Koshigaya Gozan Poetry

Koshigaya Gozan was a Japanese poet and haiku master of the Edo period. He was born in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, in 1717, and lived in Edo (Tokyo) for most of his life. He was a member of the Danrin school of haiku, and his poems are known for their wit, humor, and wordplay.

He was also a prolific painter, and his work is often seen as a reflection of his haiku. Gozan died in 1788 at the age of 71. He is considered one of the most important haiku poets of the Edo period, and his work continues to be read and appreciated today.

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The snow of yesterday

‘The snow of yesterday’ by Gozan is a beautiful and meaningful haiku about transformation and nature. It uses the image of snow transforming into water.

Koshigaya Gozan was an important Japanese poet whose work is often overlooked in favor of better-known haiku poets. However, this poem is an incredibly beautiful example of the form that deserves to be considered among the best haiku poems written by Japanese poets. The piece demonstrates how deeply symbolic haiku can be, despite being only three lines long. This one touches on images of nature, life and death, Zen Buddhism, and more.

The snow of yesterday

That fell like cherry blossoms

Is water once again

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