids-
how hot it is!"
-Yosa Buson

"Even a fleabite,
when she's young,
is beautiful."
-Kobayashi Issa

This is a lovely collection of poetry that I enjoyed devouring very much. Japanese literature has always hit an emotional spot for me; I can't quite explain why, but something about the style shakes me to the core. There is no time that this has become more clear than during my reading of these three masters, particularly Issa. At times I laughed aloud and at times I might have cried a little bit because of some subject matters and exquisite word choices. That is rare, but it's what any author wants to make the reader do.

The art of the haiku is very interesting indeed- while one might think it is easy to simply follow the rules and make a poem based on syllable count, there's a lot more than meets the eye. It takes someone who "lives in the common world", as Basho puts it, to transport the reader to a specific place and feeling in less than twenty words at most. That's amazing if you ask me!

I find that I don't have a lot to say about this collection specifically as it is the first true collection of haiku which I've read. The organization appears to make enough sense and at no point did I feel lost. For all of the reasons I have listed, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes poetry. For me, it definitely makes me interested in reading more from each of these three poets.

[Sally Hegedus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this little book! I enjoyed learning something of the history and form of haiku, also of the stylistic differences between the three haiku masters represented in this book. For someone with little knowledge of the form, who had never, to my recollection, been introduced to these Japanese poets before, this collection was a lovely first dip into their works. I also enjoyed the short sections of longer poems and prose which were also included, particularly those of the poet Issa.
This collection has made me want to do more reading of and about haiku. What a nice introduction this was!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it interesting that so many people who rated this book three stars or less did so because they didn't like haiku. Totally unfair. That's like saying, "I think I'll read this here book about tarantulas, and then I'll give it one star because I HATE tarantulas." Actually, this is a lovely introduction to haiku and other short form Japanese poetry by masters of the form. Of course it's translated, and something is lost in translation. However, the ideas are still faithfully portrayed. I think Mr. Hass did a great job of communicating the humor, and sometimes the pathos and quiet beauty revealed in the work of these masters.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most accessible forms of poetry--and the Japanese do it best, especially these 3 masters. Very well worth reading. I left this book feeling serene, uplifted and educated (the perfect combination).

[Adrian Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a class from Robert Haas during my undergrad. He was a vague teacher but his lectures were careful, rigorous, and were often delivered with a gentleness that made what would otherwise be burdensome topics graceful. So it is with this collection of Haiku by Buson, Basho, and Issa. Among the projects he set forth in the this edition, Haas wanted to show through contrast, how each master's personality and style comes through their work however restricted the form. The effect of reading this collection is that the differences become clear:

Issa's comical voice:

I'm going out,
Flies, so relax,
Make love.


Buson's imagery:

The spring sea rising
and falling, rising
and falling all day.


Basho's philosophical melancholy:

First day of spring-
I keep thinking about
the end of Autumn.


I highly recommend this collection for anyone interested in the Haiku form. Though there are some cultural and translational fault lines mapping the boundaries of this style of poetry the main ideas come through, often in unexpected ways: a flash of imagery or setting will set off a spontaneous feeling of sorrow or happiness, frustration or guilt.

[Kerfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The current attention span of my life is well-suited to haiku.

These are the Japanese masters: Basho, Buson, and Issa. Hass' translations, lyrical and free, seem faithful to the imagery and emotional impact each poet has condensed into three lines. The afterword explaining the difficulties of translating haiku is also enlightening.

There is history and context for both haiku in general (the essay at the end on its collaborative origins in renga I found especially interesting) and each poet's life, contributions and legacy. Monks, artists, teachers, wanderers, fathers, husbands, sons: all at times sought simple solitude; at times family, friends, and home.

Basho:
Another year gone-
hat in my hand,
sandals on my feet.

Buson:
They end their flight
one by one--
crows at dusk.

Issa:
Don't worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hass's anthology offers generous selections of three haiku masters: Bashō, Buson, and Issa. In addition to their haiku, he offers prose works by all three, as well as three longer poems by Buson. His introductions and notes provide full, clear contexts for the haiku and other work, contexts missing from many haiku anthologies.

Most of the translations are Hass's own. Whereas English translations of haiku often sound flat, Hass typically creates versions that justify their original authors' reputations.

[Juli Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential text for anyone interested in haiku. It is concise, palatable, and beautiful; collections of poems by three great haiku maters (Bashō, Buson, and Issa) are complemented by biographies, essays, and extensive endnotes by American poet Robert Hass. Wonderful for readers as well as poets who may want to try their hand at this complex little form.

[Rhea Tregebov]

My friend John Fanning of La Muse Writers' Retreat lent me this book while I was there. Hass' translations seem very very strong, and I really want to read this.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always makes me wish I could read them in the original Japanese. Wonderful poetry with interesting explanations and history as well.

[Chelsea]

"Red morning sky,
snail;
are you glad of it?"

[Osvaldo Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice mix of history and poetry.

[D.A. Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always near my desk. A book I constantly return to.

[Jenbebookish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh.

I am giving this two stars because I feel so out of my league that I feel bad giving it one star because I am hardly qualified to be rating a book on poetry!

Haiku style poetry is like, a big thing. And I am now willing to admit that I am just poetry retarded. My girlfriend gave me this book and said it was "great!" I was almost excited. As excited as I could be where poetry is involved. When I opened the book I thought I had gotten some weird version of the book. I was flipping thru pages every 5 seconds, reading the 7 or 8 words there were on every page.

"What is this?"

"Is this an actual book? What's happening?"

Oh, duh. Haiku poetry. As in that is why these pages were full of little snippets of words. That's the style. I was confused for a good 10 minutes before it occurred to me that was just the way the book was supposed to be. It wasn't a novel, it's poetry. Haiku poetry.

See. That's how dumb I am when it comes to poetry. I had no business reading this book and judging it with a totally ignorant & uninformed mind! But I have to say. This book just reminded me of why I don't like poetry. Every once in awhile there are poems that I enjoy, that sound nice, that mean something. But most of the stuff I either don't understand, or stuff I don't understand why/how it's supposed to be considered "good." Like this whole book. They are just words. Snippets of words. Didn't sound particularly good or tell a particular story or make particularly good sense. Just a few words on each page. I was doing a whole lotta flipping. But considering how little was actually on each page, I got thru this in one short sitting. Barely any reading time wasted. No big thang. At least I've reinforced my feelings on poetry.

[Bryson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite haiku anthology out there, to be honest.

Hass compiled three great poets into this book: Basho, Issa, and Buson. Though I don't have the book in front of me, I believe he tackles them in that order, as well.

This book is pretty good, but I personally don't consider it great. It definitely gives the reader a lot of haiku, and it may serve as a good introduction (maybe coupled with Higginson's Haiku Handbook?), but I think it can feel a bit limiting. After all, you're only getting a sense of three poets, even if they are THE greatest haiku poets of all time.

And I suppose that while I might have disliked that aspect of it, others out there may find it helpful. Thinking about it, I think it was after reading this particular collection that I began to understand a little bit more the differences between each of those major poets.

In any case, if you read this book and like it, I would recommend that you swiftly find another anthology of haiku to read, as well, in order to get a taste of other poets' works.

[David Yoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book, "The Essential haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa" is a collection of Haiku written by masters of the art, Basho, Buson, and Issa. Personally, I did not like poetry very much especially Haikus. But after reading some of the Haikus of this book, my perspective changed. Now I'm more willing to read other kinds of poetry. Even though many of these Haikus portrayed the wonders of the nature and the poet's longing for certain things, there were many that I could not comprehend; yet the struggles encouraged me to read more and more. Though the some of the essential meanings of the original text were lost due to translation, we have been gifted by the wondrous art and perspective of Japanese Art. It also taught me to enjoy not only the safe indoors but also the glorious outdoors that have so many things which we have not witness.

[Sara Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am admittedly ignorant on the form and subject of the haiku. This book was nothing like I thought it would be. It showcases three old school haiku masters who heavily influenced the trade. I thought the haiku written here would be stodgy and antiquated but they were incredibly humorous and relevant and at times displaying a caustic wit.
Here are a few examples,

Day in, day out
on the monkey's face
a monkey face

Writing shit about new snow
for the rich
is not art

Also check this out if you want to learn more about themes, form and history of the haiku.

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compiled by former US Poet Laureate Robert Haas, this is a solid introduction to the fundamental classics of Haiku. It includes works by three founding fathers of Japanese Haiku: Basho, Buson, and Issa.

I bought this after hearing a lecture by another Laureate, Billy Collins, who mentioned reading Haiku as part of his daily routine.

This book requires slow digestion. A single poem can take seconds to read, but can linger for weeks.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this years and never added it. It's fantastic, and I return to it often. It helped me understand the history of the haiku and it's connections to the tanka and renga, and--between Basho and Issa--showed me how flexible this restrictive little form can be. A fantastic introduction to the haiku that never gets old.

[John Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Issa is probably my favorite poet. He has all these almost flippant haikus, but then he hits you with ones like this:

In this world
we walk on the roof of hell,
gazing at flowers.

Like Dostoyevsky when he hits you with the line: "She trembled like a leaf" near the end of "Crime and Punishment."

[C.B. Wentworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of classic haiku, along with contemporary and historical commentary on the form. In addition, the side by side compilation of Basho, Buson, and Issa allowed for a nice comparative study between the masters of haiku. It's very interesting to see the differences in style, composition, and subject matter among these poets.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great haiku are really actually great. Here's a few:

Year after year
on the monkey's face
a monkey face

How admirable!
to see lightning and not think
life is fleeting.

Climb Mount Fuji
O snail,
but slowly, slowly.

Writing shit about new snow
for the rich
is not art.

The world of dew
is the world of dew.
And yet, and yet--

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every bit of this book. I loved it so much that after keeping it as long as the library would let me; I ordered my own copy.