Haiku - Poèmes japonais classiques

by Collectif, Hart Larrabee (translator)

Genres: Poetry

96 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2024

About the author

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Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Haiku is a collection of short collection of Haiku Japanese poems translated by Hart Larrabee. The book starts out with an introduction explaining what Japanese Haiku poetry is along with information on the historical background of Haiku before leading on to the poems themselves. The poems are written in their original Japanese and phonetic transcription before being translated into English, which was set out in an effective and calming way. The poems included are classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku – Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki. I really enjoyed this collection and will be checking more of this poetry style out as I found it beautiful and interesting.

[Philippe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I refer to my review of Haiku: Japanese Poems for the Four Seasons. This volume attempts something similar in spirit, but its rather pompous, coffee-table aesthetic contrasts unfavourably with the more modest, almost juvenile vibe of the former. As an object it is simply too large and unwieldy. Presenting a single haiku per page — in kanji, romanised Japanese, and free English translation — is in principle a good approach but in this context lends each poem an almost monumental air. That sits uneasily with the spirit of karumi (lightness) associated with late Bashō and, in my opinion, aspirational for the genre as a whole.

A clear strength of the book is its inclusion of the four major classical poets — Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki — each given a separate section. However, beyond a very brief introduction, there is no contextual material or commentary whatsoever. While Hart Larrabee, who lives in Japan and has an established record as a translator, is certainly well positioned to produce attractive and readable versions, the absence of notes and supporting apparatus limits the collection’s depth.

I would not go so far as to rate the book poorly, but its design choices and total lack of context make it far from my preferred haiku edition.