Words fall in Autumn
like leaves, wet and fading —
an old man’s life ends.
The haiga was written in honor of Matsuo Basho, whose painting here inspired me, as the characters look like falling leaves.
Haiga is a Japanese concept for simple pictures combined with poetry, usually meaning haiku. In Basho’s time, haiga meant a brushed ink drawing combined with one of his single poems handwritten as part of the picture. … Sometimes the poem is handwritten or it can be computer generated, depending on the artist’s taste.
Image information:
Portrait of Matsuo Bashō by Yokoi Kinkoku, c. 1820. The calligraphy relates one of Bashō’s most famous haiku poems: Furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto (An old pond / a frog jumps in / the sound of water).
Frank J. Tassone is the host of Haiki Challenge. Frank says:
This week, write the haikai poem of your choice (haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, renga, etc.) that alludes to fallen leaves (ochiba)?
Tao Talk 
Great poem Jade!
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Dwight, thank you very much.
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You are welcome!
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Superb symbolism!
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Reena, thank you 🙂
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Great poem. The picture really resembles a fallen leaf.
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Indira, thank you 🙂
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Most welcome, dear.
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Profound!
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🙂 Thank you.
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A pleasure Li
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Wonderful tribute to Basho. Great imagery. (K)
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K thanks. It was spontaneous. I was looking for def of haiga and saw the pic at wiki.
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #2: Jade Li’s latest #haiga for my current #Haikai challenge!
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This is lovely. And they do look like fallen leaves.
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🙂 Thank you, Linda.
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I like how the word frog in Japanese also means returning.
“Frog” in Japanese is “kaeru.” While the kanji/kana involved in writing the words are different, it is pronounced the same way you say “return/to return” (also “kaeru”). As it has been explained to me, frogs can be linked with things/or people returning to a place or origin.
Thanks for the history of the image. I like how you interpret the characters/ calligraphy as falling leaves 🙂
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I so enjoy your Japanese lesson on the connections in language and meaning and am even more happy about the haiga now ❤
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…one of my collections is Frogs… Frogs are very lucky in many cultures. (breep!)
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I collect frogs also ❤ Not sure why I started but they just drew me to them.
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Positive Luck – that’s what I’m sticking with 😉
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thats so beautiful! A wonderful tribute to a wonderful man!
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Thank you, the photo inspired me 🙂
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