Chapter 7 COMIC AND SATIRIC POETRY SENRYU In the 1750s, the seventeen-ylable senna, or comic haiku, beeame popular ‘The seary the same 5-7-5 syllabic slmctore as haiku, but unlike hak, ‘hich focuses primarily on the natural worl, the senryt uses humor, satire, and wit to comment on contemporary society and the human condition, Histor cally, semryi derived from a particular type of linked verse, moeku-zuke (verse capping), which ean be traced back to linked verse in the medieval period. In verse capping, the judge (na) presents an initial or “earlier verse” (maeku) to ‘which the participants respond with an “added verse” (sukeku), whieh is then jal verse usally is fourteen syllables long, and the ables Unlike haiku, which streses overtones and tries to create a subtle, elegant ‘mood, senryi focuses on popular and lowbrow subjects and is intended to sur- prise and amuse the reader. In contrast to haiku’ relatively ;curmseribed lopi cal range, that of the semrya is broad, encompassing a range of topics of interest to cighteenth-century audiences, particularly in Fedo, Examples are everyday domestic life, various occupations (From that of doctor to laundryman to thiel), relations between the sexes, the Yoshiwara licensed quarter, recent incidents, and noted historical events and literary figures. Asa popular nevr gente, semryti took upsubjects that haiku avoided, such as love and sexuality. Indeed, sencyiis heavy350. COMIC AND SATIRIC POETRY reliance on vulgar topies, including highly evolic and pornographic material, has often prevented it from being considered literature or serious poetry. The fundamental differences between haiku and senryi ean be traced to their historical origins. Haiku, the modem word for hokke (literally, opening ene), was originally the opening verse in a linked-verse sequence, and sensyi was an offshoot of the added verse. Consequently, senry, unlike haiku, does nol tequite a seasonal word (kigo), which connects the haiku to nature and the larger poetic tradition, In addition, unlike the hokku, senryti does not require culling word (Kiveji), which spits the verse into two syntactic pars, Instead, the senryit usually consists of a single grammatical unit. The haiku also usu- ally ends in a noun or a sentenee-ending declension, which gives the verse a sense of elosure, whereas the senryitoften closes with the continuative verb form (ren’yokei), suggesting further action, Generally, the senryi abbreviates the key word or topi, foreing readers to fil in the blank space and ereating a sense of surprise and exeitement when they realize what has been left out The humor of senryi frequently stems from deflating or inverting objects tr persons of high status, authority, or elegance, Senyit parodies fighres and incidents in classical literature as well as famous poetic phrases and wel-known aphorisms (kotowuza). Senryi frequently uses wordplay, such as puns and word associations (often impossible to translate), andl makes surprising metaphors or comparisons (mitae). But beyond parody and wordplay, semryt examines the world with a sharp and satirical eye, Indeed, semrytts greatest strength is reveal ing human weaknesses and failings and pointing ont the contradictions and paradoxes of contemporary society. Senn, kyéka (comic waka), kyoshi (comic Chinese poetry), and kyabun (comic prose) appeared at the same time as sueh comic or sattieal fictional forms as dangibon (satiric teachings), kokkeibon (books of humor), sharebor (books of wit and fashion), and kibyGshi (comic Mustrated books). The simulta- neous emergence and growth of “wild” (ky6) or comic literature at this time, in the An’eiclenmei eta (1772-1789), has been at least partly attributed to the lax rule of Senior Councillor Tanuma Okitsugu (t. 773-1786), who neglected to enforce the restraints placed on sociely during the Kyah6 Reforms. KARAI SENRYO Karai Semryi (1718-1790) was a fown official in the Asakusa dstret of Edo, Bul he also was a noted judge of verse capping and was known for his judgments fon manku awase (lenthousandeverse contests) in which a judge presented an carlierverse and the participants submitted added verses. Prizes were awarded to those people whose added verses were selected by the judge as superior. n 1765 Senryts disciple published Willow Barrel (Haifa yanagidaru, commonly called Yaragidaru),a collection of 756 prizcavinning verses from eatlier manku «wase (ating from 1957 101765). Significantly, this was one ofthe frst such collections to leave out the earlier verse anc to treat the added verses as independent poemsCOMIC AND SATIRIC POETRY 251 In this way, a new genre was created, named after Senryi himself. Indeed, Willow Bare! proved to be so popular that it was expanded, and by the time it ceased publication, in 1838, Most ofthe following selections are fom the fist tenby-thrce volumes of Willow Bar, which were published while Karai Sennytwas alive, Some of the versesare fram Additional Gatherings forthe Willow Bareel (Yanagida shi, 1756), wel was published thirty years later and oxganizes the poerns by topic. Other sources are Willow Along the River (Kavvazoi yanagi, 1780-1783) and Safflower (Suetsuamuhona, 1776-801, a collection devoted to erotica. ‘Teday about 200,00 senryitfiom the micile to the end ofthe Tokugawa period survive, but almost al ‘of them are anonymons (unlike the kyaka, which were signed and whose authors made a name for themselves). Even Karai Sentyiy, the founder of Edo seneyy, is Known primarily as a judge rather than a poet. The practice of writing sensyt, ‘which extended into the Meiji period, eantinses t be popular today ‘numbered 167 volumes Various Occupations ohamage 0 All ne dacs at work kaaoete iru ga count the number of hairs tsulome nari im his lord’ nostrils! (anegidar, vol. 24, tasked by Makoto ed yakunin no “The official's litle son— ko wa niginigio how fast he learned to open yoku oboe and elose his fist! [aragidara, vol. translated by Makoto Ueda) yoi goke ga “There'll soon be dekiru to hanasu a charming widow"—thatS the talk isha nakama among the doctors? [Yanagidaru, vo. 5, tanslted by Makoto Ueda} hen to iu ‘The doctor has prepared nigemichi isha waa way out— akete ok “A sudden change for the worse” [anagidory, wl. 2, translated by Haruo Shirane] 2. Te count the suber of hair in one's nots" meant “to fa on a euperon.” Pit wat a saceal comment on the tate ofthe snuvai inthe Tokugews peviod, when ordinary sara were no longer engaged in combat but had to concentrate on attending ther lord + One ofthe bes known sent Thi little en ha learned to open and close hist at ery carly age because he watches his father receiving bes dyin and day’ on 3. Although doctors are usualy nt moved by the death ofa paint, if the patient's wife is beaut they may bavea special interes.