Friends and celebrated poets Li Po (Li Bai) and Tu Fu (Du Fu) lived in the seven-hundreds. They sipped wine together and toasted the moon in bamboo groves.
Almost a thousand years later, Basho became a poet of his time. Basho published under different names, including one that meant “green peach” as a sign of respect for Li Po, whose name translates to “white plum.*”
Two frogs same moon —
Still pools water the orchard in
Peach blossom village
*information taken from poetry foundation
Frank J. Tassone is today’s host for dVerse. Frank says:
Today, I would you like you to write a haibun that alludes to either (or both!) of these poetic masters. You could comment on their lives or accomplishments, write a mock-memoir from their point-of-view, explore some aspect of their art, reflect on their impact—whatever you like!
Tao Talk 
I’ve learnt something new about Basho from your haibun, Lisa. I love the way you used facts and riffed on Basho’s classic haiku to create a beautiful original one of your own.
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🙂 Thank you, Kim, glad you enjoyed the haibun.
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I agree, Kim. That frog line is really good.
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I love how you tie Li Po with Basho! Oh, that last haiku, that ultimate line: pure elegance. A tribute to Basho, and his beloved Li Po, for which he’d bow.
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Thank you, Frank, and I bow to Basho to his respect to Li Po (and Tu Fu by extension in my mind.)
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Thank you for sharing the story. The haiku was touching and poignant.
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Glad you enjoyed the story and the haiku, Beverly, you are welcome and thanks.
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Your feel for the period and the form, added to the brevity, gives a sense of authenticity to the piece;’ nice job.
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Thank you, Glenn, much appreciated comment.
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What a beautiful haiku. You have made the spirit of Basho your own. (K)
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Thank you very much, K.
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Well done, Lisa.
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Thank you, Ken.
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I only knew of his banana psuedonym, you have enlightened me of his ‘green peach’ reference
Oh your haibun is in total so elegant
Much💙love
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Gillena glad to have pleased you with the haibun, thank you ❤
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Oh, a lovely glimpse of Basho respecting his poetic tradition, and then your own haiku referencing Basho’s frog. A chain of haiku.
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Thank you, Sarah!
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Learnt something more about Basho. Your haiku is a masterpiece, Li.
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Thank you much, Punam!
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My pleasure.
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I love how you placed Basho in the history of predecessors. Maybe Shakespeare also tied himself to Chaucer and other earlier poets.
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Wonderful! Very smart to draw those poets together, sutra-like. I toyed with doing somethign similar with Hanshan butr couldn’t find me path through the words.
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🙂 Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
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kaykuala
One just cannot avoid Basho’s ‘frog’ haiku. We can literally ‘hear’ the ‘plop’ and ‘see’ movements in our minds when reading it. And you did it so well to create one of your own with reference to the haiku. Great thoughts Jade!
Hank
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Hank thank you for the thoughtful comments. Speaking of frogs, I saw a big bullfrog jump into the ditch when getting the mail an hour or so ago.
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I enjoyed your history and comparison of the early Japanese poets. The haiku is great!
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Dwight, thank you!
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