H3105 – Haiku by Issa – The bitter part …
by Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase

The bitter part
eaten by the mother
mountain persimmon ^[1]

One end of the persimmon is sweet, the other bitter. The mother gives the sweet end to the child and herself consumes the astringent remains. The self-sacrifice of mothers.

R. H. Blyth suggests the two translation:

Wild persimmons,
The mother eating
The bitter parts. ^[2]

Mountain persimmons;
The mother is eating
The astringent parts. ^[3]

References:

^[1] Translation by Timothy L. Jackowski, Takase Studios, LLC.

^[2] Blyth, R. H. (1982). Haiku Volume 4 Autumn-Winter. Tokyo. The Hokuseido Press. 1111.

^[3] Blyth, R. H. (1949). Haiku, Vol. 1: Eastern Culture. Tokyo. The Hokuseido Press. 231.

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