つばき落ち鶏鳴き椿また落ちる
tsubaki ochi tori naki tsubaki mata ochiru
a camellia falls
a rooster crows
another camellia falls
—Baishitsu
(Tr. David LaSpina)
(Print by Hirokazu Fukuda)
In this poem from Buson, I told you about how camellia make a plunk sound that is quite audible in a quiet area. Plunk may be right, as it is a small sound, but it is more like a small thud. That may be the sound the old Japanese were thinking of when they heard it, for the falling of a camellia flower was often likened to a beheaded samurai's head hitting the ground.
Whether that is the case in this haiku from Baishitsu, I will leave 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 — Am I a Butterfly or a Man?
#32 — Hidden Grey Hair
#33 — Sleeping Butterfly
#34 — Never To Grow Old
#35 — From Dog to Cat
#36 — Short Night
#37 — Silent Moon
#38 — Temple Pine Needles
#39 — Nothing and Everything
#40 — Stubborn Scarecrow
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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. |