A century or so ago Lafcadio Hearn, Basil Chamberlain, and others presented haiku in learned journals as “epigrams.” See e.g. Basho and the Japanese Poetical Epigram (1902) in the Foundation’s Library.
The word “epigram” has changed its meaning over the years. Originally, ‘brief, capturing a single thought, often a contradiction that presents a greater truth, pithy and memorable’ —sounds like haiku, doesn’t it? But now the word is more overlain with wit and wordplay, cleverness and sarcasm, in the wake of Oscar Wilde, Groucho Marx, and Yogi Berra.
This characterisation of haiku as epigram was roundly repudiated in English Language Haiku circles, on both sides of the Atlantic, in the second half of the 20th century. The community settled on haiku as an experiential, moment‑based form of poetry, non-didactic. As with some of the other strongly-held opinions and fashions connected with the elusive haiku, a baby or two might have been thrown out with the bathwater. For there are quite a few aphorisms, epigrams, maxims, proverbs and the like to be found among the classic Japanese haiku poets. Occasionally also among some contemporary anglophone poets who find like-minded editors. I think that what characterises all the successful verses of this kind is an insight, which on reflection is often remarkable for its truth, as proverbs and epigrams can be, memorably “just right.” Indeed, an “aha!” moment, where the reader gets what the poet is stating and can not only relate to, but meditate upon it, generalise from it.
Let’s look at some this week, verse by verse, little by little. After all, as Issa wrote: “snail, slowly-slowly climb Mount Fuji!”
Beginning today, with another one by that good-humoured, long-suffering poet:
The flea That is poor at jumping, All the more charming. — Issa tr. Blyth
飛下手の蚤のかわいさまさりけり tobi-beta no nomi no kawaisa masari keri
飛 tobi: to jump; jumping 下手 beta: unskillful; clumsy の no: possessive particle ‘of’ 蚤 nomi: flea の no : of (here links flea to ‘kaiwasa’) かわいさ kawaisa: かわい kawai: cute, endearing plus さ sa — suffix meaning ‘‑ness’. まさり masari: continuative from stem of ‘to surpass, increase; grow stronger’ けり keri: classical verb auxiliary, narrative past, equivalent to English present perfective, so here ‘has increased…has become more’ And also a kireji or cutting-word expressing sudden awareness, often rendered as -ah!
the flea that’s poor at jumping has grown more endearing —ah!
Ah, the flea that’s poor at jumping grows ever more endearing!
Another single sentence haiku, without a cut until the end, as Issa contemplates the moments leading up to his realization, his insight.
Alternative rendering to Blyth’s:
not a good jumper but a cuter flea than the rest —tr. Lanoue
Some of the nuances (the progression, the moment of realization) are played down or left out by both. Lanoue’s ‘but’ diminishes the link between lack of proficiency and charm. A translator’s choices can be difficult.
As the stronger and more expert fleas continue to jump on Issa, he has the growing feeling that he likes more and more the ones that are pretty hopeless at it, and arrives at his conclusion.
Whichever rendering is chosen, Issa has given us a statement that contains a very amusing insight, the equivalent of a saying, an aphorism, a maxim, a flash of his warm wit worthy of being a proverb. An epigram. From which I often draw comfort when I’m not much good at something.
A century or so ago Lafcadio Hearn, Basil Chamberlain, and others presented haiku in learned journals as “epigrams.” See e.g. Basho and the Japanese Poetical Epigram (1902) in the Foundation’s Library.
The word “epigram” has changed its meaning over the years. Originally, ‘brief, capturing a single thought, often a contradiction that presents a greater truth, pithy and memorable’ —sounds like haiku, doesn’t it? But now the word is more overlain with wit and wordplay, cleverness and sarcasm, in the wake of Oscar Wilde, Groucho Marx, and Yogi Berra.
This characterisation of haiku as epigram was roundly repudiated in English Language Haiku circles, on both sides of the Atlantic, in the second half of the 20th century. The community settled on haiku as an experiential, moment‑based form of poetry, non-didactic. As with some of the other strongly-held opinions and fashions connected with the elusive haiku, a baby or two might have been thrown out with the bathwater. For there are quite a few aphorisms, epigrams, maxims, proverbs and the like to be found among the classic Japanese haiku poets. Occasionally also among some contemporary anglophone poets who find like-minded editors. I think that what characterises all the successful verses of this kind is an insight, which on reflection is often remarkable for its truth, as proverbs and epigrams can be, memorably “just right.” Indeed, an “aha!” moment, where the reader gets what the poet is stating and can not only relate to, but meditate upon it, generalise from it.
Let’s look at some this week, verse by verse, little by little. After all, as Issa wrote:
“snail, slowly-slowly climb Mount Fuji!”
Beginning today, with another one by that good-humoured, long-suffering poet:
The flea
That is poor at jumping,
All the more charming.
— Issa tr. Blyth
飛下手の蚤のかわいさまさりけり
tobi-beta no nomi no kawaisa masari keri
飛 tobi: to jump; jumping
下手 beta: unskillful; clumsy
の no: possessive particle ‘of’
蚤 nomi: flea
の no : of (here links flea to ‘kaiwasa’)
かわいさ kawaisa: かわい kawai: cute, endearing plus さ sa — suffix meaning ‘‑ness’.
まさり masari: continuative from stem of ‘to surpass, increase; grow stronger’
けり keri: classical verb auxiliary, narrative past, equivalent to English present perfective, so here ‘has increased…has become more’ And also a kireji or cutting-word expressing sudden awareness, often rendered as -ah!
the flea that’s poor at jumping has grown more endearing —ah!
Ah, the flea that’s poor at jumping grows ever more endearing!
Another single sentence haiku, without a cut until the end, as Issa contemplates the moments leading up to his realization, his insight.
Alternative rendering to Blyth’s:
not a good jumper
but a cuter flea
than the rest
—tr. Lanoue
Some of the nuances (the progression, the moment of realization) are played down or left out by both. Lanoue’s ‘but’ diminishes the link between lack of proficiency and charm. A translator’s choices can be difficult.
As the stronger and more expert fleas continue to jump on Issa, he has the growing feeling that he likes more and more the ones that are pretty hopeless at it, and arrives at his conclusion.
Whichever rendering is chosen, Issa has given us a statement that contains a very amusing insight, the equivalent of a saying, an aphorism, a maxim, a flash of his warm wit worthy of being a proverb. An epigram. From which I often draw comfort when I’m not much good at something.