落花枝にかへると見れば胡蝶哉
rakka eda ni kaeru to mireba kochoo kana
fallen blossom
returning to the branch?
ah, no—a butterfly
—Moritake
(Tr. David LaSpina)
(Print by Hiroshige)
Fallen Butterfly... or Flying Blossom? Whatever the case may be, this is Moritake's most famous small verse. Taken literally, it's a delightful scene showing his temporary confusion as he mistakes a butterfly for a cherry blossom.
There is also some comment on the brevity of life. As we know by now, the butterfly hints at Chang-tzu and his famous question of reality "Am I a man who dreamt I was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming I'm a man?". The butterfly is also the perfect example of the Buddhist idea of rebirth, which tells us we are not the same person from moment to moment, as the butterfly's dramatic change from caterpillar to butterfly illustrates a creature that is the same but yet isn't the same as it was. Finally we have the cherry blossoms, which only last a week and are a symbol of the transience of life.
I will leave it to you to connect these images in your own way. There is no right interpretation—let them and the poem dance around in your head for a while and see what comes to you.
Don't miss other great haiku in the Haiku of Japan series!
#1–10 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #1
#11–20 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #2
#21–30 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #3
#31—40 — Haiku of Japan :: Collection #4
#41 — Falling Camellia
#42 — Snow Falling
#43 — Morning Glory Shack
#44 — My Father's Face
#45 — Dragonfly Hunter
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I post one photo everyday, as well as a haiku and as time allows, videos, more Japanese history, and so on. Let me know if there is anything about Japan you would like to know more about or would like to see.
 | David LaSpina is an American photographer lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time. |