Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya

I'll be grateful if you...

Mar 9, 2015

HAIKU MASTER SERIES - Sōchō & Sōgi

A series on discussing Haiku Masters and their poetry. This is the first one of the series. Hope you would like it.


VERSE ONE
______

What could be the cause of it – 
That I should feel such love again? – Sogi 

While I still have you,
Why think of anyone else
Why this discontent? – Socho


At certain juncture in renga, love or yearnings (omoi) had to be touched on before moving to other pre-designated topics of poetic converse. The Master Sogi (1421 -1502) here poses a riddle: Why do I love when already I love? Socho (1448 – 1532) caps his masters verse cleverly by referring to the enigma of infidelity.

“ Three poets at Minase” from where the above stanza is taken, was composed by Sogi and two of his disciples: Socho, a blacksmith’s son, and Shohaku, a nobleman and son of a minister of State. The entire work was written in six hours, with each poet inventing a stanza every three minutes.

Paragon of renga (linked verse) Masters, Sogi (1421 -1502) was of humble origin, so much so that he kept his birthplace secret. However, as a great poet, he moved in highest circles. Perhaps the most famous Hokku in renga literature, written by Sogi, in 1488, when he was 67. 

Despite some snow
the base of hills spreads with Haze
the twilight scene

Text : The classic tradition of Haiku 
Image: Pondicherry Beach

__
Shashi 
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya

PREV                                HOME                              NEXT
Haiku Tea Session - Renga                         Haiku Master Series II


No comments:

Post a Comment

I appreciate your visit and it will be a great pleasure to know what you think of this post...

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...