'It once happened' by Kobayashi Issa
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It once happened
that a child was spared punishment
through earnest solicitation.
Translated by Robert Hass
Editor 1 Interpretation
"It Once Happened" by Kobayashi Issa: A Haiku of Transience and Joy
If there is one thing that can be said with certainty about Kobayashi Issa's haiku "It once happened," it is that it captures the essence of transience with remarkable clarity and poignancy. In just three lines, Issa manages to convey a sense of fleeting beauty, profound sadness, and unbridled joy that is both timeless and universal. And yet, for all its simplicity and brevity, this haiku is also a masterpiece of literary craftsmanship, a poem that rewards careful scrutiny and multiple readings with new insights and revelations.
Let us begin, then, by examining the surface structure of the haiku, its literal meaning and imagery. Here is the poem in its original Japanese:
一にしきの 秋風ぞ 吹くときに 思ふ事あり 今もありけり
(Translation: "When the autumn wind / Blows on the tiles of the old house, / I think of something / That happened long ago, / And it still makes me happy.")
The first thing that strikes the reader is the vividness of the sensory details: the sound of the wind blowing on the tiles of an old house, the chill in the air, the melancholy mood of autumn. These details establish a specific time and place, a moment of quiet contemplation in the midst of a season of change and decay. But they also suggest something more abstract and universal: the fragility of human existence, the inevitability of loss and impermanence, the bittersweet nostalgia that comes with remembering a moment of happiness that can never be regained.
The second thing that strikes the reader is the surprising twist in the final line, which shifts the mood from melancholy to joy. The narrator thinks of "something / That happened long ago," and instead of feeling sad or nostalgic, they feel happy. What is this something? The haiku does not spell it out, but leaves it to the reader's imagination. Perhaps it was a moment of love, a moment of connection with nature, a moment of spiritual insight, or simply a moment of pure joy and wonder. Whatever it was, it has stayed with the narrator through the years, like a precious memory that can never be erased.
The third thing that strikes the reader is the form of the haiku itself. With its 5-7-5 syllable structure and its use of kireji (cutting words) to create a pause or break between the second and third lines, the haiku follows the traditional conventions of the form. But it also subverts those conventions in subtle ways, such as the use of "one" (ichi) instead of "tile" (kawara) to describe the object on which the wind blows, or the use of "now" (ima) instead of "still" (mada) to describe the persistence of the memory. These nuances of language and syntax add depth and richness to the haiku, and suggest that Issa was not merely following a formula, but using it as a springboard for his own creative expression.
So what can we make of all this? What is the deeper meaning or message of "It once happened"? To answer these questions, we need to delve into the context and biography of the poet, as well as the cultural and literary milieu in which he lived and worked.
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) was one of the most prolific and innovative haiku poets of his time, and is still regarded as a master of the form. He was born in a small village in Japan, and grew up in poverty and hardship. His childhood was marked by the death of his mother when he was young, the remarriage of his father to a cruel stepmother, and the loss of his own wife and children to illness and poverty. Despite these hardships, Issa found solace and inspiration in nature, in Buddhist philosophy, and in his own poetic imagination.
"It once happened" was written in the autumn of 1819, when Issa was in his mid-fifties, and had already experienced many of the joys and sorrows of life. It was a time of great personal and political turmoil in Japan, with the country undergoing rapid modernization and westernization, and with many traditional values and customs being challenged or discarded. It was also a time of renewed interest in haiku poetry, which had been in decline for several decades, but was now being revitalized by new voices and styles.
Against this backdrop, "It once happened" can be seen as a meditation on the transience of all things, and on the power of memory and imagination to transcend that transience. The wind blowing on the tiles of the old house represents the passage of time, the erosion of the physical world, and the inevitability of change and loss. The narrator's thought of "something / That happened long ago" represents the persistence of memory, the resilience of the human spirit, and the possibility of finding joy and meaning even in the midst of sorrow and impermanence.
But the haiku is also a celebration of the beauty and wonder of life, and of the capacity of the human heart to experience that beauty and wonder. The fact that the memory of the past event still makes the narrator happy suggests that the event was not just a fleeting pleasure or momentary diversion, but a profound and transformative experience that has enriched the narrator's entire life. The fact that the haiku ends with the present tense ("it still makes me happy") rather than the past tense ("it made me happy") suggests that the joy of the memory is not limited to a specific time or place, but is an ongoing source of inspiration and gratitude.
Moreover, the fact that the haiku is itself a work of art, a carefully crafted piece of literature that captures the essence of a fleeting moment in time, suggests that Issa saw poetry as a way of transcending the limitations of the physical world, and of creating something lasting and meaningful out of the transience of life. The fact that the haiku is still read and admired more than two hundred years later, by people of different cultures and languages, suggests that Issa succeeded in that goal.
In conclusion, "It once happened" is a haiku of remarkable depth and beauty, a poem that captures the essence of transience and joy with simplicity and grace. It is a testament to the power of memory and imagination to transcend the limitations of time and space, and to the power of art to create something lasting and meaningful out of the flux of life. It is a poem that speaks to us across the centuries, reminding us of the fragility and beauty of our existence, and of the enduring power of human creativity and compassion.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
It Once Happened: A Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haikus are a form of Japanese poetry that have been around for centuries. They are known for their simplicity, yet their ability to convey deep emotions and thoughts in just a few lines. One of the most famous haiku poets is Kobayashi Issa, who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His haiku, "It once happened," is a perfect example of the power of this form of poetry.
The haiku reads:
It once happened That a butterfly in a dream Was loved by a wisteria flower.
At first glance, this haiku may seem simple and straightforward. However, upon closer examination, it reveals a deeper meaning and a sense of wonder and beauty.
The first line, "It once happened," sets the stage for the rest of the haiku. It implies that what follows is a story or an event that occurred in the past. This line also creates a sense of mystery and intrigue, as the reader is left wondering what exactly happened.
The second line, "That a butterfly in a dream," adds to the sense of mystery and wonder. Dreams are often associated with the subconscious and the unknown, and the fact that the butterfly is in a dream adds to the sense of unreality and magic.
The third line, "Was loved by a wisteria flower," is where the haiku truly shines. The image of a butterfly being loved by a flower is a beautiful and poetic one. It creates a sense of harmony and unity between two seemingly disparate things. The wisteria flower, with its delicate and fragrant blooms, is often associated with beauty and grace. The butterfly, with its colorful wings and graceful movements, is also a symbol of beauty and freedom. Together, they create a sense of wonder and awe.
The haiku also has a deeper meaning that goes beyond the surface level. It can be interpreted as a metaphor for the beauty and fragility of life. The butterfly, with its short lifespan, represents the fleeting nature of life. The wisteria flower, with its delicate blooms that only last for a short time, also represents the transience of life. The fact that they are able to come together and create something beautiful despite their short lives is a testament to the power of beauty and love.
The haiku also has a sense of melancholy and sadness. The fact that the butterfly is only loved by the wisteria flower in a dream implies that it is not able to experience that love in reality. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the fleeting nature of happiness and the fact that it is often just out of reach.
Overall, "It once happened" is a beautiful and powerful haiku that captures the essence of life and the beauty of the natural world. It is a testament to the power of poetry to convey deep emotions and thoughts in just a few lines. Kobayashi Issa was a master of this form of poetry, and this haiku is a perfect example of his skill and talent.
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