Top 5 Best Essays on Haiku Poetry by Basho (Literature 10)

Question 1 (Page 157, Literature 10 Textbook):

- Poem 1: This poem reflects Basho's deep nostalgia for Edo (modern-day Tokyo). The poet, after living in Edo for many years, longs for his homeland. Upon returning to his ancestral home, he realizes that Edo has become his true home, and his love for it merges with his patriotism.

- Poem 2: Basho mentions the call of the cuckoo, a sound that evokes memories of Kyoto, a city he hadn't visited in twenty years. The mournful tone of the bird’s cry stirs up Basho’s longing for a past Kyoto.

Question 2 (Page 157, Literature 10 Textbook):

- Poem 3: This poem expresses a profound sorrow tied to the poet’s feelings of guilt and loss. Basho couldn’t take care of his mother and never had the chance to see her one last time, which caused him deep pain, symbolized by “tears that flowed hot.”

- Poem 4: The poem reflects a painful reality from old Japan during times of famine when families couldn’t afford to feed their children and sometimes even abandoned them or tragically killed them. Basho likens the cry of the gibbon to the sound of a crying child, and the wind’s sound in autumn seems to mourn the suffering of humankind.

Question 3 (Page 157, Literature 10 Textbook):

- The image of the lonely monkey in the poem evokes the suffering of poor Japanese farmers and poor children huddling in the cold. The poem reflects Basho’s deep empathy for the impoverished.

Question 4 (Page 157, Literature 10 Textbook):

- Poem 6 features the image of “falling cherry blossoms” and the waves of Lake Biwa, marking the seasonal transition.

- The poem emphasizes that even the tiniest, most delicate things in nature—like a single cherry petal—have a profound connection with the universe, symbolizing harmony and transformation.

- Poem 7 features the “sound of cicadas,” which is characteristic of summer. This sound, like the transition between seasons, evokes the blend of visual and auditory sensations.

- Poem 8 reflects Basho’s final poetic stage, where he expresses his desire for wandering even in death. His poems serve as a message about his wish to continue wandering forever, symbolized by the wild, empty fields.

Question 5 (Page 157, Literature 10 Textbook):

- Poem 6 focuses on the “cherry blossom” motif, representing the fleeting beauty of spring and life itself.

- Poem 7, centered around the sound of the cicadas, evokes a sense of stillness and quietude as the sound seeps into the stones, creating a deep, resonating silence.

- Poem 8 reflects the solitary beauty of the barren fields, encapsulating Basho’s philosophical musing on the nature of emptiness and quietude.

Question 1 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

How is the poet's close bond with the city of Edo and his nostalgic feelings for the beautiful, memory-filled capital of Kyoto expressed in the first and second poems?

Detailed solution:

- Poem 1: The poet expresses a longing for Edo (modern-day Tokyo), having lived there for ten years. The phrase 'ten autumns away from home' symbolizes a decade spent in Edo. One time when he returned to his hometown, he could not forget Edo. The ten autumns evoke the cold and loneliness of being away from home. Edo had become a second home, merging the poet's love for his homeland and the city of Edo.

- Poem 2: Kyoto was where Basho spent his youth (1666-1672) before moving to Edo. Twenty years later, when he returned to Kyoto and heard the call of the cuckoo, he composed this poem. The poem captures his nostalgia, evoked by the cuckoo's song—a bird that signals the arrival of summer. The song stirs memories of youth and blends joy and sadness, evoking bittersweet feelings. Basho's poetry is filled with romanticism, and the poem quietly reflects his longing and nostalgia.

Question 2 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

How is the poet's affection for his mother and the abandoned baby depicted in the third and fourth poems?

Detailed solution:

- Poem 3: The poet mourns his mother, holding a strand of her silver hair—her only remaining token—and tears well up in his eyes. The image of 'autumn mist' subtly evokes a sense of sorrow, symbolizing the poet's feelings of loss and regret for not being able to repay his mother’s nurturing. This motherly love deeply touches the reader’s heart.

- Poem 4: This poem emerged from a special context. In his travel diary written in 1685, Basho recalls hearing the howling of monkeys in the woods, which reminded him of the sound of an abandoned baby crying in the forest. This reference alludes to the painful reality in Japan during times of famine, where some families, unable to care for their children, left them in the forest or even killed them. These haunting memories left a lasting impression on Basho. Thus, the howling of monkeys became a symbol of the crying child. The poem reflects the poet’s empathy for the abandoned children, and the autumn wind's mournful sound blends with the poet's deep sorrow, evoking emotions of pain and loss.

Question 3 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

What do you perceive as beautiful in the poet's soul through poem 5?

Detailed solution:

- This poem was written by Basho while traveling through a forest. He observes a small monkey shivering in the cold winter rain. The poet imagines the monkey silently wishing for a raincoat to shield it from the cold. The image of the solitary monkey reflects the plight of poor farmers or abandoned children enduring harsh conditions. The poem reveals the poet's deep compassion for the suffering of others.

Question 4 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

How are the relationships between various phenomena in the universe depicted in poems six and seven?

Detailed solution:

- In poem six, we encounter the image of 'scattering cherry blossoms' and the waves of Lake Biwa. The falling petals of the cherry blossoms symbolize the passing of spring in Japan, marking the change of seasons. Even the smallest and simplest things in nature, like a fragile cherry blossom petal, can stir the waves of a lake. This subtle interconnectedness in nature signifies the delicate balance of the universe.

- In poem seven, the sound of the cicadas symbolizes summer. The transition between seasons is felt in the poet’s connection with nature through sound and vision. The poet’s sensitivity to the world around him is beautifully expressed through the imagery of cicadas, cherry blossoms, and waves. These natural elements are not only a part of the environment but also touch the core of human emotions, reinforcing the deep relationship between humanity and the universe.

Question 5 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

How is Basho's yearning for life and his desire to continue wandering expressed in poem 8?

Detailed solution:

- In poem 8, Basho’s longing for life and his desire to keep wandering are evident. Written in Osaka in 1694, it is his farewell poem. Having sensed his impending death, Basho compares himself to a bird about to disappear into the vast sky. Yet, despite his weakening state, he does not despair. Throughout his life, he had traveled extensively, and even as he faced death, he wished to continue his journey. The poem reflects his deep attachment to his wandering spirit, conveying his desire to remain free even in the face of death.

Question 6 (page 157, Literature Textbook 10, Volume 1)

Find the key expressions and the sense of quiet, simplicity, and melancholy in poems six, seven, and eight.

Detailed solution:

- In poem six, the key expression is 'cherry blossom petals.' This image evokes the beauty of spring, symbolizing the fleeting nature of life. The aesthetic sense of simplicity is reflected in the profound philosophy that emerges from the delicate depiction of the cherry blossom season.

- In poem seven, the key expression is 'the sound of the cicadas.' This represents the most resonant sound of summer. The aesthetic sense of melancholy is felt in the mysterious, quiet nature of the poem, where the cicadas’ hum echoes deeply into the rocks.

- In poem eight, the key expression is 'vast barren fields.' The image of these empty fields brings forth the poet’s reflections on aging and the fading sounds of life. The quiet and solitude in this image encapsulate the poem's underlying sense of emptiness and quiet reflection.

Question 1 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

Poem 1:

Longing for Edo (Edo is present-day Tokyo):

- Ten seasons of distant fog, ten long years the poet spent in Edo

- Ten seasons of mist evoke a sense of nostalgia for the one far from home

- Love for one's homeland blends seamlessly with longing

Poem 2:

Kyoto, where Basho lived during his youth (1666-1672), before moving to Edo

- Twenty years later, returning to Kyoto, the sound of a cuckoo’s song inspired Basho to write a poem

- The poem evokes nostalgia through the sound of the cuckoo, a symbol of the seasons, recalling youthful memories

- It conveys a bittersweet yearning, a vague mix of sadness and joy from distant times

→ Basho’s poetry creates a romantic impression, filled with yearning and nostalgia

Question 2 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

Poem 3:

A lock of white hair, the only remaining relic of his mother, Basho holds it with tears in his eyes

+ A deep feeling of compassion, sorrow, and emptiness from the loss of his mother

+ The image of "autumn mist" faintly evokes a sense of loss from the nurturing love of his mother

→ Maternal love moves the reader deeply

Poem 4:

Written under special circumstances: Basho recounts walking through the forest and hearing the call of a gibbon, which reminded him of the cry of an abandoned child

- The poem reflects the painful times in Japan’s history: years of crop failure, famine, and parents abandoning their children in the forest due to starvation

- The gibbon’s cry brings to mind the sorrowful cries of abandoned children

- The autumn wind also evokes grief, the vague, distant tone of the poem stirs the reader’s empathy

Question 3 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

Basho wrote this poem while traveling through the forest, witnessing a small monkey shivering in the winter rain

- The poet’s wish for the monkey’s owner is also his wish for the monkey to have a coat to shield from the rain and cold

- The image of the lone monkey evokes the plight of Japanese farmers and poor children huddling against the cold

→ The poem reflects the poet's deep compassion for the poor and downtrodden

Question 4 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

- This poem describes the beauty of spring, with cherry blossoms blooming.

The poet compares the delicate pink petals, floating like paper, gently falling into the pond, creating ripples on the surface.

- The beauty is imbued with a profound philosophical meaning: the interconnectedness of all things in the universe, everything affecting each other, nothing exists in isolation.

Regarding Poem 7:

- The mysterious silence in a quiet scene is pierced by the sound of a cicada’s song, resonating deeply into the stone

- This unique and non-exaggerated metaphor brings to life the real, introspective world that people can fall into.

Question 5 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

Basho’s yearning for life and his wanderlust are depicted in Poem 8

- Facing death, Basho remains unburdened by sorrow

+ Basho’s life was a journey, wandering from place to place

+ As he faced the end, he remained a soul of wanderlust

+ His spirit is like wandering over vast, empty fields.

→ The poem expresses the poet’s wish to continue his journey forever

Question 6 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1)

The cherished language and aesthetic sense of quiet, simplicity, and mystery

- The precious phrase “cherry blossom petals” evokes:

+ The beauty of spring

+ The aesthetic simplicity of this two-line poem reveals a profound philosophical message about the beauty of spring

- Poem 7’s cherished phrase “cicada’s song” represents the summer sound, the aesthetic of quietude, yet also subtly resonates through the leaves

- The cherished phrase in Poem 8, “vast barren fields,” depicts an image of an aging dream, evoking the quiet melancholy of autumn, hiding deep emotions in the silence of nature.

Question 1 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

Exercise 1: Edo is a foreign land. Yet, in the moment of departure, Edo feels familiar, intimate, and deeply moving, much like one's own homeland.

Exercise 2: The poem evokes a sense of longing through the cry of the cuckoo. Its call, filled with sadness, brings back memories of youthful times. It is a heartfelt sound, bittersweet and vague, capturing both happiness and sorrow from the distant past.

Question 2 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

Exercise 3: The image of 'autumn mist' is ambiguous: is it the tears like mist, the mother's silver hair like mist, or life itself like the fleeting dewdrop? Life, transient and fragile, is captured here.

=> The poignant and sacred bond of motherhood.

Exercise 4:

- Hearing the gibbon’s cry, Basho associates it with the sound of an abandoned child's cry in the forest.

- Is it the gibbon’s real cry, or the sound of a child weeping?

- Amidst the autumn wind, it seems as if the wind itself mourns for the suffering of humanity=> The images in the poem are ethereal and elusive.

Question 3 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

- The poem expresses compassion and love for all the tiny, unfortunate creatures, as well as the author's deep care for the impoverished.

Question 4 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

- Scene: The peach blossom petals ripple the surface of the lake => Simple yet poetic beauty.

- Profound philosophy: The interconnectedness of all things in the universe (sky, flowers, water) => The philosophy of Zen Buddhism.

Question 5 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

The desire to live, even while ill, to continue the journey of wandering and exploring => A spirit of optimism.

Question 6 (page 157, Literature 10, Volume 1):

- Precious terms in the poems:

+ Poem 6: The peach blossom (symbolizing spring)

+ Poem 7: The sound of cicadas (symbolizing summer)

+ Poem 8: The barren field (symbolizing winter).

- Aesthetic awareness:

+ The small, simple, and ordinary images in nature.

+ Simple, silent: the delicate peach blossom petals falling, making ripples on the lake.

+ Mysterious: the cicada’s song seemingly penetrating the stone, as if a soul, about to leave the world, desires to wander on the endless barren field.

=> Integrating with nature to seek its pure and gentle beauty, and liberating one’s spirit.

=> Strongly influenced by Zen philosophy.

Question 1 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): The poet's deep connection to the city of Edo and his nostalgic feelings for the beautiful, memory-filled capital of Kyoto:

- Regarding the first poem: Basho, originally from Mie, spent ten years in Edo before returning to his hometown. During his time in Edo, Basho felt homesick for his birthplace, but upon returning, he missed Edo as well. It seems he began to regard Edo as his second home, deeply attached to the land he had spent so many years in.

- Regarding the second poem: Basho mentions the cuckoo in this poem. It is a sound he heard upon returning to Kyoto after twenty years. The melancholy tone of the bird's cry filled him with nostalgia, reminding him of a Kyoto from the past, a place now distant in both time and memory.

Question 2 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): The poet’s feelings toward his mother and a forsaken child:

- Poem 3: The poem is full of sorrow over the poet's inability to care for his mother or meet her one last time, leading to a flood of tears. These tears symbolize his deep grief and love for the mother who has passed away. The autumn mist could represent the tear-streaked face, the silver hair of the mother, or even life itself, fleeting and impermanent, like morning dew. The imagery of mist, hair, and tears blends together, creating an ethereal, layered symbol.

- Poem 4: This poem reflects a harsh reality from Japan’s past, during times of famine and scarcity. In some families, parents had no choice but to abandon their children in the wilderness, or even tragically end their lives. The poet connects the sound of a howling ape to the cries of an abandoned child. In the autumn season, the wind’s whispers seem like a lament for the pain and sorrow of humankind. These sounds evoke deep feelings of mourning and loss.

Question 3 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): The poet's inner beauty as shown through Poem 5:

The image of the solitary monkey in this poem evokes the figure of a Japanese peasant and the helplessness of poor children huddled against the cold. The poem expresses profound compassion for these suffering creatures and a deep empathy for the impoverished, showcasing the poet's tender heart and profound humanity.

Question 4 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): The relationship between various phenomena as depicted in:

- Poem 6: This poem describes the spring season, when the cherry blossoms bloom. The poet compares the thousands of pale, delicate petals to paper, floating down and creating ripples on the pond. This beautiful image subtly conveys a deep philosophy: everything in the universe is interconnected, and no object or being exists in isolation. Every element interacts with others.

- Poem 7: In this quiet, somewhat melancholic atmosphere, the sound of a cicada can be heard. Unlike the usual buzzing, it resonates deeply, reverberating through the stones. The scene is one of solitude and stillness, imbued with a sense of sadness.

Question 5 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): Basho's longing for continued wandering:

This poem was written by Basho in Osaka in 1694, just before his death. Basho had felt his strength waning, like a bird nearing its final flight. However, even in the face of death, Basho shows no signs of despair. Throughout his life, he had traveled far and wide. So, even as death approached, he still longed to continue his journey, this time with his soul. The poem is a message of his undying wish to keep wandering. Reading it, one can almost feel Basho's spirit roaming across endless fields.

Question 6 (page 160 of Literature 10 Textbook, Volume 1): The “precious words” and the aesthetic sense of quiet, simplicity, and mystery in Poems 6, 7, and 8:

- Poem 6: The precious word here is “cherry blossom petals,” evoking the spring season. The sense of simplicity in the second haiku lies in the profound wisdom embedded in the beautiful spring imagery.

- Poem 7: The precious word is “the song of the cicada.” This represents the most resonant sound of summer. The aesthetic sense in this poem lies in the mysterious, quiet atmosphere where the cicada's song seems to seep deeply into the stones.

- Poem 8: “The barren fields” is the key phrase. These desolate fields appear in the poet's dreams, symbolizing old age and the fading sound of birds. This imagery evokes a quiet, autumnal melancholy, with the aesthetic of silence permeating the poem.