I’ve been watching the tv series Shōgun about 16th century Japan this past month. Have you seen it? It’s the first time I went back and immediately watched something again. I really don’t know why. I do know when I was little my parents had two books on their shelf that I was forever drawn to (graphic art and font, yes…but…), they held some type of anchor point in my childhood visual field: Shōgun (this cover) and Clan of the Cave Bear (this one). I created a full on reproduction Ayla costume from estate sale furs in my mid-20’s and spoke only in single syllables for a full evening one Halloween. Who knows if this is how people actually spoke. I never read Shōgun. But here’s a haiku about the moon!
Sōkan was a 16th century poet, a shōgun’s calligrapher, Japanese renga poet, and in his later years a monk hermit. I had to look renga up and I’m interested. Renga is a form of collaborative poetry where multiple poets write alternating stanzas. Renga is Japanese for “linked verse”. This I absolutely am in love with.
from the linked ‘verse,
Erin
by Yamazaki Sōkan
O Moon! - if we should put a handle to you, what a fan you'd be!
In the public domain. Sourced from the book The Bamboo Broom; An Introduction to Japanese Haiku. 1934.
I was immediately drawn to this haiku. The author seemed to interpret this joyful poem as a low brow form of Haiku. I find it high brow ~ funny and deep as f.
What do you think?