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In 1694, at the age of forty-nine, a remarkable Japanese poet died. Before his death, Matsuo Kinsaku, better known as “Basho,” wrote this final poem: Fallen sick on a journey my dream goes wandering over a field of dried grass 167

Basho’s last poem, like much of his work, was a haiku—a traditional Japanese poetic form. Most haiku share certain characteristics. First, they are short: only three lines long. Second, they describe a profound moment in a few simple, yet vivid words. Third, they mention nature in some way. Haiku are often associated with the changing of the seasons. Basho was one of the greatest masters of haiku. He wrote over 1,000 of these small, surprising poems. His haiku reflect his life experiences. 167

Basho’s life began in 1644 in Ueno, a small town in Iga Province. After the death of his father in 1656, Basho left home and became a servant. His master was Todo Yoshitada, a wealthy young man. Todo and Basho quickly discovered that they both loved writing poetry. They became close companions. One of their favorite poetic subjects was an old cherry blossom tree in Todo’s garden. Basho wrote many haiku about it, such as this one, from 1664: 167

The old-lady cherry is blossoming—in her old age an event to remember Until 1666, Basho enjoyed a simple life devoted to work and poetry. Then Todo suddenly died. Basho lost his job and his best friend. Filled with sadness, he traveled to the capital of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to start a new life. 167

There, he studied and wrote poetry. His poetry began to attract attention. Soon, Basho had his own school and many students. His life was comfortable again. Inside, however, Basho felt empty. Although his friends liked the many shops and crowded streets of Edo, Basho could not get used to city life. He wanted a change. Looking for inspiration, he moved to a small, simple house outside of Edo in the winter of

168 In front of this simple house, he planted a banana tree, called a basho in Japanese. It became the subject of many haiku. Because the poet loved his banana tree so much, his friends began calling him Basho. Then one cold winter day, a fire burned down his little house. For the third time in his life, Basho was without a home. Feeling lost and without purpose, Basho set out to travel through the countryside of Japan.

He planned to visit the twelve provinces between Edo and Kyoto, Japan’s second largest city. Now forty years old, Basho knew the trip would be difficult and dangerous. He expected to die from illness or to be killed by violent criminals. But he traveled safely. Basho began to enjoy his long journey. He met many people and made new friends. As he traveled, the topics of his haiku began to shift. He focused less on his feelings and more on nature. 168

While on the road, Basho wrote some of his best haiku. For the rest of his life, Basho traveled the Japanese countryside. He never stayed put for long. His travels took him east to the Pacific coast. He climbed the mountains of Honshu in the north. He traveled west to the inland sea. His last journey was south to the city of Osaka, where he wrote his final poem. During his travels, he wrote many great books of poetry. 168

Today, Basho’s haiku inspire writers and readers from countries all over the world and enhance their appreciation for the natural world. His simple yet captivating poems help people see their lives and the things around them in a new way. 168

1.How many haiku did Basho write? 2.Where was Basho born? 3. When did Basho start working? 4.Why did he leave his job? 5. What was the city of Tokyo called during Basho’s lifetime? over 1,000 in Ueno in 1656 His master died. Edo

What does basho mean in Japanese? 7. How did Basho get his name? 8. How many times did Basho find himself without a home? 9. How many provinces are there between Edo and Kyoto? 10. In which city did Basho write his final poem? banana tree He loved bananas so much that his friends started calling him “Basho “. times 12 Osaka

169 The great Japanese poet, Matsuo Kinsaku, better known as “Basho,” was born in 1644 in the large city of Ueno, Japan. When Basho was 12 years old, his father died, so he left home to study. He worked for a poor young man named Todo for ten years. Basho and Todo both loved to write poetry, small wealthy work

but they were not close friends. When Todo died after a long illness, Basho lost his job and his home. Basho then went to the capital city of Edo to work. His poems attracted attention, and he started to attend school. Basho was happy in Edo, but his friends were not, so he moved to the countryside. short and start a new life teach not ^ 169

There he lived in a large house and planted a banana tree. He wrote many haiku about the tree, so his friends started to call him Basho, which means blossom. One day, the house burned down, and for the second time in his life, Basho had nowhere to live. small anana tree third

He then decided to travel to all twelve of the Japanese cities between Edo and Kyoto. He then decided to travel to all twelve of the Japanese cities between Edo and Kyoto. For years, he traveled around Japan and wrote novels. He died when he was 40 years old in the city of Osaka. 169 provinces haiku 49

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If you are interested in writing haiku, take a look at this famous example by Basho: The old pond a frog jumps in sound of water —Basho (translated by Robert Hass) Notice how simple and direct the poem is. Other poets might go on and on about frogs singing, 170

but Basho just describes the splash of a frog hitting the water. The poem clearly mentions nature. It also contrasts something—the quiet of the pond with the noise of the frog. Finally, it has a feeling of sabi, a Japanese word meaning something like “peaceful sadness.” Basho’s haiku creates a picture in your mind. You can easily imagine sitting alone by the pond, engulfed in the sounds of nature. 170

Haiku can be a lot of fun to write. In this simple, short poetic form, you can describe your environment, explain how you feel about something, or present a funny situation. To write your own haiku, just follow these steps. STEP 1: First, decide what you want to write about. Traditional haiku focus on nature, but they can be about anything. It is best if you have first hand experience with the subject of your haiku. 170

A lot of modern haiku discuss city life, work, or school. Take a look at these examples: Still in a meeting boss talks, nightfall approaches— dreams of the weekend —Sandra Duque English class is here my favorite time of day; chance for a nice nap —David Clayton 171

You might want to write about something you love, something you hate, the things that thrill you or make you anxious, or anything else that you are thinking about. STEP 2: Decide on the form of your haiku. In Japanese, a haiku must have exactly seventeen on, or segments, of sound. To write haiku in English, many writers count each syllable as one segment of sound. The first line has five syllables. 171

The second line has seven syllables, and the third line has five. Count the syllables in the next example. Summer has arrived see children running outside— fresh smell of cut grass —Jessica Andrea 171

STEP 3: The next step is the most challenging for many writers. You must include some kind of shift or contrast in your haiku. Look at the example haiku above. The haiku that begins Still in a meeting contrasts work with dreams of the weekend. English class contrasts something serious, a class, with a funny idea—taking a nap in school. 171

Summer has arrived contrasts something that you see (children running) with something that you smell (fresh cut grass). The contrast doesn’t have to be big, but it needs to be there. Some writers use special punctuation, such as a dash (—) or semicolon (;) to show the contrast in their poem. STEP 4: Include a season word, if possible. This word tells the reader what time of year it is in your poem 171

For example, if the haiku mentions “cherry blossoms,” the reader knows it’s spring. If the haiku mentions snow, the reader pictures winter. Depending on the topic you choose, you may want to eliminate this step. STEP 5: Practice, practice, practice! The more haiku you write, the better you will get at it. It also helps to read a lot of haiku. 171

Submerge yourself in haiku. Be sure to read a variety of types—traditional, contemporary, serious, sad, funny, and so on. STEP 6: Have fun with it! Don’t worry if it is difficult at first. Just keep at it. With enough time and practice, you’ll soon be able to write your own great haiku. 171

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_____ 1. They are usually about nature. _____ 2. They are about everyday life. _____ 3. There is some reference to the time of year. _____ 4. They can be long or short. _____ 5. They have three lines and 17 sound segments. _____ 6. They include a shift or contrast of some kind. _____ 7. They have a feeling of peaceful sadness. 172 T T T T T

Back to Exercise A _____ 1. They are usually about nature. _____ 2. They are about everyday life. _____ 3. There is some reference to the time of year. _____ 4. They can be long or short. _____ 5. They have three lines and 17 sound segments. _____ 6. They include a shift or contrast of some kind. _____ 7. They have a feeling of peaceful sadness. C C C C

172 First, decide what you want to write about. decide on the form of your haiku.Second, include some sort of shift or contrast.Third, include a season word if you want to.Fourth, practice.Fifth, Finally,have fun. Answer may very slightly.

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