Poetry Of The Floating World: A Collection Of Ukiyo-e Haiku
Celebrating some of the greatest Japanese artists in history
A haiku is a wonderful poetry medium. You can say a lot with a little, be entertaining, educational and experimental and stir unexpected emotions in the reader.
I’ve gone for an experimental approach with this series of haikus that celebrate ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints) and their painters. Each haiku is named after a specific artist and aims to capture different moods and feelings.
Hokusai’s haiku
Hokusai painting
nature in her purest forms
a gift to the world
Hiroshige’s haiku
The life you lead is
coloured with experience
Hiroshige’s answer
Kunisada’s haiku
Beautiful women,
Shadows of Yoshiwara
Kunisada’s light
Kiyochika’s haiku
Western kosen-ga
Kiyochika who persevered
the last of his kind
Sharaku’s haiku
The flash in the pan?
Sharaku flaunts tradition
blaze your own trail now
Shoda’s haiku
It is a still night
Our lanterns burning softly
to remember you
Oi You Haiku
Painting in the blood
Hokusai’s cherry blossom
Katsushika Oi
