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The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa (Essential Poets) Paperback – August 1, 1995

by Robert Hass (Editor, Translator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 179 ratings
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American readers have been fascinated, since their exposure to Japanese culture late in the nineteenth century, with the brief Japanese poem called the hokku or haiku. The seventeen-syllable form is rooted in a Japanese tradition of close observation of nature, of making poetry from subtle suggestion. Infused by its great practitioners with the spirit of Zen Buddhism, the haiku has served as an example of the power of direct observation to the first generation of American modernist poets like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams and also as an example of spontaneity and Zen alertness to the new poets of the 1950's.

This definite collection brings together in fresh translations by an American poet the essential poems of the three greatest masters: Matsuo Basho in the seventeenth century; Yosa Buson in the eighteenth century; and Kobayashi Issa in the early nineteenth century. Robert Haas has written a lively and informed introduction, provided brief examples by each poet of their work in the halibun, or poetic prose form, and included informal notes to the poems. This is a useful and inspiring addition to The Essential Poets series.

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  1. Print length
    329 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ecco
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 1995
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.88 x 7.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0880013516
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0880013512
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An exquisite collection of the finest works of three distinct masters of the haiku tradition: Matsuo Basho (the ascetic and seeker), Yosa Buson (the artist), and Kobayashi Issa (the humanist).

The editor, Robert Hass, United States poet laureate, is the author of several books of poetry including Human Wishes as well as a book of criticism Twentieth Century Pleasures, for which he received The National Book Critics Circle Award. The book is one of the larger series of poetry collections, Essential Poets Series published by Ecco Press.

From the Back Cover

American readers have been fascinated, since their exposure to Japanese culture late in the nineteenth century, with the brief Japanese poem called the hokku or haiku. The seventeen-syllable form is rooted in a Japanese tradition of close observation of nature, of making poetry from subtle suggestion. Infused by its great practitioners with the spirit of Zen Buddhism, the haiku has served as an example of the power of direct observation to the first generation of American modernist poets like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams and also as an example of spontaneity and Zen alertness to the new poets of the 1950's.

This definite collection brings together in fresh translations by an American poet the essential poems of the three greatest masters: Matsuo Basho in the seventeenth century; Yosa Buson in the eighteenth century; and Kobayashi Issa in the early nineteenth century. Robert Haas has written a lively and informed introduction, provided brief examples by each poet of their work in the halibun, or poetic prose form, and included informal notes to the poems. This is a useful and inspiring addition to The Essential Poets series.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ecco; 2012th edition (August 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 329 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0880013516
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0880013512
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.88 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 179 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
179 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the content enlightening, informative, and touching. They appreciate the high level of poetic excellence and excellent translations of key verses. Readers describe the collection as excellent and one of the best.

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Enlightened contentPoetry translationCollection quality
13 customers mention "Enlightened content"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the content enlightening, informative, and touching. They say the book is a solid introduction and a good resource. Readers also mention the selected poems are amazing, inspiring, humbling, and uplifting. They appreciate the excellent commentaries and nice overview.

"...It is well worth knowing what they said. "Learn about pines from the pine, and about bamboo from the bamboo."" Read more

"I read these sometimes b4 bed. Helps me wind down...." Read more

"...The poets are masters of the art. The selected poems are amazing, inspiring, humbling, uplifting...." Read more

"...translations in this book are very good and are accompanied by explanations of the verses and with..." Read more

13 customers mention "Poetry translation"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the poetry translations excellent, readable, and accessible. They say the book is a great introduction to the three poets. Readers also mention the book has beautiful versions of the translated haikus.

"...The translations are quite readable and the commentaries are excellent...." Read more

"...I found the book an excellent introduction to the three poets. Highly recommended." Read more

"...The biographies are succinct yet intimate. The poets are masters of the art. The selected poems are amazing, inspiring, humbling, uplifting...." Read more

"The haiku translations in this book are very good and are accompanied by explanations of the verses and with..." Read more

7 customers mention "Collection quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the collection excellent, one of the best, and enlightening. They say it's a good collection from three different masters.

"...review covering all the fine points of why this is such an excellent collection...." Read more

"I thought that this was a good collection from three different masters for comparison and contrast...." Read more

"Splendid collection. You'll return to it every few weeks.The translations are vivid and sensitive, and the commentary is excellent." Read more

"...a fan of haiku, you will LOVE this one, very well organized, a great collection" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Antonius Tio
5.0 out of 5 stars "Learn about pines from the pine."
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
Hass presents a comprehensive introduction to the works of Basho, Buson, and Issa. The translations are quite readable and the commentaries are excellent. It seems to me one who seeks to understand haiku should begin with the old masters.This work was published in 1994, giving modern English haiku folks twenty years to argue about what is going on with haiku.
In the meantime, the old masters who began it all are here waiting. Whatever I read of modern haiku I intersperse with one or another versions of the masters. That gives me perspective with which to evaluate theory and practice of today.
At the price of a used book today, this is an incredible bargain. You will want other versions, but this is an excellent beginning.
If you wish to delve deeply, this book includes how to and commentary by the old poets themselves. It is well worth knowing what they said. "Learn about pines from the pine, and about bamboo from the bamboo."
15 people found this helpful
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Baby Panda Pants
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT collection and introduction
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2024
Verified Purchase
It cuts through the noise....worth it...
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Carm
5.0 out of 5 stars Soothing
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I read these sometimes b4 bed. Helps me wind down. If you're looking for relaxing reading and at the same time learning a few things, give this a shot.
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Mary Soon Lee
4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to three preeminent haiku poets.
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
In this book, Robert Hass provides translations of haiku by three of its preeminent practitioners, together with supplemental material to give the reader context, such as how haiku grew out of the older Japanese tradition of collaborative verse. Basho, who lived in the seventeenth century, worked before haiku were seen as an independent art-form.

At the end of the book, Hass discusses the difficulties of translating haiku. How the resonance of their seasonal references, their mix of kanji and phonetic symbols, the syntax, the punning are hard to render in English. Yet despite that, he captures something that moved me in his lean translations. For example, here are two of his translations of Basho:

Midfield,
attached to nothing,
the skylark singing.

You could turn this way,
I'm also lonely
this autumn evening.

And two of Buson's:

Coolness--
the sound of the bell
as it leaves the bell.

The old man
cutting barley--
bent like a sickle.

And two of Issa's:

The holes in the wall
play the flute
this autumn evening.

Last time, I think,
I'll brush the flies
from my father's face.

I found the book an excellent introduction to the three poets. Highly recommended.
31 people found this helpful
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Autumn N. Empire
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites.
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2009
Verified Purchase
The scholars and masters will be able to write a technical review covering all the fine points of why this is such an excellent collection. For my part, I just find I'm able to lose myself in the imagery so easily. It's become a sort of "apple-a-day" for my soul. I will never be able to read these works in Japanese, but I sense these translations carry all the simple beauty and truth of the original poems. The biographies are succinct yet intimate. The poets are masters of the art. The selected poems are amazing, inspiring, humbling, uplifting. I've shared this over and over, with people of very different tastes, and it's never disappointed.
13 people found this helpful
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Willis Goodlett
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translations of key haiku verses
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2012
Verified Purchase
The haiku translations in this book are very good and are accompanied by explanations of the verses and with
descriptive narratives on the lives of the three key writers of haiku. Basho was the most important of the
three poets and he is dealt with in depth by the author. The other two are described quite adequately also.
All in all, the book would be a good addition to any follower of the poetry of haiku with its emphasis on the
the seasons, sensations, and mood that prevail throughout this short poetic and emotic producing form of Japanese
literature.
7 people found this helpful
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A. Perry
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Haiku
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
I checked this book out from the library, and liked it so much that I decided I should own it. I realized I had never before encountered the seminal classic haiku, or much of any haiku composed in Japanese rather than English. These are stunning poems, especially the final poet (Issa), whose sense of humor and voice in general were really what motivated me to make the purchase.
8 people found this helpful
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Donemus
5.0 out of 5 stars A Variety of Haiku by Famous Japanese Poets
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
Americans and others are writing minimal syllable poetry in their own native languages. Getting familiar with the source is a significant part of the process of finding your own poetic stance. This book is a good start.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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CF
5.0 out of 5 stars The Essential Haiku is a lovely collection of poetry
Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
I love this little book! These are the Japanese masters: Basho, Buson, and Issa. A lovely introduction to haiku and other short form Japanese poetry by masters of the form translated and edited with great care by Robert Hass. Something is lost in translation; however, the ideas are still faithfully portrayed. Very well worth reading. Wonderful for readers as well as poets who may want to try this complex little form. I leave this book feeling serene and uplifted.
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Gabriel Rosenstock
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to fault - except for the full stop at ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
Hard to fault - except for the full stop at the end of each haiku. Haiku should trail off into infinity without the intrusion of a full stop.
4 people found this helpful
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Books on Asia
5.0 out of 5 stars Three great poets in one volume
Reviewed in Japan on July 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
A great chance to read Bashō, Buson and Issa next to each other and compare. And of course, we're always interested in different translations of these classic poets. Translations in this volume include those by Burton Watson, Etsuko Terasaki, Yuki Sawa, Edith Shiffert, Robert Huey, Nobuyuki Yuasa, and Donald Keene.
One person found this helpful
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Artamia
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Canada on December 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
great book & service
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Amazon カスタマー
4.0 out of 5 stars 俳句のイメージが変わる！？
Reviewed in Japan on December 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
日本語で慣れ親しんだ俳句が、英語になると全く違った印象になることに気づきました。
ドナルド・キーンさんの訳とはまた違う英訳を楽しむことが出来ます。
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