This haiku creates a sensory experience, linking the sensation of coolness to the fading sound of a bell. It suggests that even an echo can evoke a feeling, and how different senses can blend to create a moment of subtle perception and quiet reflection.
Quote by Yosa Buson: “Coolness: the sound of the bell, leaving the bell.”
Coolness: the sound of the bell, leaving the bell.
Insight
Historical Context
Buson was a painter and poet who brought a rich visual and sensory dimension to haiku during the Edo period. This poem exemplifies his ability to capture fleeting sensory impressions and evoke atmosphere, reflecting an acute awareness of nature.
About the Author
Eighteenth-century Japanese poet and painter who, alongside Matsuo Basho and Kobayashi Issa, is considered one of the great masters of haiku. Born near Osaka in 1716, he studied both poetry and Chinese literati painting, and his haiku are noted for their vivid visual quality and painterly precision. He led a revival of Basho's style in the mid-Edo period.
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