Young Writers Society

I'm curious as to what differences there are between reading haiku translated from the Japanese and reading haiku that were originally composed in English.

I tend to mostly read the former, and read the latter occasionally, but my reading is biased by the fact that I tend to read Japanese haiku from c.16th and prior, whereas I tend to read English-language haiku that's been composed in the 2000s. So it could be that some of the differences I identify apply to the difference between modern and traditional haiku, rather than a language-based one per say.

One difference I notice is there tends to be more onomatopoeia in the ones translated from the Japanese. Those were presumably also onomatopoeia in the originals and then the translator had to find some kind of English equivalent to it. Translations from the Japanese also don't always retain the 5-7-5 syllable count, preferring instead to focus on word choice that conveys the meaning of the original. For example this one is clearly not 5-7-5, but still has that two-part structure of a haiku: the context "In Kyoto, hearing the cuckoo" and a more smaller-scale action or feeling "I long for Kyoto".

There's also the tendency by English-language writers to mix together images of human activities in haiku, which I think traditionally would instead be classified as senryu rather than haiku. There's a KB article on this here. The lit mags I've read and subscribed to that publish English-language haiku (though they're not ones that 'specialise' in haiku and Japanese forms) tend to jumble the two together as well.

In my own haiku writing, I prefer to stick as closely as I can to the traditional nature-focused haiku, even though I compose my poems in English. Meanwhile, if I write about people, I classify those as senryu, and if the focus is an individual's emotion, I write a tanka rather than haiku. I think that applies to me generally, that when I write in a form associated with a specific culture (where it feels appropriate for me to do so at all) I try to follow the conventions of that culture (and usually the older, more traditional conventions because those tend to be more well-documented/ well-known to me, so I feel 'safe' in following them). You might notice that I constantly redirect the Haiku Train into nature poems with all of my entries!

Do you read translated haiku? What do you think of it, in comparison to English-language haiku?

And what do you think of following tradition in poetry?

Hi,
As I know, there are several differences between reading haiku translated from the Japanese and reading haiku that were originally composed in English.

Cultural differences: Haiku is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history, and many Japanese haiku use imagery and references that may not be familiar to a Western reader. Translations may attempt to convey this cultural context, but it is difficult to fully capture the nuances of the original language and culture.

Syllable count: Traditional Japanese haiku consists of 17 syllables, arranged in a 5-7-5 pattern. However, the English language does not have the same syllabic structure as Japanese, and many English haiku do not follow this strict pattern. Translations of Japanese haiku may attempt to maintain the syllable count, but this can sometimes come at the expense of the poem's meaning or impact.

Poetic expression: Japanese haiku often use a minimalist style and rely on sensory images to convey meaning. English haiku, on the other hand, may use more complex language and literary devices such as metaphor or personification. This difference in poetic expression can affect the way the poem is perceived and interpreted.

territorial io

Originality: Haiku was originally a Japanese form of poetry, and when haiku is composed in English, it may be viewed as an adaptation or appropriation of a foreign cultural form. Some readers may view English haiku as less authentic or original than Japanese haiku, while others may appreciate the unique perspectives and insights that English-language poets bring to the form.

Haiku is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history, and many Japanese haiku use imagery and references that may not be familiar to a Western reader.

That's a good point!

Japanese haiku often use a minimalist style and rely on sensory images to convey meaning. English haiku, on the other hand, may use more complex language and literary devices such as metaphor or personification.

Interestingly, I've read some translations of haiku originally written in Japanese that do include personification. For example, Lucien Stryk's translations of Issa. Do you think it's something that comes with the translation or do some Japanese haiku masters also use personification even in their originals?