Japanese poetry

Japanese Poetry

Presented by Maqsood Hasni Free Abuzar Barqi Kutab’khana Aug. 2017 1

History of Japanese Poetry

The classical Japanese poetry is referred as waka.

Man’yoshu, dating back to the middle of 7th century, is the oldest book of Japanese poetry. Man’yoshu contains 20 volumes of waka. The authors of most of these poems 2

are unknown, but they ranged from aristocrats to the general public, women as well as eminent poets of the time such as Nukata no Okimi and Kakinomoto Hitomaro.

During the period of Chinese influence, Chinese poets recited poems in the courts of the Japanese royals and the aristocrats. Japanese poets even went to China to study poetry. Poetry tradition was so much ingrained in Japanese culture that waka (poetry) was used to write letters and community.

During the Heian period (794 and 1185), Japanese royals and aristocrats organized waka recitation contest.

Notable works in this period is Wakan Roeishu, which was compiled by Fujiwara no Kinto, Tale of Genji by Poetess Murasaki Shikibu, and The Pillow Book, whose author is unknown.

In the 12th century, new poetry forms Imayo and Renga developed. Recitation of Imayo was accompanied with music and dance, and Renga was written in a 3

communication form between two people.

Haikai (also called Renku) developed during the Edo period (1602–1869). Matsuo Basho was the great haikai poet of this era. He also developed haibun, a poetry style that combined haiku with prose. During Edo period, poets collaborated with painters and blended poetry with paintings, which gave birth to new visual poetry form called haiga. Notable amongst poet-painters is Yosa Buson. He wrote haiku poems in his paintings. Senryu, a satirical poem in haikai form, developed in the late Edo period.

By the 19th century, major Japanese poetry forms were already developed. With the Western influence, freeform poetry style developed in Japan. This poetry style was called Jiyu-shi, literally freestyle poetry, or Shintai-shi, new form poetry. Shi is the Japanese word for Chinese poetry, but today it is used for modern Japanese poetry style.

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Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death Waka Japan was heavily influenced by Chinese poetry; Japanese poets composed poems in Chinese language.

The Japanese poems following the classical Chinese poetry are called kanshi. Classical Japanese poets also wrote poetry in Japanese language. All the poems written in Japanese language were referred as waka.

Waka is a Japanese word for poetry. The Kokin-shu (905) Man’yoshu (7th century) are two books of Japanese poetry that contain waka in different patterns.

Man’yoshu, which as 20 volumes, contain waka of different forms such as tanka (short poem), choka (long poem), bussokusekika (Buddha footprint poem), sedoka (repeating-the-first-part poem) and katauta (half poem).

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By the time Kokin-shu was compiled, most of these poetry forms, except tanka, had vanished. Therefore, waka was used to refer tanka poetry. Tanka also gave birth to renga and haiku. Choka and sedoka are early poetry forms whereas renga, haikai, and haiku are later poetry forms.

Waka: The Classical Japanese Poetry Forms Poetry Forms Pattern Meaning Katauta 5,7,7 Half Poem Tanka 5,7,5,7,7 Short Poem 6

Choka 5,7,5,7,5,7,5,7,7 Long Poem Bussokusekika 5,7,5,7,7,7 Buddha Footprint Poem Sedoka 5,7,7,5,7,7 Repeating-the-First-Part Poem Haikai When renga is composed in humorous and comic themes, it is called haikai. Haikai is referred as mushin renga or comic renga. Haikai poetry, sometimes also called hokku, is composed in three lines with nature and season as the dominant theme. Hokku or haikai poetry form gained prominence in the 17th century. Matsuo Basho 7

(1644-1694) was one of the early poets to perfect the art of hokku/haikai poetry.

Renga Renga is a linked-verse Japanese poetry from composed in tanka pattern. Renga was originally composed by two or more poets. Renga developed when poets tried to communicate through poetry. The first three lines of renga, in 5-7-5 syllables format, were composed by a poet and the remaining 7-7 syllables were composed by another. In ancient Japan, composing renga was a favorite pastime affairs of poets, aristocrats, even general public. The earliest record of renga poems is found in Kin'yo-shu, an anthology of poems compiled in about 1125.

In the beginning, renga were based on light topic, however, by 15th century, there was a distinction drawn between ushin renga (serious renga) and mushin renga (comic renga).

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Renga poetry contains at least 100 verses. The first stanza (the first three lines), of renga is called hokku.

Hokku of a renga later developed into haiku poetry.

A little cuckoo across a hydrangea, a haiga by Yosa Buson (1716 - 1784) A little cuckoo across a hydrangea, a haiga by Yosa Buson (1716 - 1784) | Source When the Japanese poets composed haiku and senryu, they used words in terms of sound effect. This was not possible when these Japanese poetry forms were adapted in other languages. The 5-7-5 pattern called kana (17 kana in total) in Japanese language was translated as 17 syllables in 5-7-5 format. Haiku were/are also written in 3-5-7, 3-5-3 and 5-8-5 pattern.

Today haiku are mostly written in three lines, in 17 or less syllables.

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Haiku is not a sentence in three fragments.

The best haiku are open ended.

Haiku is about nature and season as experienced or observed by the poet.

Haiku uses minimal punctuation.

Metaphors, similes and other poetry elements are unnecessary in haiku.

Haiku does not tell but shows the emotions as experienced by the poet.

Haiku present specific moments rather than extensive picture.

Haiku, senryu, haiga and tanka are used in both, singular as well as plural form.

Haiku The word haiku combines two different words haikai and hokku. Haikai is a linked-verse Japanese poem in renga 10

poetry style and hokku is the name given to the first stanza of renga poetry. Haikai, a type of renga poetry, consists of at least 100 verses in 5-7-5-7-7 pattern.

Haiku poetry form developed from hokku of haikai and became an independent poetry form in the 17th century; however, the word haiku was not used until 19th century.

Haiku was named by Japanese poet Masaoka Shik.

Haiku is non-rhyming Japanese poetry form. It is composed in three lines, in 5-7-5 format, 17 syllables in total. Haiku is about nature and plays with the imagery, metaphors and emotions of seasons.

Japanese characters were developed from Chinese and Korean alphabets, which are basically pictograms. The style of haiku was perfectly compatible with the language because a single character could say many things.

However, in other language such as English, an alphabet is just a letter that cannot evoke feelings and emotions, or even sensible meaning. Therefore, when haiku entered 11

into English and other languages, there were few modifications. The three lines form was maintained in haiku, but the strictness of 17 syllables could not always be retained.

The modern haiku does not strictly follow 17 syllables in 5-7-5 format. Some haiku poets follow 5-3-5 format, whereas some do not even follow the uniform pattern of syllables. The most common haiku format is unrhymed three lines poetry.

Haiku poetry form was incorporated in the Western languages in the 19th century. Imagists popularized English haiku poetry in the early 20th century.

Haiku Poetry Haiku: Rose Haiku about rose. Pictures of rose.

Haiku: Nature Haiku were originally written about nature. Two haiku 12

about nature and a video based on haiku about nature Senryu In the 18th century, Karai Senryu (1718-1790) composed short non-rhyming poems, about human foibles and ironies, in 5-7-5 form. His poems were called Senryu.

Later, all the poems that followed the tradition of Karai Senryu were called senryu. Karai Senryu is the pen name of Karai Hachiemon.

Senryu – a Japanese poetry form composed in 17 syllables, in 5-7-5 format – is similar to haiku. Like haiku, there have been some modifications in senryu pattern, in modern times. The basic difference between haiku and senryu is, haiku is written about season and nature, whereas senryu is about the ironies of life. Sometimes it is hard to differentiate senryu with haiku because senryu can also be a commentary on nature or season.

To differentiate a senryu with haiku you have to consider the tone. Thematic treatment in haiku is serious whereas 13

senryu are humorous or cynical.

Normally, senryu presents setting, subject and action. It is a commentary on human nature in satirical or humorous tone.

Haiga by Vinaya Haiga by Vinaya Haiga Haiga: Love Haiga about carnal, ethereal and motherly love. Tips on how to create Haiga.

Haiga Haiga (hai=poem/haiku; ga=painting) is a visual poetry form, which originated in China in the 7th century, and was perfected in Japan the 17th century. Painting, poetry and calligraphy were called ‘Three Perfections’ in ancient China. The Three Perfections was first practiced 14

during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The Three Perfections of Tang Dynasty heavily influenced Japanese art and literature.

Calligraphy, the art of handwriting, was highly regarded in ancient China. Artists wrote deep and profound lines, in beautiful script, over the painting. Japanese artists emulated the tradition of writing beautiful lines over a painting. Painting and poetry became complimentary art forms. Poets with painting ability, or the painters who were poets, created visual poetry.

During the Edo period (1602–1869) haiku and senryu were combined with painting and calligraphy. Thus, a new visual poetry form was born, it was called Haiga. Haiga is a haiku/senryu poem written over a painting or photograph.

Haiga is a poetry blended with picture that tells about profound observation of life, living and the world.

Thematically the poetry in the haiga is similar to the 15

picture. Haiga was initially painted over wooden blocks, stones, cloths, and paper and used as room decoration.

Haiga is highly regarded in Zen Buddhism. Creating haiga is thought to be a type of Buddhist meditation.

Modern haiga poet/artist combines haiku/senryu with digital pictures. The modern haiga normally presents a haiku or senryu written on painting or photograph.

Given a choice between different Japanese poetry forms, what do you choose?

Haiku Senryu Haiga Tanka See results Tanka In the beginning, when Japanese poetry forms were not 16

developed, waka was used to denote all kinds of poem.

Waka literally means classical Japanese poetry.

Man’yoshu, which dates back to the middle of 7th century, is the oldest book of Japanese poetry.

Man’yoshu contains long and short poems. Man’yoshu categorizes short poems as waka and long poems as choka. The word waka was later replaced with tanka.

Tanka is the modern name for waka. It is one of the oldest Japanese poetry styles.

Tanka is non-rhyming Japanese poetry form composed in five lines, in 5-7-5-7-7 format, 31 syllables in total. It consists of two elements. The first three lines (5-7-5) is called kami-no-ku (literally upper phrase) and the last two lines (7-7) is called shimo-no-ku (literally lower phrase).

In the ninth and tenth centuries, short poems dominated Japanese poetry styles. Kokinshu is one of the earliest collections of tanka. However, tanka poetry form was 17

almost lost for one thousand years. Japanese poet, essayist, and critic Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) is credited for the revival of tanka poetry, and the invention of haiku from hokku (haikai). Masaoka lived during the reign of Japanese emperor Meiji Tenno (1852-1912). Meiji is credited for the development of modern Japan. Masaoka tried to do the same thing in Japanese poetry.

Kokin-shu, an anthology of poetry, was compiled by a court noble Ki Tsurayuki in 905. Kokin-shu styles of poetry ruled Japan for about one thousand years.

However, Masaoka praised the poetry styles in Man’yoshu (7th century) and degraded Kokin-shu.

Man’yoshu contains long and short poetry forms. Tanka is a short poetry form in Man’yoshu.

The modern tanka poetry form was revived in the late 1980s by Japanese poetess Tawara Machi.

Tanka: Poems for Kids - and adults 18

If a haiku is usually (mistakenly) thought of as a 3-line, 5-7-5 syllable poem, then the tanka would be a 5-line, 5-7-5-7-7 syllable poem. However, as with haiku, it’s better to think of a tanka as a 5-line poem with 3 short lines (lines 2, 4, 5) and 2 very short lines (lines 1 and 3).

While imagery is still important in tanka, the form is a little more conversational than haiku at times. It also allows for the use of poetic devices such as metaphor and personification (2 big haiku no-no’s).

Like haiku, tanka is a Japanese poetic form. ***** 19

While I’m sure there are problems with my attempt, here is my tanka attempt, which you can use as an example of the form: Chopin’s waltzes turn circles in my head for hours as I think of her hand turning the world inside out Somonka: Poetic Forms By: Robert Lee Brewer | October 17, 2013 1 The somonka is a Japanese form. In fact, it’s basically two tankas written as two love letters to each other (one tanka per love letter). This form usually demands two authors, but it is possible to have a poet take on two personas. .

Here’s an example somonka: “Sugar,” by Robert Lee Brewer 20

I’m waiting to die; I think it will happen soon– this morning, I saw two bright hummingbirds battling over some sugar water.

I know; I was there.

I chased after them for you until thirst stopped me.

Fetch me some water. I have a little sugar for you. ***** Get your poetry published. ***** Senryu By: Robert Lee Brewer | May 23, 2013 0 It’s been two months since our last poetic form challenge and the April PAD Challenge is over, so let’s get another one started.

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This time around, the challenge is to write senryu, which is a variation of the haiku. As with haiku, senryu are most often 3-line poems containing 17 (or fewer) syllables–often in a 5-7-5 pattern. Senryu does not include a cutting or seasonal word, and it’s usually about human issues (not nature, as is the case with haiku).

In fact, many people write poems that they call haiku that are really senryu. So in a way, it’s a form of poetry that is often suffering from identity theft and mistaken identity.

OK, so that’s the form.

Here are the guidelines for competing in this challenge:  Write and share original and previously unpublished senryu in the comments below (on this specific post). 

Deadline for entries: May 31, 11:59 p.m. (Atlanta, Georgia time). 

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No entry fee.

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Include your name as you would like it to appear in print (just in case you’re chosen as a winner).

Speaking of winners, the top senryu (and maybe a few extra, since the form is so short) will be published in a future issue of Writer’s Digest magazine in the Poetic Asides Inkwell column.

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Anyone and everyone (from any location on the globe) is encouraged to participate. It’s free and fun. 

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Note to new poets: You’ll have to register on the site (don’t worry; it’s free) to comment. And for your first few comments, you may have to wait for one of us editors to approve your comment. Don’t worry; we’ll get to you–and then, after that first approval, you should be good to go into the future.

Good luck!

Katauta Poems The katauta is a Japanese poetic form that is actually considered an incomplete or half-poem. It’s a 3-liner that follows either 5-7-5 or more commonly 5-7-7 syllables 23

per line. Sounds like a haiku or senryu, right? But this poem is specifically addressed to a lover.

When paired together, multiple katautas act as a question and answer conversation between lovers to form sedoka. If the concept of sedoka sounds familiar, it’s similar to somonka, in which 2 tankas are written as love letters. ***** Here’s my attempt at a Katauta: Untitled Katauta, by Robert Lee Brewer Why do winter stars shine brighter than summer stars as if they are shards of glass?

And while we’re at it, here’s a Sedoka: Untitled Sedoka, by Robert Lee Brewer why do winter stars shine brighter than summer stars as if they are shards of glass?

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don’t blame the seasons on the ever changing heat of your lover’s quick embrace. ***** Dodoitsu: Poetic Forms By: Robert Lee Brewer | July 14, 2015 0 Ready to learn a new poetic form? And yeah, you know that a new WD Poetic Form Challenge is just around the corner.

The dodoitsu is a Japanese poetic form developed towards the end of the Edo Period, which came to an end in 1868. As with most Japanese forms, the dodoitsu does not have meter or rhyme constraints, focusing on syllables instead.

This 4-line poem has seven syllables in the first three lines and five syllables in the fourth–and final–line. The dodoitsu often focuses on love or work with a comical twist. While my examples below do not have titles, I 25

haven’t found any word on whether dodoitsu traditionally have titles or not. ***** Here is an example focused on work: when a geologist speaks & the earth trembles seven meteorologists get sucked in a twister Here is an example focused on love: i gave her all my heart & heartache but she returned it with the admission they gave her severe heartburn ***** Mondo: Poetic Form By: Robert Lee Brewer | February 27, 2017 0 26

Some folks may remember me covering katauta (and sedoka) poems last December. Today’s poetic form mondo is a close relative of those forms.

Mondo Poems Mondo poems are often very brief collaborative affairs that present a question and answer in the style of trying to glean meaning from nature. Mondos can be as short as a one-liner or as long as two 5-7-7 syllable stanzas (the first stanza presenting the question; the second the answer). Examples below. ***** Here’s my attempt at a one-line Mondo: Untitled, by Robert Lee Brewer why do winter stars shine brighter? i can’t hear them laugh.

And here’s a two-stanza Mondo: Untitled, by Robert Lee Brewer

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why do winter stars shine brighter than summer stars and why do i notice them?

i can’t hear them laugh, but i remember the way they once entered the darkness. ***** If mondo seems a little too much like sedoka, I totally understand. I think the main difference is a focus on nature and trying to attain a zen-like meaning from natural source material. ***** Katauta: Poetic Form By: Robert Lee Brewer | December 19, 2016 1 Let’s look at one or two more poetic forms before the end of the year, starting with the katauta poem.

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Katauta Poems The katauta is a Japanese poetic form that is actually considered an incomplete or half-poem. It’s a 3-liner that follows either 5-7-5 or more commonly 5-7-7 syllables per line. Sounds like a haiku or senryu, right? But this poem is specifically addressed to a lover.

When paired together, multiple katautas act as a question and answer conversation between lovers to form sedoka. If the concept of sedoka sounds familiar, it’s similar to somonka, in which 2 tankas are written as love letters. ***** Here’s my attempt at a Katauta: Untitled Katauta, by Robert Lee Brewer why do winter stars shine brighter than summer stars as if they are shards of glass?

And while we’re at it, here’s a Sedoka: Untitled Sedoka, by Robert Lee Brewer 29

why do winter stars shine brighter than summer stars as if they are shards of glass?

don’t blame the seasons on the ever changing heat of your lover’s quick embrace. ***** Gogyohka: Poetic Form By: Robert Lee Brewer | October 20, 2014 0 If only a poetic form existed that could be both concise and free. Oh wait a second, there’s gogyohka!

Gogyohka was a form developed by Enta Kusakabe in Japan and translates literally to “five-line poem.” An off-shoot of the tanka form, the gogyohka has very simple rules: The poem is comprised of five lines with one phrase per line. That’s it. ***** 30

What constitutes a phrase in gogyohka?

From the examples I’ve seen of the form, the definition of phrase is in the eye of the beholder. A compound or complex sentence is probably too long, but I’ve seen phrases as short as one word and others more than five words.

So it’s a little loose, which is kind of the theory behind gogyohka. It’s meant to be concise (five lines) but free (variable line length with each phrase). No special seasonal or cutting words. No subject matter constraints. Just five lines of poetic phrases.

Here’s my attempt at a Gogyohka: “Halloween” Ghosts hang from the willow as the children run from one door to the next. ***** 31

Haibun Poems: Poetic Form By: Robert Lee Brewer | September 3, 2012 0 The haibun is the combination of two poems: a prose poem and haiku. The form was popularized by the 17th century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. Both the prose poem and haiku typically communicate with each other, though poets employ different strategies for this communication—some doing so subtly, while others are more direct.

The prose poem usually describes a scene or moment in an objective manner. In other words, the pronoun “I” isn’t often used—if at all. Meanwhile, the haiku follows the typical rules for haiku.

Here is my attempt at a haibun poem: “1985” In the shadow of the Nevado del Ruiz, rice farmers woke as if on any other morning. Their daily pleasures and 32

worries were the same as always. Even the smoke and eruptions that afternoon were familiar—though masked by a thunderstorm—no one aware of the approaching lahars. not the sound but drops of rain scatter ants ***** As you may have guessed, a new poetic form challenge is around the corner. It’d probably be a good idea to work on your haibuns today and share them tomorrow. ***** Haiku Revisited By: Robert Lee Brewer | August 8, 2007 0 Michael Dylan Welch, who wrote on haiku for the 2005 Poet’s Market, stopped by and offered some great advice in the comments to my “Haiku: Easy or Hard?” post from earlier this week. While it’s probably best to read the 33

comments first-hand, I figured I’d make it easy on people since the advice is very useful.

Some highlights: “My sense of things is that practically no current literary haiku writers believe the 5-7-5 pattern of syllables is applicable in English (in Japanese they count sounds, not syllables, which is why a one-syllable word like ‘scarf,’ in English, is counted as FOUR sounds when said in Japan, something like ‘su-ka-ar-fu’), so I’m not sure I’d call 5-7-5 a ‘traditional’ viewpoint in English. More like a traditional misunderstanding.”  “Rather, what matters most in the tradition of haiku is kigo (season word) and kireji (cutting word), as well as objective sensory imagery (thus one wouldn’t say that rain ‘stampedes’ the mud, because, as interesting as that is, it shows your interpretation and lacks the objectivity that lets readers have their own reaction to a carefully crafted image).” 

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“At any rate, I always like to quote philosopher Roland Barthes on haiku. He said that ‘The haiku has this rather fantasmagorical property: that we always suppose we ourselves can write such things easily.’ Paradoxically, haiku is both easy and hard.” 

Welch also provided to links to check out: 1. His essay “Becoming a Haiku Poet” at http://www.haikuworld.org/begin/mdwelch.apr200 3.html 2. Keiko Imaoka’s essay “Forms in English Haiku” at http://asgp.org/agd-poems/keiko-essay.html I would like to thank Welch, who is an expert in his field, for sharing so much great information with everyone.

This is what having a community of poets is all about as far as I’m concerned.

Haiku, Senryu, Haiga and Tanka The Chinese contribution in the development of Japanese script and literature is immense. Even though the history of Japanese literature goes beyond 7th century AD, much of the Japanese literature took inspiration from 35

Chinese literature during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China.

Kojiki (712) and Nihonshoki (720) are the earliest records of Japanese literature. Kojiki and Nihonshoki are the books of Japanese mythology, history and poems.

Mythology and history in these books were recorded from the oral tradition by Hieda no Are and credited to Yasumaro. The poems in these books are said to be composed by Japanese God Susanoo.

In the beginning, Japanese poets used Chinese language to express their emotions, observations and insights.

After the hundred years of writing in foreign language and form, Japanese poets developed a native style, which became integral to Japanese culture.

This one of the hundred prints illustrating the Japanese poetry anthology called the Hyakunin isshu, which was compiled by the poet Fuhiwara Teika 1162-1241 This one of the hundred prints illustrating the Japanese 36

poetry antology called the Hyakunin isshu, which was compiled by the poet Fuhiwara Teika 1162-1241 | Source

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