Collected Haiku of Yosa Buson

In this beautiful book I found the power of Haiku in translation.Some of their translated haiku actually gave me more detailed picture of each original haiku than when I read them in Japanese. These Japanese classical haiku poems often require explanation of archaic words, old customs or historical background to understand the haiku when taught in high school classrooms in Japan. However, I could appreciate Buson's haiku instantly when reading them in English in this translation, with more understanding. It was an amazing experience for me.The authors worked over many years carefully to construct a translation that is true to the original. There is no exaggeration or excessive expression beyond Buson's descriptions. Rather, it looks like the translators worked with voluminous notes and communications, and consequently needed such a long time to complete the world of Buson for English readers.Donald Keene highly praised this book in the journal "Anahorish Japanese Literature", writing "...the co-translation by W.S. Merwin and Takako Lento is nearly ideal, as the highest level among translated haiku until now. Their English translation is so accurate as well as poetic, and deserves to be the most celebrated introduction for the great poet."It was also a pleasure for me to know that there existed Japanese poems called "Hai-shi", which is literally "poems" so powerfully made by Buson. I thank the translators very much for their miracle-like work.

In 1919 Arthur Waley issued the blanket judgment on early Japanese poems that "Not one is of any value as literature."Traces of that myopia have persisted through the last 100 yearsuntil even today similar condemnations of waka and haiku arefrequently heard; so,too, of course are condemnations of thosepoetic forms in translation.The Buson given us by W.S. Merwin and Takako Lento is not myopicin the least. They have had their eyes wisely wide open to nuancesthat lurk in the further recesses of Buson's now casual now penetrating observations and reflections. Yes, Buson can be riddling and cryptic, but his sweep is so much greater than thatand even arguably greater than that of his master, Basho. There are nuances in Buson that would be disserved if rendered inseventeen syllables or seventeen anything-else; not only disserved but unavailable. Syllabics is beside the point.In giving us another Buson, Merwin-Lento follow Buson's responses to nature, the seasons, the startling and the mundane in anunusual and necessary way, in an English that is at once clean, subtle and casually controlled. Thanks to them for bringing rarelyseen aspects of Buson into view.Incidentally,there is a splendid visual haiku on the front cover of Buson, drawn by himself, sitting bare-bottomed lopsided sidesaddle--and barefooted--on his thoughtful horse.

When I saw the venerable poet W.S. Merwin as co-translator I thought, "This is going to be great." I was sadly disappointed by these "translations" of 18th century master Yosa Buson. The renditions are wordy, clumsy, explanatory, not really haiku at all. I was really embarrassed by this book for Buson's sake.For the fun of it, I did a syllable count of one of the longer renditions. 34 syllables to translate (rather, "explain") a terse 17-syllable (actually 17 onji, not really syllables) Japanese original! You can see the vast disparity between the original Japanese (romaji transliterations), which takes up a very little space on the printed page, and the unwieldly English versions.I have heard Japanese poets recite haiku. They truly are single-breath poems that whip by in a few moments. English language haiku are best when they emulate this aesthetic. The translations in this book do not do so.The poems in this book are really Western poems based upon haiku, but they are not haiku. They completely lack the concise impact of the originals. They actually violate the true haikai spirit.Edith Shiffert's volume of Buson translations, "Haiku Master Buson," are better but not great. I'm still waiting for a high quality Buson haiku volume. It's amazing that relatively so little attention has been paid to this haiku giant, one of the "big four" haiku poets of traditional Japan.

A good translation and glad for the notes because many references such as place names, water ways, mountains, fauna and people are obscure unless you really know older Japanese culture. Read this on the bus commuting to and from work because so much crap happens on the bus it's hard to keep focused, so haiku being utterly brief are perfect entertainment.

This book has a wonder "feel" to it in terms of its design. I read and teach classical Japanese poetry in its original language so on that point some of the translations are better than others but, all-in-all, I enjoyed this book so much that I gave one to a friend as an impromptu gift.

A great collection of haiku from one of the masters. The notes are fantastic .

Not liking all the translations.

Very good, PAC

This will make you fall in love with Buson and the publishers simultaneously as the presentation of his work, alongside the phonetic of its Japanese original gives you the ability to appreciate the sonorous qualities and the fathomable beauties of Buson and his knack for covering so much with the slightest of touch.The arrangement into seasonal segments is also an added extra and W S Merwin's translations retain something of the apparent ordinariness of the originals (the 'karma' or lightness, so admired by Basho and his disciples) whilst providing mysteries and depths despite the simplicity.This is a beautiful collection, arranged and structured with careful consideration, as well.Well worth purchasing for those who appreciate terse verse presented in a pleasing manner without anything detracting from the work itself..

A lovely book of relaxing haiku poetry. Some real gems that make you sit and think.

really not quite believable that this Copper Canyon Press text does not have the originals except in transcription .... will an e-book version do better ? A kanji index ?I have a number of related web pages posted online now, with first lines in the Original etc

Wooden and lifeless. The opposite of the originals. I adore Buson. These translations made me hate him!