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A review by fil
Narrow Road to the Interior: And Other Writings by Matsuo Bashō
3.0
I found Basho's travelogue much more interesting than his haiku. The sites, his travel companions, the scenery, all of it was a wonderful read.
As a general rule I think haiku, on their own, are overrated and kind of bland. The poetry within the reminiscences is beautiful since it is relevant to the memory, it helps a lot to have a frame of reference for the tired 5-7-5 setup.
I like how Basho viewed himself, he is refreshingly honest about the person he was. In one encounter he attaches a gift, as a 'thank you' to the farmer, to a guide horse (who can find his way home on his own). On the flip side he lets an abandoned child fend for himself after giving him some food. He is disillusioned by poets who seek fame but takes advantage of his own celebrity status. Although some instances make him look like less of a good person, they are not omitted from his memoirs.
The haiku part of this book was only skimmed, here and there. Their supposed beauty is completely lost on me, oh well...
As a general rule I think haiku, on their own, are overrated and kind of bland. The poetry within the reminiscences is beautiful since it is relevant to the memory, it helps a lot to have a frame of reference for the tired 5-7-5 setup.
I like how Basho viewed himself, he is refreshingly honest about the person he was. In one encounter he attaches a gift, as a 'thank you' to the farmer, to a guide horse (who can find his way home on his own). On the flip side he lets an abandoned child fend for himself after giving him some food. He is disillusioned by poets who seek fame but takes advantage of his own celebrity status. Although some instances make him look like less of a good person, they are not omitted from his memoirs.
The haiku part of this book was only skimmed, here and there. Their supposed beauty is completely lost on me, oh well...