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Haiku, Volume 3: Summer-Autumn
Volume 3 of R.H. Blyth's anthology.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
About the author
R.H. Blyth
79 books40 followersReginald Horace Blyth was an English author, interpreter, translator, devotee of Japanese culture and English Professor, having lived in Japan for eighteen years.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 12, 2020
This volume of Haiku was my first favorite book as a young adult that I owned, read, and cherished, when I was 18-20 years old. I remember finding the book in Japan Center, in San Francisco, in the 70's a new shiny hub of retail, and only later completing the set one volume at a time.
Oddly enough I never notated in it, turned corners, or used my fingernail to mark poems or passages.
I protected the book for it's physical beauty as much as it's content. Ironically after half a century of just existing, it looks worn and frail regardless of the care I gave it.
When I was 14 I'd been let out of regular classes for a few months and a group of us were let loose in the marshes to write Haiku. Doesn't everyone fall in love with their teachers when they're young? With poetry?
The couple that taught us gave me the book Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo
Basho. Their gift gave me the confidence that tells a child 'you show promise' (promise to be a human being who loves nature and beauty, I suppose!). Unfortunately Basho's book was too difficult for me at the time.** My lifelong love of Haiku was ultimately engaged when I discovered Blyth. His commentary always helped me appreciate the poems and understand the beauty of the culture.
It's spring right now and we're in the first virus lock down. I am lucky enough to be a book hoarder and went in search of the spring volume. This is the book the storage gods deemed was the best find for now. When I was young I read this volume and it could have been in any season. Now that I'm older, the seasons mean more to me, I learned how ragas, for example, another art form I love, are written for time of day and season. Reading a haiku in the season it was written in becomes a small ritual to celebrate the passing of time and the season. I look forward to rereading this when summer starts.
** This poetic travelogue, considered one of the greatest works of classical Japanese literature, was begun in 1689 when Bashō sold his home outside Edo (Tokyo) and traveled on foot to the remote northern provinces of Japan. Five months of the journey are described in exquisite prose that combines intimate details of his journey with historical background, fictional anecdotes, literary allusions, and his own emotional responses, often expressed in haiku. Although the work is secular, Bashō clearly seeks spiritual enlightenment and a reaffirmation of values that he feels have been lost in the era of the shoguns.
Oddly enough I never notated in it, turned corners, or used my fingernail to mark poems or passages.
I protected the book for it's physical beauty as much as it's content. Ironically after half a century of just existing, it looks worn and frail regardless of the care I gave it.
When I was 14 I'd been let out of regular classes for a few months and a group of us were let loose in the marshes to write Haiku. Doesn't everyone fall in love with their teachers when they're young? With poetry?
The couple that taught us gave me the book Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo
Basho. Their gift gave me the confidence that tells a child 'you show promise' (promise to be a human being who loves nature and beauty, I suppose!). Unfortunately Basho's book was too difficult for me at the time.** My lifelong love of Haiku was ultimately engaged when I discovered Blyth. His commentary always helped me appreciate the poems and understand the beauty of the culture.
It's spring right now and we're in the first virus lock down. I am lucky enough to be a book hoarder and went in search of the spring volume. This is the book the storage gods deemed was the best find for now. When I was young I read this volume and it could have been in any season. Now that I'm older, the seasons mean more to me, I learned how ragas, for example, another art form I love, are written for time of day and season. Reading a haiku in the season it was written in becomes a small ritual to celebrate the passing of time and the season. I look forward to rereading this when summer starts.
** This poetic travelogue, considered one of the greatest works of classical Japanese literature, was begun in 1689 when Bashō sold his home outside Edo (Tokyo) and traveled on foot to the remote northern provinces of Japan. Five months of the journey are described in exquisite prose that combines intimate details of his journey with historical background, fictional anecdotes, literary allusions, and his own emotional responses, often expressed in haiku. Although the work is secular, Bashō clearly seeks spiritual enlightenment and a reaffirmation of values that he feels have been lost in the era of the shoguns.
June 27, 2022
R.H. Blyth begins his Haiku series with a historic look at the evolution of the haiku into what we know it to be today in the first volume of this series, Haiku, Volume 1: Eastern Culture. His second volume, Haiku, Volume 2: Spring, takes much less time explaining the form of haiku and rather functions as a haiku almanac (saijiki) for the seasonal references (kigo) commonly used in historic haiku. Readers who have been reading this series in succession will have a good feel for the format and content that this volume will present, but it is not difficult for this volume to be the first of the series that the reader begins with.
As the title states, Haiku, Volume 3: Summer-Autumn focuses on haiku that have kigo expressing the scenes and feelings that come from the seasons of summer and autumn. The Haiku series aims to give haiku for the four major seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and for one minor season (New Year's Day), and the second volume of this series focused on New Year's Day and spring. Each major season is separated into seven major categories that have individual kigo expressed for each season. Not every kigo has an equal amount of examples given in this series, but they are all addressed by at least one example haiku from a past haiku poet. Though a large portion of the example haiku placed in this series are written by four poets that are widely considered the greatest haiku masters (Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki), there is a great variety of poets featured in the series. This saijiki, like all others before it, is not exhaustive to the season addressed in each volume, but that does not keep this from being a pleasant and helpful read to anyone interested in the reading and writing of haiku.
The volume starts with the categories and kigo used for haiku written in the summer season:
The Season
o The Heat
o Coolness
o The Short Night
Sky and Elements
o Billowing Clouds
o A Summer Storm
o The Summer Moon
o The Summer Rains
o A Summer Shower
o Lightning
o Burning Sunshine
Fields and Mountains
o The Summer Hills
o The Summer Moor
o The Summer River
o Clear Water
Gods and Buddhas
o The Nembutsu
o Festivals
Human Affairs
o Banners
o The Change of Servants
o The Change of Clothes
o Fans
o A Midday Nap
o The Song of the Planters
o Cooling
o Parasols
o Summer Thinness
o Prayers for Rain
o Swimming
o The Mosquito Smudge
o The Mosquito-Net
o Silver Fish
o Cormorant Fishing
o Sushi
o Cutting Barley
o Melons
o Rank Grass
Birds and Beasts
o Hototogisu
o Kankodori
o Moor-Hens
o Kingfishers
o Herons
o Bats
o Fawns
o Foals
o Cats
o Fleas
o Lice
o Flies
o Mosquitoes
o Fireflies
o Ants
o Tree-Frogs
o Cicadas
o Higurashi
o Toads
o Spiders
o Puppies
o Snails
o Tiger-Moths
o Summer Insects
o Trout
o Mosquito Larvae
o Whirligigs
o Caterpillars
Trees and Flowers
o The Summer Grove
o Pine-Trees
o Under the Trees
o The Young Leaves
o Leafy Willows
o U Flowers
o Peonies
o Lilies
o Paulownia Flowers
o Roses
o Mimosa Flowers
o The Green Rice-Fields
o Cherries
o Convolvulus Flowers (Evening and Midday)
o Honeysuckle
o Braken
o Grasses
o Lotuses
o Mushrooms
o Forget-me-nots
o Poppies
o Barley
Each kigo list includes at least one haiku example that utilizes that specific kigo. Some kigo are addressed only once while others can take up many pages of examples. Blyth includes a translation of each haiku, his own commentary on the initial haiku used as an example of the use of a specific kigo, and other writings that he feels assists with understanding the initial haiku. Not all writings Blyth uses in his commentaries are haiku, though many haiku are followed by other haiku that are written in the same spirit with or without the kigo being addressed. Some of the poetry and writings that Blyth includes in his commentary can range from Chinese poetry to common Western poetry, as long as he feels is strengthens our understanding of the initial haiku. His efforts to give the reader any resources that can help with haiku interpretation or understanding can be easily appreciated by any reader.
This edition of Blyth's Haiku series puts only half of the autumn section in this volume, leaving the other half and all of winter in the final volume of this series. I don't know if that is how this series was initially set up when it was originally published in the late 40's and early 50's, but it does not benefit the Angelico Press version of this series. Though all seven major categories are used for examining autumn kigo as a whole, this volume does not get past the second category, Sky and Elements:
The Season
o The Seventh Month
o Lingering Summer Heat
o The Month of Leaves
o The Cold Night
o The Beginning of Autumn
o Autumn Morning
o Mid-Autumn
o Autumn
o The Tenth Month
o Autumn Evening
o The Long Night
o Departing Autumn
Sky and Elements
o The Autumn Sky
o A Night of Stars
o The Milky Way
o Mist
o The Moon
o Autumn Rain
o The Wind of Autumn
o The Autumn Storm
o Dew (End of Volume III)
The volume ends very swiftly after addressing the last kigo of the Sky and Elements section, which ends with a very popular (and predictable) haiku by the haiku master Issa:
I gave this book four stars because I believe it to be a wonderful collection of haiku that any reader can enjoy with or without the commentaries offered by Blyth. I have put some pros and cons below for those who may find that helpful.
Pros
Blyth picked a wonderful selection of haiku for this volume. Having the entire collection of summer haiku in one volume is great for readers looking for inspiration for their own summer haiku or for readers who just want to enjoy the feel that these summer haiku express. The consistent format of seven major categories and listed kigo for each category makes navigating this volume simple for first time readers and those looking for past references. Having consistent and (seemingly) passionate commentary to go with these haiku is invaluable to haiku beginners and experienced readers alike.
Cons
Most of my criticism is toward the editor and not Blyth himself. There are grammatical errors that can be found in the volume, the formatting of commentary, accompanying haiku, and even referenced Western poetry and writings can be very confusing (though never to the point that it harms what benefit the commentaries offer). It is bizarre to only have half of the autumn haiku in this series in the volume that specifically states that it focuses on summer and autumn haiku. Blyth is a talented writer when it comes to his expression of interest and reverence towards haiku, but he can easily be seen as sensational and overly-Zen affixed when giving his commentaries on the included haiku (a criticism that I have included in the other reviews I have written on this series).
I appreciated that Angelico Press has released a 2021 version of this series for new and old haiku enthusiasts to pickup and read. Any poetry reader will be able to pick up this volume and enjoy the haiku included as simply as they enjoy the seasons we all experience.
As the title states, Haiku, Volume 3: Summer-Autumn focuses on haiku that have kigo expressing the scenes and feelings that come from the seasons of summer and autumn. The Haiku series aims to give haiku for the four major seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and for one minor season (New Year's Day), and the second volume of this series focused on New Year's Day and spring. Each major season is separated into seven major categories that have individual kigo expressed for each season. Not every kigo has an equal amount of examples given in this series, but they are all addressed by at least one example haiku from a past haiku poet. Though a large portion of the example haiku placed in this series are written by four poets that are widely considered the greatest haiku masters (Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki), there is a great variety of poets featured in the series. This saijiki, like all others before it, is not exhaustive to the season addressed in each volume, but that does not keep this from being a pleasant and helpful read to anyone interested in the reading and writing of haiku.
The volume starts with the categories and kigo used for haiku written in the summer season:
The Season
o The Heat
o Coolness
o The Short Night
Sky and Elements
o Billowing Clouds
o A Summer Storm
o The Summer Moon
o The Summer Rains
o A Summer Shower
o Lightning
o Burning Sunshine
Fields and Mountains
o The Summer Hills
o The Summer Moor
o The Summer River
o Clear Water
Gods and Buddhas
o The Nembutsu
o Festivals
Human Affairs
o Banners
o The Change of Servants
o The Change of Clothes
o Fans
o A Midday Nap
o The Song of the Planters
o Cooling
o Parasols
o Summer Thinness
o Prayers for Rain
o Swimming
o The Mosquito Smudge
o The Mosquito-Net
o Silver Fish
o Cormorant Fishing
o Sushi
o Cutting Barley
o Melons
o Rank Grass
Birds and Beasts
o Hototogisu
o Kankodori
o Moor-Hens
o Kingfishers
o Herons
o Bats
o Fawns
o Foals
o Cats
o Fleas
o Lice
o Flies
o Mosquitoes
o Fireflies
o Ants
o Tree-Frogs
o Cicadas
o Higurashi
o Toads
o Spiders
o Puppies
o Snails
o Tiger-Moths
o Summer Insects
o Trout
o Mosquito Larvae
o Whirligigs
o Caterpillars
Trees and Flowers
o The Summer Grove
o Pine-Trees
o Under the Trees
o The Young Leaves
o Leafy Willows
o U Flowers
o Peonies
o Lilies
o Paulownia Flowers
o Roses
o Mimosa Flowers
o The Green Rice-Fields
o Cherries
o Convolvulus Flowers (Evening and Midday)
o Honeysuckle
o Braken
o Grasses
o Lotuses
o Mushrooms
o Forget-me-nots
o Poppies
o Barley
Each kigo list includes at least one haiku example that utilizes that specific kigo. Some kigo are addressed only once while others can take up many pages of examples. Blyth includes a translation of each haiku, his own commentary on the initial haiku used as an example of the use of a specific kigo, and other writings that he feels assists with understanding the initial haiku. Not all writings Blyth uses in his commentaries are haiku, though many haiku are followed by other haiku that are written in the same spirit with or without the kigo being addressed. Some of the poetry and writings that Blyth includes in his commentary can range from Chinese poetry to common Western poetry, as long as he feels is strengthens our understanding of the initial haiku. His efforts to give the reader any resources that can help with haiku interpretation or understanding can be easily appreciated by any reader.
This edition of Blyth's Haiku series puts only half of the autumn section in this volume, leaving the other half and all of winter in the final volume of this series. I don't know if that is how this series was initially set up when it was originally published in the late 40's and early 50's, but it does not benefit the Angelico Press version of this series. Though all seven major categories are used for examining autumn kigo as a whole, this volume does not get past the second category, Sky and Elements:
The Season
o The Seventh Month
o Lingering Summer Heat
o The Month of Leaves
o The Cold Night
o The Beginning of Autumn
o Autumn Morning
o Mid-Autumn
o Autumn
o The Tenth Month
o Autumn Evening
o The Long Night
o Departing Autumn
Sky and Elements
o The Autumn Sky
o A Night of Stars
o The Milky Way
o Mist
o The Moon
o Autumn Rain
o The Wind of Autumn
o The Autumn Storm
o Dew (End of Volume III)
The volume ends very swiftly after addressing the last kigo of the Sky and Elements section, which ends with a very popular (and predictable) haiku by the haiku master Issa:
This dewdrop world –
It may be a dewdrop,
And yet – and yet –
I gave this book four stars because I believe it to be a wonderful collection of haiku that any reader can enjoy with or without the commentaries offered by Blyth. I have put some pros and cons below for those who may find that helpful.
Pros
Blyth picked a wonderful selection of haiku for this volume. Having the entire collection of summer haiku in one volume is great for readers looking for inspiration for their own summer haiku or for readers who just want to enjoy the feel that these summer haiku express. The consistent format of seven major categories and listed kigo for each category makes navigating this volume simple for first time readers and those looking for past references. Having consistent and (seemingly) passionate commentary to go with these haiku is invaluable to haiku beginners and experienced readers alike.
Cons
Most of my criticism is toward the editor and not Blyth himself. There are grammatical errors that can be found in the volume, the formatting of commentary, accompanying haiku, and even referenced Western poetry and writings can be very confusing (though never to the point that it harms what benefit the commentaries offer). It is bizarre to only have half of the autumn haiku in this series in the volume that specifically states that it focuses on summer and autumn haiku. Blyth is a talented writer when it comes to his expression of interest and reverence towards haiku, but he can easily be seen as sensational and overly-Zen affixed when giving his commentaries on the included haiku (a criticism that I have included in the other reviews I have written on this series).
I appreciated that Angelico Press has released a 2021 version of this series for new and old haiku enthusiasts to pickup and read. Any poetry reader will be able to pick up this volume and enjoy the haiku included as simply as they enjoy the seasons we all experience.
December 5, 2013
This book was incredible. I loved every page of it. Originally, I thought that this book would be boring, but I was wrong. I ended up conneecting with this book and I found myself thinking deeply about what the various authors were trying to convey in their individual haiku. After each haiku, there was a short, paragraph-sthyle explanation that caused me to think even more deeply about what was being portrayed in the poem. It also gave similar poems to help me understand the poem fully. I took my time with this book and made sure to fully grasp the concpt of what was written.
Personally, I would reccomend not only this book, but other books about haiku as well, to anyone, not only poetry lovers, because it is unuiversal. It is universal in the sense that it unites all people. Humans are capable of thinking- that's what unites us- and this is portayed in this book.
Personally, I would reccomend not only this book, but other books about haiku as well, to anyone, not only poetry lovers, because it is unuiversal. It is universal in the sense that it unites all people. Humans are capable of thinking- that's what unites us- and this is portayed in this book.
February 2, 2016
One of the single finest books of criticism in any field, this 3rd volume of Blyth's 4 volume masterwork, 'Haiku,' may be the finest in the set. A blend of literary scholarship, philosophy, spirituality and Zen, 'Haiku' volume 3 is not to be missed.
June 27, 2022
[UPDATE]
I have copied this review over to the page where this book is attributed to the author R.H. Blyth under the book profile Haiku, Volume 3: Summer-Autumn. I will leave this review here as well, but please see the author above for more of his works than just the Haiku series!
[Original Review]
R.H. Blyth begins his Haiku series with a historic look at the evolution of the haiku into what we know it to be today in the first volume of this series, Haiku (Volume I): Eastern Culture. His second volume, Haiku (Volume II): Spring, takes much less time explaining the form of haiku and rather functions as a haiku almanac (saijiki) for the seasonal references (kigo) commonly used in historic haiku. Readers who have been reading this series in succession will have a good feel for the format and content that this volume will present, but it is not difficult for this volume to be the first of the series that the reader begins with.
As the title states, Haiku (Volume III): Summer/Autumn focuses on haiku that have kigo expressing the scenes and feelings that come from the seasons of summer and autumn. The Haiku series aims to give haiku for the four major seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and for one minor season (New Year's Day), and the second volume of this series focused on New Year's Day and spring. Each major season is separated into seven major categories that have individual kigo expressed for each season. Not every kigo has an equal amount of examples given in this series, but they are all addressed by at least one example haiku from a past haiku poet. Though a large portion of the example haiku placed in this series are written by four poets that are widely considered the greatest haiku masters (Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki), there is a great variety of poets featured in the series. This saijiki, like all others before it, is not exhaustive to the season addressed in each volume, but that does not keep this from being a pleasant and helpful read to anyone interested in the reading and writing of haiku.
The volume starts with the categories and kigo used for haiku written in the summer season:
The Season
o The Heat
o Coolness
o The Short Night
Sky and Elements
o Billowing Clouds
o A Summer Storm
o The Summer Moon
o The Summer Rains
o A Summer Shower
o Lightning
o Burning Sunshine
Fields and Mountains
o The Summer Hills
o The Summer Moor
o The Summer River
o Clear Water
Gods and Buddhas
o The Nembutsu
o Festivals
Human Affairs
o Banners
o The Change of Servants
o The Change of Clothes
o Fans
o A Midday Nap
o The Song of the Planters
o Cooling
o Parasols
o Summer Thinness
o Prayers for Rain
o Swimming
o The Mosquito Smudge
o The Mosquito-Net
o Silver Fish
o Cormorant Fishing
o Sushi
o Cutting Barley
o Melons
o Rank Grass
Birds and Beasts
o Hototogisu
o Kankodori
o Moor-Hens
o Kingfishers
o Herons
o Bats
o Fawns
o Foals
o Cats
o Fleas
o Lice
o Flies
o Mosquitoes
o Fireflies
o Ants
o Tree-Frogs
o Cicadas
o Higurashi
o Toads
o Spiders
o Puppies
o Snails
o Tiger-Moths
o Summer Insects
o Trout
o Mosquito Larvae
o Whirligigs
o Caterpillars
Trees and Flowers
o The Summer Grove
o Pine-Trees
o Under the Trees
o The Young Leaves
o Leafy Willows
o U Flowers
o Peonies
o Lilies
o Paulownia Flowers
o Roses
o Mimosa Flowers
o The Green Rice-Fields
o Cherries
o Convolvulus Flowers (Evening and Midday)
o Honeysuckle
o Braken
o Grasses
o Lotuses
o Mushrooms
o Forget-me-nots
o Poppies
o Barley
Each kigo list includes at least one haiku example that utilizes that specific kigo. Some kigo are addressed only once while others can take up many pages of examples. Blyth includes a translation of each haiku, his own commentary on the initial haiku used as an example of the use of a specific kigo, and other writings that he feels assists with understanding the initial haiku. Not all writings Blyth uses in his commentaries are haiku, though many haiku are followed by other haiku that are written in the same spirit with or without the kigo being addressed. Some of the poetry and writings that Blyth includes in his commentary can range from Chinese poetry to common Western poetry, as long as he feels is strengthens our understanding of the initial haiku. His efforts to give the reader any resources that can help with haiku interpretation or understanding can be easily appreciated by any reader.
This edition of Blyth's Haiku series puts only half of the autumn section in this volume, leaving the other half and all of winter in the final volume of this series. I don't know if that is how this series was initially set up when it was originally published in the late 40's and early 50's, but it does not benefit the Angelico Press version of this series. Though all seven major categories are used for examining autumn kigo as a whole, this volume does not get past the second category, Sky and Elements:
The Season
o The Seventh Month
o Lingering Summer Heat
o The Month of Leaves
o The Cold Night
o The Beginning of Autumn
o Autumn Morning
o Mid-Autumn
o Autumn
o The Tenth Month
o Autumn Evening
o The Long Night
o Departing Autumn
Sky and Elements
o The Autumn Sky
o A Night of Stars
o The Milky Way
o Mist
o The Moon
o Autumn Rain
o The Wind of Autumn
o The Autumn Storm
o Dew (End of Volume III)
The volume ends very swiftly after addressing the last kigo of the Sky and Elements section, which ends with a very popular (and predictable) haiku by the haiku master Issa:
I gave this book four stars because I believe it to be a wonderful collection of haiku that any reader can enjoy with or without the commentaries offered by Blyth. I have put some pros and cons below for those who may find that helpful.
Pros
Blyth picked a wonderful selection of haiku for this volume. Having the entire collection of summer haiku in one volume is great for readers looking for inspiration for their own summer haiku or for readers who just want to enjoy the feel that these summer haiku express. The consistent format of seven major categories and listed kigo for each category makes navigating this volume simple for first time readers and those looking for past references. Having consistent and (seemingly) passionate commentary to go with these haiku is invaluable to haiku beginners and experienced readers alike.
Cons
Most of my criticism is toward the editor and not Blyth himself. There are grammatical errors that can be found in the volume, the formatting of commentary, accompanying haiku, and even referenced Western poetry and writings can be very confusing (though never to the point that it harms what benefit the commentaries offer). It is bizarre to only have half of the autumn haiku in this series in the volume that specifically states that it focuses on summer and autumn haiku. Blyth is a talented writer when it comes to his expression of interest and reverence towards haiku, but he can easily be seen as sensational and overly-Zen affixed when giving his commentaries on the included haiku (a criticism that I have included in the other reviews I have written on this series).
I appreciated that Angelico Press has released a 2021 version of this series for new and old haiku enthusiasts to pickup and read. Any poetry reader will be able to pick up this volume and enjoy the haiku included as simply as they enjoy the seasons we all experience.
I have copied this review over to the page where this book is attributed to the author R.H. Blyth under the book profile Haiku, Volume 3: Summer-Autumn. I will leave this review here as well, but please see the author above for more of his works than just the Haiku series!
[Original Review]
R.H. Blyth begins his Haiku series with a historic look at the evolution of the haiku into what we know it to be today in the first volume of this series, Haiku (Volume I): Eastern Culture. His second volume, Haiku (Volume II): Spring, takes much less time explaining the form of haiku and rather functions as a haiku almanac (saijiki) for the seasonal references (kigo) commonly used in historic haiku. Readers who have been reading this series in succession will have a good feel for the format and content that this volume will present, but it is not difficult for this volume to be the first of the series that the reader begins with.
As the title states, Haiku (Volume III): Summer/Autumn focuses on haiku that have kigo expressing the scenes and feelings that come from the seasons of summer and autumn. The Haiku series aims to give haiku for the four major seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and for one minor season (New Year's Day), and the second volume of this series focused on New Year's Day and spring. Each major season is separated into seven major categories that have individual kigo expressed for each season. Not every kigo has an equal amount of examples given in this series, but they are all addressed by at least one example haiku from a past haiku poet. Though a large portion of the example haiku placed in this series are written by four poets that are widely considered the greatest haiku masters (Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki), there is a great variety of poets featured in the series. This saijiki, like all others before it, is not exhaustive to the season addressed in each volume, but that does not keep this from being a pleasant and helpful read to anyone interested in the reading and writing of haiku.
The volume starts with the categories and kigo used for haiku written in the summer season:
The Season
o The Heat
o Coolness
o The Short Night
Sky and Elements
o Billowing Clouds
o A Summer Storm
o The Summer Moon
o The Summer Rains
o A Summer Shower
o Lightning
o Burning Sunshine
Fields and Mountains
o The Summer Hills
o The Summer Moor
o The Summer River
o Clear Water
Gods and Buddhas
o The Nembutsu
o Festivals
Human Affairs
o Banners
o The Change of Servants
o The Change of Clothes
o Fans
o A Midday Nap
o The Song of the Planters
o Cooling
o Parasols
o Summer Thinness
o Prayers for Rain
o Swimming
o The Mosquito Smudge
o The Mosquito-Net
o Silver Fish
o Cormorant Fishing
o Sushi
o Cutting Barley
o Melons
o Rank Grass
Birds and Beasts
o Hototogisu
o Kankodori
o Moor-Hens
o Kingfishers
o Herons
o Bats
o Fawns
o Foals
o Cats
o Fleas
o Lice
o Flies
o Mosquitoes
o Fireflies
o Ants
o Tree-Frogs
o Cicadas
o Higurashi
o Toads
o Spiders
o Puppies
o Snails
o Tiger-Moths
o Summer Insects
o Trout
o Mosquito Larvae
o Whirligigs
o Caterpillars
Trees and Flowers
o The Summer Grove
o Pine-Trees
o Under the Trees
o The Young Leaves
o Leafy Willows
o U Flowers
o Peonies
o Lilies
o Paulownia Flowers
o Roses
o Mimosa Flowers
o The Green Rice-Fields
o Cherries
o Convolvulus Flowers (Evening and Midday)
o Honeysuckle
o Braken
o Grasses
o Lotuses
o Mushrooms
o Forget-me-nots
o Poppies
o Barley
Each kigo list includes at least one haiku example that utilizes that specific kigo. Some kigo are addressed only once while others can take up many pages of examples. Blyth includes a translation of each haiku, his own commentary on the initial haiku used as an example of the use of a specific kigo, and other writings that he feels assists with understanding the initial haiku. Not all writings Blyth uses in his commentaries are haiku, though many haiku are followed by other haiku that are written in the same spirit with or without the kigo being addressed. Some of the poetry and writings that Blyth includes in his commentary can range from Chinese poetry to common Western poetry, as long as he feels is strengthens our understanding of the initial haiku. His efforts to give the reader any resources that can help with haiku interpretation or understanding can be easily appreciated by any reader.
This edition of Blyth's Haiku series puts only half of the autumn section in this volume, leaving the other half and all of winter in the final volume of this series. I don't know if that is how this series was initially set up when it was originally published in the late 40's and early 50's, but it does not benefit the Angelico Press version of this series. Though all seven major categories are used for examining autumn kigo as a whole, this volume does not get past the second category, Sky and Elements:
The Season
o The Seventh Month
o Lingering Summer Heat
o The Month of Leaves
o The Cold Night
o The Beginning of Autumn
o Autumn Morning
o Mid-Autumn
o Autumn
o The Tenth Month
o Autumn Evening
o The Long Night
o Departing Autumn
Sky and Elements
o The Autumn Sky
o A Night of Stars
o The Milky Way
o Mist
o The Moon
o Autumn Rain
o The Wind of Autumn
o The Autumn Storm
o Dew (End of Volume III)
The volume ends very swiftly after addressing the last kigo of the Sky and Elements section, which ends with a very popular (and predictable) haiku by the haiku master Issa:
This dewdrop world –
It may be a dewdrop,
And yet – and yet –
I gave this book four stars because I believe it to be a wonderful collection of haiku that any reader can enjoy with or without the commentaries offered by Blyth. I have put some pros and cons below for those who may find that helpful.
Pros
Blyth picked a wonderful selection of haiku for this volume. Having the entire collection of summer haiku in one volume is great for readers looking for inspiration for their own summer haiku or for readers who just want to enjoy the feel that these summer haiku express. The consistent format of seven major categories and listed kigo for each category makes navigating this volume simple for first time readers and those looking for past references. Having consistent and (seemingly) passionate commentary to go with these haiku is invaluable to haiku beginners and experienced readers alike.
Cons
Most of my criticism is toward the editor and not Blyth himself. There are grammatical errors that can be found in the volume, the formatting of commentary, accompanying haiku, and even referenced Western poetry and writings can be very confusing (though never to the point that it harms what benefit the commentaries offer). It is bizarre to only have half of the autumn haiku in this series in the volume that specifically states that it focuses on summer and autumn haiku. Blyth is a talented writer when it comes to his expression of interest and reverence towards haiku, but he can easily be seen as sensational and overly-Zen affixed when giving his commentaries on the included haiku (a criticism that I have included in the other reviews I have written on this series).
I appreciated that Angelico Press has released a 2021 version of this series for new and old haiku enthusiasts to pickup and read. Any poetry reader will be able to pick up this volume and enjoy the haiku included as simply as they enjoy the seasons we all experience.
May 29, 2016
Blyth is a fascinating character. When he quotes texts written in other languages, it is then translated into English except for German which I'm apparently expected to know.
May 1, 2017
Idiosyncratic and influential reading and translation of what more rightly should be called 'hokku', but that's a lost cause now, in part because of the immense popularity of Blyth's four volumes.
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