The Pocket Haiku by Basho

The Pocket Haiku

Basho, Buson, Issa

Shambhala · Paperback · May 13, 2014

Quintessential classical Japanese haiku--selected and translated by one of America's premier poet-translators--now available in a pocket edition.

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Who it’s for
For readers drawn to classical Japanese haiku and nature-based poetry
Themes
Nature, beauty, and wonder, Temporality, loneliness, and loss
Pacing
Reflective

About this book

Quintessential classical Japanese haiku--selected and translated by one of America's premier poet-translators--now available in a pocket edition. In this collection of haiku, translator Sam Hamill has compiled the best from the tradition, spanning the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries, with particular focus on the three great masters: Bashō, Buson, and Issa.

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Based on images from nature, the poems address the themes of joy, temporality, beauty, wonder, loneliness, and loss. Haiku may be the most popular and widely recognizable poetic form in the world. In just three lines a great haiku presents a crystalline moment of image, emotion, and awareness. Elements of compassion, silence, and a sense of temporality often combine to reveal a quality of mystery. Just as often, haiku may bring a startling insight into the ordinary, or a flash of humor. Collected here are over two hundred of the best haiku of Japanese literature--written by the great masters of the genre. The featured poets are Bashō, Buson, Issa, Moritake, Sōin, Sanpū, Kikaku, Ransetsu, Kyorai, Raizan, Kakei, Onitsura, Taigi, Chiyo, Sogetsuni, Sogi, Fuhaku, Teiga, Kikusha-ni, Tayo-jo, Sōchō, Shōha, and Shiki. This is a pocket-size reissue of The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 1995).

Where it sits

Haiku81%
Japanese Poetry80%
Poetry Anthologies53%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Asian Poetry
  • Japanese Poetry
  • Haiku
Authors
Basho, Buson, Issa
Publisher
Shambhala
Published
May 13, 2014
Format
Paperback
Theme
Nature, beauty, and wonder · Temporality, loneliness, and loss
Reading lane
Asian Poetry