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The 17th-century Japanese haiku master Basho was born Matsuo Kinsaku near Kyoto, Japan, to a minor samurai and his wife. Soon after the poet’s birth, Japan closed its borders, beginning a seclusion that allowed its native culture to flourish. It is believed that Basho’s siblings became farmers, while Basho, at Ueno Castle in the service of the local lord’s son, grew interested in literature. After the young lord’s early death, Basho left the castle and moved to Kyoto, where he studied with Kigin, a distinguished local poet. During these early years Basho studied Chinese poetry and Taoism, and soon began writing haikai no renga, a form of linked verses composed in collaboration.

The poem captures a vivid and concise image of a bee emerging from a peony, emphasizing movement and natural beauty. The use of "staggers" suggests the bee's possibly erratic or exhausted state, which might symbolize the intensity of its work or the lushness of the flower. This brief moment reflects a harmony between effort and nature's abundance, inviting readers to focus on small but meaningful interactions in the natural world.

A Caterpillar is a poem that uses a third person viewer as the viewpoint or "I" of the poem. Imagery of a caterpillar in the autumn, a time where plants and animals are preparing for hibernation or storage of food and other resources comes to mind, with a caterpillar, this means a rapidly dwindling food store which is not condusive to its survival. Matsuo Basho implies that the caterpillar is either late or is under a severe time restraint as it has not metamorphosed yet, especially since fall is explicitly mentioned in the haiku. The mood is relatively neutral for a poem that's talking about a caterpillar in fall.

The poet uses imagery to elicit a serene, meditative atmosphere. The image of "the monk sips morning tea" immediately creates a peaceful, ritualistic tone, enhanced by the silence in "it's quiet," which enhances the stillness of the moment. The form is simple, yet the combination of these images creates a deep reflection on mindfulness and essence of life.

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Iio Sōgi, generally known as Sōgi, was a Japanese poet. He came from a humble family from the province of Kii or Ōmi, and died in Hakone on September 1, 1502. Sōgi was a Zen monk from the Shōkoku-ji temple in Kyoto.

Does not China also lie beneath this selfsame sky bound in misery.

Sogi is talking about China having the same sky as Japan is an interestingly deep observation, but the fact he says that they are "bound in misery" shows human connection through grief and existence, a theme I've noticed in many of the poems across the differing cultures---and even this line speaks of other cultures.

Among the lowborn too must be some who spend their time in tranquility.

The poem suggests that even among the humblest or "lowborn," there are individuals who experience moments of peace and contentment. The fragmented structure mirrors a sense of imperfection or disruption, yet the idea of tranquility persists. This highlights the universal human desire for stillness, regardless of social standing.

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Originally serving as a court calligrapher for the ninth Ashikaga shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshihisa, the poet became a Buddhist monk and entered seclusion following the shōgun's death in 1489. Traveling through Settsu and Yamashiro provinces, he finally settled in a place called Yamazaki. Establishing his hermitage, which he named Taigetsu-an, he adopted the name Yamazaki Sōkan. The location of this hermitage is debated, since the town of Shimamoto, Osaka, claims to contain its remains, as does the Myōkian, a temple in Ōyamazaki, Kyoto.

Sōkan left Yamazaki in 1523 and settled five years later in the town of Kan'onji in Sanuki province. On the grounds of Kōshōji, he made a hermitage for himself called Ichiya-an, where he spent the rest of his life composing poems.

For what reason can it be that you should seem so dear apart from you who else appeals forever and holds my love.

This is Significant use of figures of speech, especially when examining the value of the beloved—"for what reason can it be that you should seem so dear?" The reader is encouraged to reflect on the unexplainable nature of love by this rhetorical inquiry, which heightens the emotional resonance. The speaker's question highlights a mixture of hesitancy and loyalty, demonstrating how love is a universal emotion.

Even at the time When my father lay dying I still kept farting

This is probably the most memorable poem to me because it discusses reality in a way the other poems we've read have not. The juxtaposition of an incredibly serious situation with flatulence shows that even in moments of intense feeling, emotions can be subjectively removed.

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This Japanese form of poetry allowed me to practice selective word choice, counting syllables, and critical thinking. Sometimes haikus are sentences. Other times, they are selected words and phrases chosen to convey a mood. Though these poems are short, they can be quite fickle. As the form has evolved, many of its regular traits—including its famous syllabic pattern—have been routinely broken. However, the philosophy of haiku has been preserved: the focus on a brief moment in time; a use of provocative, colorful images; an ability to be read in one breath; and a sense of sudden enlightenment. I have heard of the Haiku form of poetry for all of my life and so I wanted to get deeper into this lyric poetry form.

The most important haiku poet in the history of haiku is Matsuo Basho. He lived until he was about 50 and created about 1,000 poems. In his later years, he came to be called “Haisei” (Great Master of Haiku), which signified that he was unparalleled by any haiku poet.

Sōgi is considered the greatest master of renga, his two most famous works being "Three Poets at Minase" (Minase sangin hyakuin, 1488) and "Three Poets at Yuyama" (Yuyama sangin hyakuin, 1491).[3] This outstanding poet left more than 90 works (anthologies, diaries, poetic criticisms and manuals, among others). Before his death, he wrote "Sōgi Alone", which mostly includes his memoirs.

Sokan's poems were not widely distributed at first, they were soon compiled into a text called Daitsukubashū. He also compiled and edited the Inu-tsukuba-shū, another important anthology of renga and haikai. His unrefined style came to be influential and inspired the development of the danrin style of poetry, which emerged in the early 17th century.

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What should you avoid in haiku?

What is the purpose of a haiku poem?

What is the most famous haiku?

Why is haiku famous?

What are the rules for haiku?