A Haiku for Mother’s Day
Hachiya persimmons by Downtowngal
Wild persimmons,
The mother eating
The bitter parts.
Issa
Along with Basho, Buson, and Shiki, Issa (1763-1827) is considered one of the four masters of Japanese haiku. Issa lived a particularly tragic life, losing his mother at age three, his inheritance and home after the death of his father, the wife he adored and their three children, all very early in their lives. To learn more about Issa and his poetry,
I recommend Anita Virgil’s discussion of his life and work in episode 16 of Haiku Chronicles.
Happy Mother’s Day
Thanks for sharing this, Liz.
Great haiku, Liz. 🙂
Oh, isn’t that just like a mother… always giving the sweet parts to her children and taking the bitter for herself. Thank you for introducing me to this beautiful haiku. I hope you enjoyed your Mother’s Day!