just when the calf

just when the calf
has fallen asleep…
the reed thrush sings

#haiku by Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue, Old Pond Comic by Jessica Tremblay

 

 

being an orphan

being an orphan

I cast no light…

firefly

haiku by Kobayashi Issa (English translation by David G. Lanoue), illustrated with a cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

don’t carry off

don’t carry off

my haiku collection!

deer at my hut

–haiku by Kobayashi Issa (English translation by David G. Lanoue), illustrated with a cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

*  * *

Day 1 of the NaHaiWriMo challenge. The goal of the National Haiku Writing Month is to write one haiku a day. I decided to let Issa do the writing, and I’ll create one haiku-comic a day in February.

Michael Dylan Welch, the creator of the event, is providing inspiration with his daily prompt. The February 1 writing prompt was: “ HAIKU (write a serious haiku ABOUT haiku, which is hard to do well)”

I logged in to the Kobayashi Issa haiku database by David G. Lanoue on the HaikuGuy.com/issa website, typed “haiku” and found 11 haiku with the word “haiku” written by Issa.

I think I’ll make it my goal this month to illustrate lesser-known haiku by Kobayashi Issa (if the prompts allow it).

Enjoy!

Awaiting the stars

awaiting the stars–

even a turtle cools

his behind

• –haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

Spring at my Gate

Working on a New Year’s greeting comic for The Bulletin (January 2017 issue) using Adobe Illustrator.

To help digest

to help digest

the rice cakes, grafting

the tree

–haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

 

 

In his little bag

in his little bag–

rice and few

tea leaves

-haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

 

her rice dumpling

her rice dumpling

doesn’t resemble

the example

— haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

pounding rice cakes

pounding rice cakes

though there’s no child

to beg for them

• haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)

Tree shade

tree shade–

an old man pounds rice cakes

alone

— haiku by Kobayashi Issa (translated by David G. Lanoue), cartoon by Jessica Tremblay (Old Pond Comics)