The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology (Dover Thrift Editions) [Paperback]

Faubion Bowers (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Dover Thrift Editions | Publication Date: September 24, 1996

Unique collection spans over 400 years (1488–1902) of haiku history by the greatest masters: Basho, Issa, Shiki and many more, in translations by top-flight scholars in the field. Editor Faubion Bowers provides Foreword and many informative notes to the poems.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Haiku by Arakida Moritake
Haiku by Arakida Moritake
Haiku by Arakida Moritake
Haiku by Chigetsu
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Chiyo Ni
Haiku by Gozan
Haiku by Hattori Ransetsu
Haiku by Hattori Ransetsu
Haiku by Hattori Ransetsu
Haiku by Hayano Hajin
Haiku by Hayano Hajin
Haiku by Hojo Dansui
Haiku by Ichikawa Danjuro I
Haiku by Ihara Saikaku
Haiku by Ihara Saikaku
Haiku by Ihara Saikaku
Haiku by Ihara Saikaku
Haiku by Ihara Saikaku
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Iio Sogi
Haiku by Kagami Shiko
Haiku by Kagami Shiko
Haiku by Kawai Otokuni
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kikaku
Haiku by Kitamura Kigin
Haiku by Kitamura Kigin
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku: On The Eta, The Untouchables by Kobayashi Issa
Haiku by Kosugi Issho
Haiku by Kubota Seifu-jo
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku: Written When Sick In Bed by Masaoka Shiki
Haiku by Matsue Shigeyori
Haiku by Matsunaga Teitoku
Haiku by Matsunaga Teitoku
Haiku by Matsunaga Teitoku
All That Is Left by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Matsuo Munefusa
Hokku: Rika Gave Me A Plantain by Matsuo Munefusa
Reminder by Matsuo Munefusa
Haiku by Mukai Kyorai
Haiku by Mukai Kyorai
Haiku by Mukai Kyorai
Haiku by Nishiyama Soin
Haiku by Nishiyama Soin
Haiku by Nishiyama Soin
Haiku by Nishiyama Soin
Haiku by Nozawa Boncho
Haiku by Nozawa Boncho
Haiku by Nozawa Boncho
Haiku by Nozawa Boncho
Haiku by Ochi Etsujin
Haiku by Ochi Etsujin
Haiku by Ogawa Haritsu
Haiku by Ogawa Shushiki
Haiku by Ogawa Shushiki
Haiku by Oshima Ryota
Haiku by Oshima Ryota
Haiku by Otomo Oemaru
Haiku by Otomo Oemaru
Haiku by Otomo Oemaru
Haiku by Otomo Oemaru
Haiku by Saiokuken Socho
Haiku by Saiokuken Socho
Haiku by Sakurai Baishitsu
Haiku by Sakurai Baishitsu
Haiku by Sanboku
Haiku by Shida Yaba
Haiku by Shida Yaba
Haiku by Shida Yaba
Haiku by Shofu-ni
Haiku by Sute-jo
Haiku by Sute-jo
Haiku by Tachibana Hokushi
Haiku by Tachibana Hokushi
Haiku by Tachibana Hokushi
Haiku by Tachibana Hokushi
Haiku by Tagami Kikushna-ni
Haiku by Tagami Kikushna-ni
Haiku by Takeda (tome) Uko-ni
Haiku by Takeda (tome) Uko-ni
Haiku by Tan Taigi
Haiku by Tan Taigi
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Uejima Onitsura
Haiku by Anonymous
Haiku by Anonymous
Haiku by Anonymous
Haiku by Yagi Shokyu-ni
Haiku by Yagi Shokyu-ni
Haiku by Yagi Shokyu-ni
Haiku by Yamaguchi Sodo
Haiku by Yamaguchi Sodo
Haiku by Yamaguchi Sodo
Haiku by Yamamoto Kakei
Haiku by Yamamoto Kakei
Haiku by Yamazaki Sokan
Haiku by Yamazaki Sokan
Haiku by Yamazaki Sokan
Haiku by Yamazaki Sokan
Haiku by Yamazaki Sokan
Haiku by Yasuhara Tesishitsu
Haiku by Yasuhara Tesishitsu
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
Haiku by Yosa Buson
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: Japanese

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (September 24, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486292746
• ISBN-13: 978-0486292748
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Japanese & Haiku
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Anthologies
  • #23 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Bargain, August 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

Most of us will remember reading a few selected haiku poems in grade school, but this anthology offers over 200 poems from a 400-year period. Faubion Bowers did a superb job of introducing, selecting, and annotating the poems, and the translations are accompanied by their transliterated Japanese originals, a feature that helps English readers to see the economy of haiku, as well as the alliteration often lost in translation. Works of this caliber seldom cost so little.

Haiku (roughly translated as "unusual verse") is a highly compact form of Japanese poetry. Its origins are in popular literature, and it was somewhat of a superficial fad until Basho and other writers raised it to an art form. One of the key characteristics of haiku is its evocative, reflective nature--it can offer complex ideas in a distilled form. To take one example, from an anonymous writer:

I regret picking
and not picking
violets

At first glance, this seems to be a contradictory and perhaps pointless statement. Why would one regret and not regret picking violets at the same time? On further reflection, however, the answer emerges: picking violets is a pleasurable activity but it kills the violet. Hence, one can both regret picking violets (i.e. killing a thing of beauty) and not picking violets (i.e. missing a pleasant pastime). An interesting parallel would be the opening line of Dickens' *A Tale of Two Cities*: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Haiku revels in this kind of elliptical thinking, challenging its readers to reflect beyond the literal meaning of a statement.

Even for non-poetry readers, this volume is a delightful bargain. So make some green tea, sit in a quiet garden, and enjoy this book.

Bill Ramey

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly good collection, December 19, 2001

By 

Matthew Cheney (New Hampton, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

Despite a misleading definition of haiku on the back of this book (continued in the introduction), and despite the tendency of Dover Thrift Editions to use the worst possible translations for other books they have published, this is an authoritative and valuable collection which offers translations of quite a few works otherwise difficult to find. One of the most valuable elements of the book is its printing of multiple translations of one poem -- while some of the translations (particularly from the early part of the 20th century) are execrable, it is fascinating and instructive to see how various poems have been approached.

This book is a great addition to any library, but don't let it be your only haiku book -- be sure to read William Higginson's "Haiku Handbook" as well as "The Essential Haiku" edited by Robert Hass and "The Haiku Anthology" edited by Cor van den Heuvel.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great overview of literary trial by translation., December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

This book is not only the best haiku bargain for the buck, but a valuable snapshot of the trials and tribulations any literature is likely to go through in the translation process. Bowers has given the reader a semester's worth of translation styles and problems to consider. Anyone interested in the problems of translation, or in taking on the translation of haiku, can learn from this book. Also, anyone attempting to review the literature on haiku in English should probably start here, for it gives sample translation from virtually every serious book on the subject in or out of print at the time of compilation (1996). Bowers knows his stuff, and his Japanese, and contributes some very fine translations occasionally himself.

You couldn't go wrong on this for a first book of haiku!