White blossoms of the pear
and a woman in moonlight
reading a letter.
White blossoms of the pear by Yosa Buson • 41 poems by Yosa BusonEdit
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- by Yosa Buson • 41 poems
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Leading haiku poet of the late 18th century and, with Basho and Issa, one of the great names in haiku. Also known as Yosa Buson or Taniguchi Buson. Also a distinguished BUNJINGA (literati-style) painter, he perfected haiga ("haiky sketch") as a branch of Japanese pictorial art. His best-known painting disciple, MATSUMURA GOSHUN, also known as Gekkei, founded the Shijo school.
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Editor notes
Translated by Robert Hass
- The pear shape plays with the image of a woman. The white of the blossoms plays on the light of the moon, and gives a hint that the blossoms are fragrant.
The woman could be reading in her garden--as though she is performing some kind of secret act away from those that may live in the house.
The blossoms are noticed first, which is a seasonal image. Perhaps love is blooming between the writer of the letter and the woman.