Reading... haiku books!

Not my best day ever! I think I'm catching a cold so, I've decided to stay in this evening and read something nice.

And since I'm doing NaHaiWriMo, I went for haiku! I've re-read "The Narrow Road to the Deep North" by Matsuo Basho which actually helped me write two more haiku, in spite of my bad state.

This little book is a very inspiring piece on traveling and life and I've read it at least four times by now. It's short and well written, what can I say?

This week I've also finished reading two more books about and of haiku: "Basho's Journey and Selected Literary Prose" and "Basho: The Complete Haiku"

Both of these books helped me - I think, I hope - improve my haiku writing skill.

All three books are translations but I think the translators did a fine job.

Now, I'll say "Until tomorrow!" when I come back with another haiku in NaHaiWriMo.
By then i really hope to get done at least 2000 words at the project I'm working on.

The Narrow Road To The Deep North

I'm absolutely and forever in love with haiku. 

 

That is why I decided to read the complete work of Matsuo Basho. And, though I should have started from the beginning, when my eyes went over the first lines of "The Narrow Roads To The Deep North" I couldn't stop reading and I knew I'll have to read it again.

It's a fascinating travel diary with haiku used to better render the thoughts and feelings of the author, using nature. This amazing travel log has more substance and more beauty than most of the books I've read lately about traveling,zen or personal quest.

 

I can't wait to read the complete work of Matsuo Basho so I can re-read it.

It's a true inspiration, a celebration of nature's beaty through an eternal writing! My only regret is that I can not read it in original, in Japanese, but it could be a project for later in life.

Recommeneded!