Nippoem

12

Paper lanterns rushing to the scene of a fire; riverbank fog

提灯が火事にとぶ也河岸の霧

chōchin ga kaji ni tobu nari kashi no kiri

(Ozaki Hōsai 尾崎放哉)

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The word nari functions as a copula (similar to “is”), with everything preceding it being subordinated to an implicit noun such as “a situation”, “a matter”, etc. This construction is commonly used for giving an interpretation or explanation of observed facts, and a rough English equivalent would be: “what is happening here is that lanterns are rushing to the fire”. The explanatory tone is necessary in this case because the fog makes it impossible to directly see what is going on.
11

The Flag of the Rising Sun, stickily drooping in the sweltering heat

日章旗ベッタリ垂れた蒸暑さ

nisshōki bettari tareta mushiatsusa

(Tsuru Akira 鶴彬)

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Tsuru Akira (1909–1938) was an anti-militarist senryū poet frequently harassed by the authorities over his literary activities. He died in prison at the age of 29.
10

I wake up and see it, I go to sleep and see it: the space inside the mosquito net

起きてみつ寝てみつ蚊帳の広さかな

okite mitsu nete mitsu kaya no hirosa

(Kaga no Chiyo 加賀千代)

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Kaga no Chiyo (1703–1775) was a female haiku poet who lived in the Edo period.
9

The flowers I saw yesterday—now gone without a trace; nighttime wind

昨日見た花は跡なし夜の風

kinō mita hana wa ato nashi yoru no kaze

(Masaoka Shiki 正岡子規)

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In haiku, when unspecified “flowers” (hana) are mentioned, the word is usually understood as referring to cherry blossoms (sakura).
8

The soul on the verge of falling: now only one petal left

たましひのちり際も今一葉かな

tamashii no chirigiwa mo ima hitoha kana

(Hanekawa Chinchō 羽川珍重)

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1.

Hanekawa Chinchō was a woodblock print artist who died in 1754. This is his death poem (jisei 辞世), written in the 17-syllable haiku form.

2.

Chirigiwa literally refers to the moment in which flowers or their petals are on the verge of falling. Figuratively it means the point of death, meeting one’s death.

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