Personalized t-shirts almost always feature a small snippet of text, a quote or a saying. These are meant to be humorous, witty, inspiring or to designate belonging to a team or organization. Oftentimes as of late, statements on shirts make the news because the copy is radical or intended to make a powerful declaration. To celebrate the New Year though, we’re going to share some short statements in the form of New Year’s inspirational haiku’s written by the original poet of extreme brevity, Issa. He is known to be one of the four haiku masters of Japan, enjoy a selection of fifteen and best wishes for the New Year, 2015!
on New Year’s Day
a cute little pilgrim
at the gate
big field–
my New Year’s walk
follows holes made by canes
my shadow too
in good health…
“Happy New Year!”
world of man–
even in mountain shade
New Year’s water
even an old man
has New Year’s eyes…
cherry blossoms
New Year’s Day–
that I’m still on this journey
unbelievable
my New Year’s
lucky direction walk…
to cherry blossoms
up to yesterday
I saw you every day…
New Year’s herbs
New Year’s pine–
alone, listening to
the evening rain
on New Year’s Day
tall as a sleeping man…
the clouds
keeping the falling
snow company…
New Year’s pine
birds singing–
on a tatami mat in a field, too
happy New Year
the trainer lets
his monkey hold it…
New Year’s kite
putting on my
New Year’s clothes…
the mountain owl laughs
on New Year’s Day
I have company
bird without a nest