Learn Japanese From Masaoka Shiki

Author
Written byIchika Yamamoto

Masaoka Shiki was one of the best Japanese poets; his real name was Masaoka Tsunenori. He was born in Matsuyama, in present-day Ehime Prefecture in 1867, one year before the Meiji revolution. He belonged to a humble samurai family; his father was Masaoka Hyata, who died when he was 5 years old. While Masaoka Shiki was still a child, he began to write prose and poetry; some years later, he studied Japanese Literature and poetry in the Tokyo Imperial University. Although, he died at the early age of 35 years due to tuberculosis, Shiki composed over 25,500 haiku in his short life.

Some of his most important work is:

  • Dassai sho-oku haiwa
  • Haikai taiy
  • Haijin buson
  • Masaoka shiki shu
  • Shiki zensh
  • Basho zatsudan

Poem 50

ちる花に


もつるゝ鳥の


翼かな


麥蒔や


たばねあげたる


桑の枝


松杉や枯野の


中の不動堂

chiru hana ni


motsururu tori no


tsubasa kana


mugi maki ya


tabane agetaru


kuwa no eda


matsu sugi ya kareno no


naka no Fudodo


Entangled with the


scattering cherry blossoms\85


the wings of birds!


Wheat sowing\85


the mulberry trees


lift bunched branches


Pine and cypress: in a


withered field, a shrine to Fudo

Poem 93

松の葉の


細き葉毎に


おく露の


千露もゆらに


玉もこぼれず


松の葉の


葉さきを細み


置く露の


たまりもあへず


白玉散るも


松の葉の


葉毎にむすぶ


白露の


おきてはこぼれ


こぼれてはおく

matsu no ha no


hosoki hagoto ni


oku tsuyu no


chitsuyu mo yura ni


tama mo koborezu


matsu no ha no


hasaki o hosomi


oku tsuyu no


tamari mo aezu


shiratama chiru mo


matsu no ha no


ha goto ni musubu


shiratsuyu no


okite wa kobore


koborete wa oku

On the pine needles,


each of the slender needles,


a dewdrop rest\85


a thousand pearls lie


quivering, yet never fall


The tips of the pine


needles, so thin...


no sooner


does the dew collect


than white pearls scatter


To every needle of the


needled pine it clings\85


the pearl white dew,


forming but to scatter,


scattering but to form

Poem 100

紅梅の


散りぬ淋しき


枕元


紅梅の


落花をつまむ


疊哉


瓶にさす


藤の花房


みじかければ


たたみの上に


とどかざりけり

kobai no


chirinu sabishiki


makura moto


kobai no


rakka o tsumamu


tatami kana


kame ni sasu


fuji no hanabusa


mijikakereba


tatami no ue ni


todokazarikeri

crimson plum blossoms


scattered over the loneliness


of the bed...


fallen petals of


the crimson plum I pluck


from the tatami


wisteria


in the vase


so short


it doesn't touch


the floor

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Author: Ichika Yamamoto
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