PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

As a poet and as a reader, I have grown to admire the haiku form of poetry. It is very short and sweet but it's always a lot of fun. It is interesting to see what a person can do with a scant 17 syllables. This Japanese art form has become international in appeal. 

Of course, I enjoy trying my hand at my own gringo haiku style, but I also have a great appreciation for the poets who cultivated this short form poetry into a viable art form. I have read many great haikuist like Ryokan and Ikkyu. One poet who is often considered the greatest haiku writer ever was Matsuo Basho. Basho lived from 1944 through 1694 and came to be revered in Japan for his poetic gift. 

Over the years, I have read hundreds, if not thousands of haiku by Basho. I have read his work in anthologies as well as collections of his own work. I was very happy to find a thin volume of haiku called On Love and Barley. This slender volume is translated by Lucien Stryk who is an accomplished poet in his own right. 

This title published by Penguin Classics is only 92 pages long including the introduction and notes in the back. There are also ample illustrations which cut down on the number of haiku presented in the book. That is probably the greatest drawback of the book. You will likely be left wanting more. Of course, one could also argue that the brevity helps drive home the point. Haiku is not about lengthy explanations. It is about trying to make quick observations on the world that surrounds one. 

In this volume, Stryk presents six haiku per page. He utilizes two columns. This helps illuminate the brevity of the form. It also makes for a pleasant reading experience. The haiku stand out on their own. The haiku are assisted by numerous drawings throughout the book. These illustrations are taken from an album of drawings by Taiga. They portray various nature scenes from Japan. This visual cue makes the haiku come alive more dramatically. 

Haiku is a fun form of poetry but it is not always easy for readers to understand. Part of the problem is cultural. Western readers often seek concrete meanings. A poem or story should lead from point A to point B. In haiku, the poet is often just trying to capture a fleeting moment. There is a certain feeling that inspires and overwhelms the spirit. It will often be undefinable. This can be very liberating or very frustrating for the reader. Each person should read and find out for themselves. 

In this volume, Stryk goes more for imagery than word count. Few of the translations will actually add up to seventeen syllables. That is okay because he is trying to preserve the poetic rapture of the haiku. 

Butterfly-/ wings curve into/ white poppy.

Autumn-even/ birds and clouds/ look old.

While moon sets / atop the trees,/ leaves cling to rain.

These are a few samples of Basho's haiku. He is a lover of nature who tries to lightly portray the beauty of the world that surrounds him. He is attune to the changing seasons and the changes in the weather. This ability to respond to nature is very inspiring. Basho also slips some of his Buddhist beliefs into his works. He is never forceful but Buddhism also strongly shapes the poetry that he wrote. 

On Love and Barley is a lovely little collection of haiku. It could certainly be longer as Basho did write thousands of haiku, but this volume serves as a tasty serving for the longtime fan of Basho and a nice little sampler platter for the newcomer seeking an introduction to this genius of Japanese poetry. 

The introduction by Stryk is also valuable. It provides some biographical and historical background on the haiku as well as presents some of Stryk's own views on how Basho influenced his own works. This is a very aesthetically pleasing book. What it lacks in length is made up for with brilliance and passion.