Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11866 in Books
• Published on: 1995-03-31
• Original language: Japanese
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

Synopsis
Haiku may be the most popular and widely recognizable poetic form in the world. In just three lines a great haiku presents a crystalline moment of image, emotion, and awareness. Elements of compassion, silence, and a sense of temporality often combine to reveal a quality of mystery. Just as often, haiku may bring a startling insight into the ordinary, or a flash of humor. Collected here are over two hundred of the best haiku of Japanese literature - written from the seventeenth century to the early twentieth century by the great masters.

Customer Reviews

The perfect introduction to great Haiku
This book is the final word in the argument over whether Haiku can be written / translated into English and work. The many dozens of Japanese Haiku in this book prove that the answer is YES!

Featuring Haiku from the three most revered Haiku writers ever: Basho, Buson and Issa; this book spans an enormous scope, variety of styles and subjects, and two centuries of haiku writing.

The book contains no explanatory notes other than a couple of footnotes but that doesn't matter as these finely crafted lines will all be immediately accessible and equally beautiful to all.

The book itself is very small and convenient to keep on your bedside table or in your pocket to read at your leisure. The pages are thick and high quality paper. The illustrations have a rugged Asian calligraphic simplicity that complements the words.

I thoroughly recommend reading one haiku a day and thinking about it and it's multiple and hidden meanings throughout the day. You really can get so much out of this book. You'll never need chocolate, self help tapes, alcohol or prescription drugs again!

Haiku as it was meant to be
The translator, Sam Hamill, has given those who can not read Japanese the chance to read Haiku by three of the greatest Haiku poets ever. In this book Issa has put the hardships of his life three lines,Buson places you walking done a lonesome road in autumn with such clarity, and Basho reminds us that everything in the night is veiwed differently in the morning. This book is a must read for anyone who does read or has ever wanted to read Haiku.

The Sound of Water: Haiku - By Basho, Issa & Other Poets
Excellent service. Arrived very quickly indeed as this was a gift for a family member, who enjoyed the book immensely.