An Introduction to Haiku: An Anthology of Poems and Poets from Bashō to ShikiThe seventeen-syllable Japanese haiku -- a three-line poem constructed on extremely rigid principles, must adhere to the strictest aesthetic standards of concreteness, objectivity, and suggestiveness. In this brilliant analytical anthology Harold G. Henderson introduces the Western reader to the seventeen-syllable haiku and, with a wide selection from the works of the great haiku masters, gives a historical and critical account of the haiku tradition. The haiku tradition is an ancient one. As Mr. Henderson suggests in the preface to this volume, a great haiku must be lucid as well as richly suggestive in the meanings it conveys to the attentive reader. In this, haiku captures the essence of lyric poetry throughout the ages and, in its variety and richness, reflects many of the characteristics of Japanese painting and religion. -- From publisher's description. |
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Common terms and phrases
Amida as-for autumn autumn-nightfall Bashō beauty bell bird bloom Bush-clover Buson butterfly CALIFORNIA/SANTA CRUZ cherry blossoms chiru Chiyo chrysanthemums clouds comes cool cuckoo daimyō dewdrop dragonflies dreams effect emotion English Etsujin fall famous feeling fireflies flowers frog give grasses haiku hana hana-no Haru harvest moon hito hitotsu Hōryū-ji hotaru hototogisu indicate is-not Issa Issa's it-is Japan Japanese kana kigo Kikaku kireji Kyō KYORAI least literally looking MATSUO BASHŌ meaning mizu moon-viewing Moor Hens morning-glory mountain naki naku nashi Oku-no-Hosomichi Onitsura original picture plum blossoms poem poet poetry postpositions pupils rain Ransetsu reader REC'D river RYŌTA sakura Samidare samurai seems Sengin shadow Shiki Short Night sing skylark snow Sōin song sound spring suggestion Summer syllables tanka temple things tion translated tree tsuki usually verb verse voice waga white chrysanthemum wind words written wrote Yama-dera yuki yuku yume