Ilustration of haiku structures from Bashô disciples.
Examples
from "Haikai de Basho et de son ecole" Collection textuel Paris
1998
(Le Seuil) ISBN 2-909317-61-7, Traductions Rene Seiffert.
* A phrase in two lines, two or three images. A subject group, a verbal group without a verb. An inverted phrase in the third verse.
un
bruit de carpe
dans
le clair obscur de l'eau
blanc
est le prunier
a sound
of a carpus
in
the water chiaroscuro
white
is the plum tree
URITSU 1640-1726
* A non verbal inverted phrase in three verses, ceasura at the end of the second
sur
les jeunes pins
qui
parent toutes les barques
un
restant de neige
on
the young pines
adorning
the boats
a
rest of snow
TANKO
* A complete phrase in three verses with a pivot at the middle of the second.
cherchant
des fenouils
il
a trebuche et dans sa gourde
plus
de sake
seaching
fennels
he
has stumbled and in his flask
no
more sake
TANKO
* A complete phrase in three verses, without ceasura
la
fleur de glycine
a
pris un air desole
pour
nous attendrir
the
wisteria flower
take
a distressed expression
to
move us
ETSUJIN 1656-1740
* Three subject groups in 3 lines, 3 images, 3 semantic caesuras
verdoyant
feuillage
chant
du coucou dans les monts
premiere
bonite
verdant
foliage
cuckoo
song over the montains
first
bonito
SODO
1642-1716
* Caesura in the first verse, a phrase with enjambement in the verses 2 and 3. One image.
changement
de robe
de
toute facon, une blanche
laisse
a desirer
robe
changing
in
all manner, a white one
leave
to be desired
ROTSU 1649-1738
* A complete phrase, interrogative, completly inverted over thre verses
sur
le tas de terre
quand
a-t-il ete seme
l'unique
epi d'orge
on
the earth pile
when
were it sown
the
unique braley spike
GENRYO
* A phrase in two verses, adverbial phrase in the 1rst verse, normal form in the 2nd. Recall of subject in the 3rd. pompous form (Caesura at the end of the 2nd)
dans
la nuit noire
elle
fait palir les eclairs
la
face de la lune
in
the dark night
she
fade lightnings away
the
moon face
CHOKO
* Two phrases, two parallels images
pendant
mon sommeil
le
foyer s'est eteint
elle
est partie
during
my sleep
the
fireplace goes out
she
has gone
SHUSEN 1654-1737
* A complete phrase, adverbial phrase in the 1rst and 2nd verses, subject and verb at the end.
d'un
air affaire
dans
la presse du jour de l'an
il
fraie son chemin
with
a busy way
in
the hurry of New Year's Day
he
ploughs
BASHO 1644-1694
* Two phrases. Enjambement of subject and verb in verse 1 and 2, semantic caesura at the end of the 2nd, adverbial phrase in the 3rd or the opposite. Two images juxtaposated.
le
voyageur
s'en
va en grattant ses poux
printemps
finissant
the
traveler
goes
away scratting his louses
spring
ending
KYOKUSHI
* A phrase, two parallels images ou opposite in the 1rst and 3rd verses.
la
cloche de bois
et
dans l'intervalle
le
chant du coucou
the
wooden bell
and
in the interval
the
cuckoo song
UKO
1691
* A phrase, two sides, pivot at the beginning of the 2nd verse. Two images juxtaposated.
le
pluvier crie
alors
que nuit apres nuit
il
fait plus froid
the
plover calls
while
night after night
it
is colder
YABA 1663-1740
* An image with an exclamation. Caesura at the end of the 2nd verse.
au
bord du chemin
le
portique de Taka
ah
quelle froidure
by
the roadside
the
Taka portico
ah
what a coldness
SHOHAKU 1650-1722