By Kate Larsen
I was very young when I visited Japan for the first time. It was in 1961. I was on board a Danish ship as a wireless-operator, and we were bound Moji in the southern part of Japan.
I found everything so interesting and beautiful and was fascinated and strongly moved by Japan, and I loved the country from my very first visit.
Later in the years to come, I was still sailing as a wireless-operator and visited many different ports and cities in Japan.
During my stays in Japan, I became interested in the culture of the country and found out that there were some small poems called Haiku.
My mother gave me a book with Haiku-poems by Hans -Jørgen Nielsen, a Danish writer, who as the first for 50 years ago,in 1963, was writing about Haiku. In his book, there was the very first
Haiku-collection in Denmark, all the great classic poets from Japan were represented. -Translated or re-created into Danish.
Then it all started. I read Haiku, tried to write some, but I had a lot to learn. But once I was in Japan still on board a ship , I had some trouble with my radio station, which called for technical assistance from a Japanese firm in Kobe. It was back in 1968, and I asked the technician if he knew the poetry called Haiku.—- What a question to ask a Japanese about!! Of course he knew the Haiku-poems, and when he returned the next day to finish the work, he had a little book with him by Harold G. Henderson, with the title “Haiku in English”, from the manager of the firm, together with a dinner invitation.
That little book became an eye-opener, and here I read about all the rules concerning Haiku-poems, and learned that Haiku was a 5-7-5 poem, dealing with nature, and happening now.
Who was that man Harold Gould Henderson, whose little book became my follower through the years, and still is?
Harold G. Henderson was born in 1889 and died 1974. He was an American academic, an art historian and Japanologist. In 1910 he earned a degree at Columbia University , and continued his studies in Japan between 1930 and 1934. For twenty years he was a professor at Columbia University, and from 1948 through 1952 , he was president of The Japan Society in New York .
He was also an assistant curator of The Far East Department of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City back in 1927-1929. During the second world war he was doing military service in Japan.
In Tokyo he was an adviser on education and art, and was working together with R. H. Blyth (another great writer about Haiku) Blyth is known for his great work in 4 volumes about Haiku.
Preparing this paper on Haiku, I read the book “An Introduction to Haiku by Henderson, and was moved by Basho´s poem, when he twenty years after his beloved master and playmate Lord Sengin had died, again was standing under the cherry trees, where they had spent so many happy hours.
Standing there with his heart so full of memories, he was unable to write a normal poem, but could only say:
Many many things
they bring to mind-
cherry blossoms!
I do find this outburst a real good poem, and I am convinced that everybody, who is writing Haiku have written about cherries. And me too! I am not going to compare myself with Basho or other of the great masters – not at all- but here is one of my own about cherries.
Cherry blossoms
a link to life
at the cemetery
In 1679 Basho wrote a verse which was taken as a model by other Haiku poets, more for its technique than its content.
On a withered branch
a crow has settled-
autumn nightfall.
This Haiku was of course associated to Basho’s name, but the best known Haiku from Basho came in 1689, and is known by all of us. I need not say more than:
Pond-frog -jump!
In Henderson’s book I also found The name of a female Haiku poet, which I didn’t know.
Chiyo (1701-1775). There were different opinions about her verses , but Henderson stated “that she was a true poet, but not a Haiku master.” Her poem after her little son died, he mentioned as one of her finest ones. In Henderson’s translation into English he uses rhyme (which is not allowed in Haiku, and which I think one shouldn’t use. But of course it is a nice rhyme, and here it comes.
The dragonfly hunter-
today, what place has he
got to, I wonder.
It has also been translated in rhyme by Curtis Hidden Page in a very beautiful way.
I wonder in what fields today
He chases dragonflies in play
My little boy-who ran away.
Basho and Buson were called “ The two pillars of Haiku”, and one of Buson’s wonderful Haiku about a temple and a butterfly is also one of my favourite ones :
On the temple bell
has settled , and is fast asleep
a butterfly.
As everybody knows Buson was also a painter, and made very beautiful “pictures “in his Haiku.
I too like to write about butterflies, which is again common for many Haiku poets.
Through the open door
a butterfly is visiting
staying for a while.
As I mentioned before ,- I have been in Kobe , and there on a rainy day many years ago I met the extreme politeness of the Japanese people, which I have caught in the following Haiku.
I have to tell you that it happened twice, on the same route this rainy day in Kobe:
Polite Japanese
offers his umbrella
rain in Kobe.
There are so many great Haiku masters who ought to be mentioned , and also quoted here, but the time does not allowed it.
I am going to finish this paper with another of my own poems.
Haiku poetry
bringing people together
all over the world.
Thank you Mr. Henderson , for taking me into the wonderful world of Haiku , and thank you to all of you for listening.
Thank you very much.
Arigato
Kate Larsen
Denmark