Post by Ece Celikkol

I was not familiar with Japanese literature, and through the videos, essays, and poems, I discovered the fascinating world of haiku and its poets. The minimalist, enriching, and symbolic nature of haiku impressed me. Each word in a haiku carries deep connotations and symbolic meanings, making it a playful yet profound exploration of language.

Matsuo Basho stands out as the greatest haiku poet. His poems possess deep meanings, allowing readers to experience them uniquely within their own worlds. This shared yet individual experience is a reflection of Basho's poems. Learning about the art of haikai and its related genres—hokku, linked verse, haibun, and haiga (haikai painting)—was particularly impressive. Basho referred to these as the haikai spirit (haii), emphasizing the interaction of diverse languages and subcultures, particularly between the new popular culture and the poetic tradition. Its imagination implied the ability to interact in a playful, lively dialogue that produced communal art.

 

Issa and Shiki were notable autobiographical poets. The early Meiji period threatened for a time to kill of not only linked verse, but also that first verse haiku. Matsuoka Shiki saved it. He began making rules for haiku and the most important one was dedicated observation of one’s surrounding. ‘’You can observe the nature by listening as well as looking simply by closing your eyes and listening intently.’’ Buson, another significant poet, shared this interest in nature, meticulously observing the details of flora and fauna.

 

Japan's first feminist poet, Yosano Akiko, broke societal norms with her brave and erotic poetry. In a culture where, expressing certain desires publicly was strange and not common, Akiko's poems were revolutionary. She used classical, old-fashioned language to express her thoughts, showing her love for Japanese tradition while expressing women's enjoyment of sex. Akiko's poetry and herself became the voice of Japanese women. This indicates the power of poetry, or the power Akiko gained through poetry. Throughout her life, she wrote fifty thousand tanka, with love being her central theme.

The achievement of Machi Tawara, another remarkable poet, lies in her ability to use fresh, contemporary language without sacrificing the traditional tanka virtues of concision, evocativeness, and musicality. She skillfully balances traditional, classical language with modernism, making her work accessible and relevant. She is a example of the power of translation. Tawara’s success reminded me of Aslı Erdoğan's case, where translation played a crucial role in raising awareness about her. She went to prison for some political issues and meanwhile, Sevinç Türkkan translated her works. The success of translation led people to know more about Erdoğan and her case. She got out of the jail after people reacted violently.