Poetry and Art, Japanese

 

Japanese poetry

Left on the beach
Full of water,
A worn out boat
Reflects the white sky
Of early autumn.

Nagisa naru
Sutareshi fune ni
Mizu michite
Shiroku utsureru
Hatsu-aki no sora

YOSANO AKIKO
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When I went out
In the Spring meadows
To gather violets,
I enjoyed myself
So much that I stayed all night.

Haru no nu ni
Sumire tsumi ni to
Koshi ware zo
Nu wo natukashimi
Hito yo nenikeru

AKAHITO 8th century
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The hanging raindrops
Have not dried from the needles
Of the fir forest
Before the evening mist
Of Autumn rises.

Murasame no
Tsuyu mo mada hinu
Maki no ha ni
Kiri tachi noboru
Aki no yugure

THE MONK JAKUREN
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The hanging raindrops
Have not dried from the needles
Of the fir forest
Before the evening mist
Of Autumn rises.

Murasame no
Tsuyu mo mada hinu
Maki no ha ni
Kiri tachi noboru
Aki no yugure

THE MONK JAKUREN
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If you liked these you can find lots more here.
http://www.fisdk12.net/ba/japan/poems.htm

Hokusai (1760-1849)
Katsushika Hokusai, Japan's best known artist, is ironically Japan's least Japanese artist. Japan's best known woodblock print, The Great Wave, is very un-Japanese. Welcome to the artist often known as Hokusai.
Hokusai (1760-1849) lived during the Tokugawa period (1600 to 1867). In a Japan of traditional Confucian values and feudal regimentation, Hokusai was a thoroughly Bohemian artist: cocky, quarrelsome, restless, aggressive, and sensational. He fought with his teachers and was often thrown out of art schools. As a stubborn artistic genius, he was single-mindedly obsessed with art. Hokusai left over 30,000 works, including silk paintings, woodblock prints, picture books, manga, travel illustrations, erotic illustrations, paintings, and sketches. Some of his paintings were public spectacles which measured over 200 sq. meters (2,000 sq. feet.) He didn't care much for being sensible or social respect; he signed one of his last works as "The Art-Crazy Old Man". In his 89 years, Hokusai changed his name some thirty times (Hokusai wasn't his real name) and lived in at least ninety homes. We laugh and recognize him as an artist, but wait, that's because we see him as a Western artist, long before the West arrived in Japan.
Hokusai started out as a art student of woodblocks and paintings. During the 600-year Shogun period, Japan had sealed itself off from the rest of the world. Contact with Western culture was forbidden. Nevertheless, Hokusai discovered and studied the European copper-plate engravings that were being smuggled into the country. Here he learned about shading, coloring, realism, and landscape perspective. He introduced all of these elements into woodblock and ukiyo-e art and thus revolutionized and invigorated Japanese art.
Information from
http://andreas.com/hokusai.html

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 9, '09 skyerider said Why about Hokusai, opps sorry, of course, its getting very late here you know :-)) glad you enjoyed it

delete reply skyerider wrote on Jul 9, '09 *giggle* Why about Hokusai, of course! Beautiful paintings. And I enjoyed the Japanese verses, too.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 9, '09 skyerider said and I've learned something new. Ahhh thank you, and what did you learn new??

delete reply skyerider wrote on Jul 9, '09 Beautiful, and I've learned something new. Thanks!

delete reply agnes128 wrote on Jul 9, '09 I love both Haiku and the art above. I'm currently trying to find an idea for either a drawing or a watercolor appropriate to this haiku: Come and pass and go one umbrella -only one- evening and the snow The umbrella by YAHA

delete reply pestep55 wrote on Jul 8, '09 Wonderful poetry and a a bit of history. Nice!

delete reply fransformation wrote on Jul 8, '09 I love Haiku, thank you for this lovley post. http://fransformation.multiply.com/journal/item/327

delete reply asolotraveler wrote on Jul 7, '09 very nice - relaxing

delete reply poeticjay wrote on Jul 7, '09 What a nice post. The poems are so simple yet beautiful. I also like the artwork with them. Very nice

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Jul 7, '09 How funny you should post this! I was looking at a site of Japanese artists yesterday.

delete reply caffeinatedjo wrote on Jul 7, '09 Beautiful art and words! I love that name he used towards the end of his career, "The Art-Crazy Old Man". And the fact that he did not concern himself with social respect. Sounds like it would have been entertaining to share a cup of coffee with him.

delete reply gileson wrote on Jul 7, '09 Wonderful. It is truly ironic that within the past 24 hours I have rediscovered a stack of 45 RPM records of traditional Japanese music that I accumulated when I was in Japan in the late 1960's. Putting those songs on the turntable, then reading your page brought back a flood of great memories. Domo arrigato!

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Jul 7, '09 This post on Japanese Poetry has stirred my interest in the artist Hokusai and I will look to learn more of him. I don't have a lot of interest in things Japanese, but the Shogun period does hold my interest. "The Art-Crazy Old Man" sounds like my kind of guy. Thank you.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Jul 7, '09 I enjoy the simplicity of these poems. They are like short bursts of color - a photograph in words with a aura of feeling.

delete reply lrrpslady wrote on Jul 7, '09 Thank you for these. So simple but they say so much. (Am I forgiven for the snake?) Hugs

delete reply starfishred wrote on Jul 7, '09 very nice loretta

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 7, '09 ; D

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 7, '09 Just realised I posted the last one twice.................strange cos thats the one i really like

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 7, '09 what wonderful inspiration, loretta. the artist sounds like quite a character, i like his work alot. thanks!