Some heavy rainfall has robbed us of all the autumn leaves in this area already. It's unfortunate, but that's how it goes some years. But that put me in the mind of thinking of haiku. The falling leaves is a common season word, and this one of one that uses it is one of my favorites.
ura wo mise omote wo misete chiru momiji
then, its front
falling autumn leaf
—Ryōkan
(Fall Maple Leaves and a Stream by Watanabe Seitei)
The haiku presents a lovely image, but there is a little extra meaning under the surface.
Ryōkan was a very beloved Zen monk. He lived most of his life as a hermit, but he took frequent walking trips and was well known and loved. He wrote a lot of poetry, not just haiku. This was his death poem, told to his companion Teishin.
In 1826 Ryōkan was no longer able to continue living as a hermit due to his failing health. He moved into the house of one of his patrons where he was cared for by a young nun named Teishin. The two of them soon grew very attached to each other and exchanged a number of love haiku. Of Teishin, he wrote in his diary "With her now, I have all that I need".
Falling Leaves (chiru momiji) is a season word for early winter. In the traditional view of things autumn was when you enjoy the colored leaves on the trees, but falling leaves and leaves on the ground are winter things.
In addition to the regular meaning, chiru can carry the suggest of “to die a noble death” when used in that context. That in mind, we can imagine how absolutely taken by Teishin he was.
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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |
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