Stubborn Scarecrow ~ Haiku of Japan
miyuki ni mo amigasa nuganu kagashi kana
he will not lift his hat
the stubborn scarecrow
—Dansui
For most of Japanese history the emperor had no power. The Shogun used him to claim legitimacy, but then kept him more or less a prisoner of his own palace, controlling his every move and allowing him little freedom. This may be some of the reason behind the compassionate feelings the Japanese hold towards emperor. Even if such things were not required, many would gladly show deference by bowing and removing their hats. Such feelings evidently don't move the simple scarecrow, however.
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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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That is, me! If you like this translation, feel free to use it. Just credit me. Also link here if you can. ↩
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Your haiku translations have always been entertaining and I'm so glad to stumbled across them again! This one is very amusing! Makes you think, which is the point of humour.
I'd no idea the Emperor was more like a figurehead, or that the common people had such respect for him because of that. That's rather touching, and poetic in the sense of "we're all caged birds, but some have cages of gold".
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Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Also glad to hear you stumbled upon me again! Issa often has a twinkle in his eye in his haiku, like this one, that makes them fun.
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