Denis M. Garrison

If Someone Asks ... Masaoka Shiki’s Life and Haiku, published December 2005; English translation by The Shiki-Kinen Museum English Volunteers, Hindi translation by Dr. Angelee Deodhar, 156 pages; printed at Azad Hind Stores, Chandigarh, India. (no ISBN).

The title is from Shiki’s own haiku:

       if someone asks
       say I’m still alive
       autumn wind

The tone of this verse reflects the long and, ultimately, fatal illness by which Shiki was homebound and, now, it resonates with the immortality of his poetry. For those unfamiliar with this most recent (1867-1902) of major figures in the development of the
Japanese haiku (and tanka, as well), there is a biographical sketch at the front of the book and a chronology of the poet’s life. Useful notes on haiku and on translation follow.

The largest part of If Someone Asks ... Masaoka Shiki’s Life and Haiku is the presentation of Shiki’s haiku. Every page spread includes an English page on
the left and a Hindi translation on the right. The haiku are presented two to each page, a very satisfactory arrangement with plenty of room for the verses and for brief comments with respect to season and kigo (season word), Shiki’s age when the verse was written, and, with some, maegaki (a sort of preface to haiku).

For the English reader, this is a fine volume for gaining a fuller understanding and appreciation of Shiki’s haiku. The supporting and explanatory materials immediately at hand, and the context of Shiki’s life and poetic career in a careful and useful
digest, allow one to better grasp the beauty and artistry of his verse. I highly recommend this book to all English readers.

This entire book being published in side-by-side English and Hindi is a major event in haiku history for Hindi readers. By this first-ever major haiku resource in Hindi, Dr. Deodhar is providing seminal haiku knowledge in Hindi which will be of the utmost
importance and value to poets who now do not even know what they are missing. For some, it will be life-changing. I have great respect for her work in this fine book. Hindi readers, especially those who write haiku, have reason to be very grateful to Dr. Deodhar.

If Someone Asks ... Masaoka Shiki’s Life and Haiku — Hindi-English bilingual edition — is not generally available for sale. For copies, please write the author and publisher, Dr. Angelee Deodhar, directly at  [email protected].

© Denis M. Garrison