Moon Woke Me Up Nine Times: Selected Haiku of Basho

Besides the positively exquisite translations, carefully selected for maximal impact and enchanting entertainment for readers, the introductory essay is one of the finest I've encountered (in going into double digits of Basho books I've had consistent privilege of navigating) and speaks knowledgeably, and I dare say at times urgently about the process and journey a classical short form poem takes as it travels from its native language into our own. If you are interested in improving your own haiku in accordance with traditions of the Japanese masters, or just appreciating the mechanisms of how a collection of traditional poetry is assembled for an international audience, what tends to be included and omitted, fostering an awareness of what landed on the cutting room floor to be lost in translation, this book's insightful commentary will prove absolutely instrumental to your holistic understanding. Also recommended for those who enjoy translated poetry generally, French symbolists, Paul Celan, Tangled Hair. I dare say a must read for every self-respecting Basho fan and practitioner of the short forms, tanka and waka certainly no less. The discussion of the poet's later transition into preferecing Karumi, and in depth detailing of the storied history of haiku translating to English, contributions of seminal pioneers including Blyth and Reichhold is also highly illuminating and beneficial toward facilitating scholars' holistic understanding of our modern landscape and the forces which shaped it. A rollicking good time I greatly encourage you to seek out if you have not had opportunity, enormous pleasure!

There is nothing to dislike here. This anthology features wonderful choices, The translations have a wonderful, fresh flavor! Congratulations!

An interesting , alternative translation that retains meaning (I think) across the language and time difference. Some poems resonate, some not but the entire experience of reading them is thought and peace-of-mind provoking

David Young does a nice job on these haiku translations of Basho. Some are real gems as he distills them into less than 17 syllables. Some are rather flat...but then that's true of Matsuo Basho himself. There is this common reality yet seen in a Zen way that sparkles throughout the collection. All of the themes are in the vision...the stance toward reality. Young is best when he gets out of the way and allows the frog's splash to ripple in the pond.

These are best Basho haiku translations in English, plus the translator David Young has written a fine intro essay on how to appreciate haiku as well as an overview of Basho's life and work.

Loved this collection of haikus . I especially liked the omnipresent idea of the moon. The observation at the end of the book is a treasure.

This old master's haiku has been lovingly translated. You feel like an invisible companion as Basho travels and records what he sees and is moved by on his journeys.

Important new translation of Basho. Don't miss this one.

Very happy with the service and the book, the layout is very nice and it belongs with my other Basho books.