Anthologies | Matuso Basho | Yosa Buson | Kobayashi Issa
Masaoka Shiki | Writing Haiku in English
The Essential Haiku : Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa (Essential Poets, Vol 20), by Robert Hass
An anthology of haiku by Japan's three greatest haiku poets, Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa, selected and mostly translated by Robert Hass, a modern American poet. Also includes a few prose works by each poet, such as Basho's "the Hut of the Phantom Dwelling" and "The Saga Diary," and a section entitled "Basho on Poetry," which includes a selection of Basho's statements on the art of poetry. Hass's translations admirably capture the spirit of Japanese haiku.From the Country of Eight Islands : An Anthology of Japanese Poetry, by Hiroaki Sato and Burton Watson
A comprehensive anthology of Japanese poetry covering all of the major Japanese poets from the earliest anthologies (the Man'yoshu in particular) through the modern age (the last poet in the collection was born in 1937). Includes many hokku (now frequently called haiku) not available in English elsewhere. One slightly odd aspect of the book, however, is the different method each of the two translators uses to notate hokku in English. Hiroaki Sato renders most of his translations of tanka, hokku, and haiku as a single, unbroken one-line poem to approximate the way in which they appear in Japanese, whereas Burton Watson breaks each poem up into separate lines of five and seven syllables.Penguin Book of Zen Poetry, by Lucien Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto
An exceptionally well translated and well chosen anthology of Chinese Zen poems, poems by Japanese Zen masters, haiku, and poems by Shinkichi Takahashi, a contemporary Japanese master.Back Roads to Far Towns : Basho's Oku-No-Hosomichi, by Matsuo Basho, translated by Kamaike Susumu and Cid Corman
This is a fun, beatnik inspired translation of Basho's greatest work, a travel journal containing many haiku by both Basho and his disciple, Sora. This is a bilingual edition with the Japanese and the English versions of the work on facing pages.Basho and His Interpreters : Selected Hokku With Commentary, by Makoto Ueda
This book should be in every haiku fan's library. It is a collection of Basho's most famous poems arranged chronologically covering each period of his career. Each poem includes an English translation, the Japanese original (written in Roman characters, not Japanese), and a literal word by word translation. this is followed by selected commentaries on the poem translated from many different Japanese sources. This book contains a wealth of material on how haiku is viewed and interpreted in Japan and also shows the extent to which Basho's reputation has been created by his many interpreters.A Haiku Journey, by Matsuo Basho, translated by Dorothy Britton
Another translation of Basho's greatest work, Oku no Hosomichi. This version includes the complete Japanese original following the English translation. It is an interesting translation in that, unlike most of the other English versions of this work, the haiku are mostly rendered in rhymes and natural English rhythms in an attempt to make them sound more like poems in English.Matsuo Basho, by Makoto Ueda
A short biography of Japan's greatest haikai poet followed by critical assessments of his work. Includes sections on Basho's haiku, renku, prose, and his critical commentaries. Basho is best known for his development of the nineteen syllable hokku (now often called haiku) into an art form. Matsuo Basho also discusses the aesthetic ideas that Basho developed as he transformed the writing of hokku from a parlor game into one of Japan's great cultural achievements.Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches, by Basho Matsuo, translated by Nobuyuki Yuasa
This Penguin Classic was my initial introduction to Basho and made me a fan of his life as poetry view of the world. This collection contains five of Basho's greatest prose works, including "The Records of a Weather-Exposed Skeleton," "The Records of a Travel-Worn Satchel," and "The Narrow Road to the Deep North." Although Yuasa's prose translations are magnificent, his haiku translations often seem a bit heavy and overdone. Specifically, he renders the three lines of Japanese into four lines of English throughout the book. I find this somewhat annoying, but the prose is so well done that I can forgive him.The Narrow Road to Oku, by Matsuo Basho, translated by Donald Keene
Yet another English version of Basho's greatest work, this one by one of the best modern translators of Japanese literature.On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho, by Matsuo Basho, translated by Lucien Styrk
An anthology of Basho's haiku in English. Styrk's Zen influenced translations are superb. Not only do they capture the spirit of Japanese haiku, but unlike many other translations of Basho, they are often very effective and successful at communicating the multiple layers of meaning embedded in the originals.A Zen Wave : Basho's Haiku & Zen, by Robert Aitken
Essay length interpretations of haiku by Matsuo Basho. Aitken's Zen-based perspective on the deep spirituality contained in these poems is truly inspired and spoken from the heart. One gets the feeling, however, that some of these readings find much more in the poem than Basho intended.Haiku Master Buson, by Yuki Sawa and Edith Shiffert
A bilingual anthology of Buson's haiku along with three long poems and some prose selections. The translations are generally quite good.The Autumn Wind : A Selection from the Poems of Issa, by Lewis MacKenzie
An anthology of Issa's haiku organized chronologically.Masaoka Shiki: Selected Poems, translated by Burton Watson
A collection of Shiki's haiku, tanka, and kanshi (Chinese style poems). Includes Japanese versions of the poems transcribed in Roman characters.Haiku Handbook : How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku, by William J. Higginson and Penny Harter
This handbook contains a wealth of background information on how to appreciate and write haiku. It also includes lesson plans and suggested teaching methods.Haiku in English, by Harold Gould Henderson
This short book is a great starting place for anyone interested in writing haiku in English or other languages besides Japanese. Explains many of the characteristics of haiku in Japanese and discusses methods for approximating or otherwise capturing or imitating these characteristics in English.Japanese Haiku : Its Essential Nature, History, and Possibilities in English, With Selected Examples, by Kenneth Yasuda
This book covers the history of haiku while discussing many of the associated aesthetic principles. There is also extensive discussion of methods for writing haiku in English and numerous examples of both haiku translated into English from Japanese and haiku written in English. There is also a short section on the history of haiku in English and other languages.
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