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| omnipoetics:li-po [2025/02/19 07:15] – ["Li-Po" by José Juan Tablada] rachel | omnipoetics:li-po [2025/04/09 20:27] (current) – admin |
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| ====== "Li-Po" by José Juan Tablada ====== | ====== Li-Po by José Juan Tablada ====== |
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| <WRAP center round info 60%> | <WRAP center round info 60%> |
| **//Serpent and the Fire// (pp. 218-220)** \\ | **//Serpent and the Fire// (pp. 218-220)** \\ |
| These excerpts come from Tablada's 1920 book of the same name, showcasing his experimental style. Tablada was a multi-talented writer, artist, and world traveler. He is best known from introducing the Haiku to Spanish-language audiences. | These excerpts come from Tablada's 1920 book, showcasing his experimental style. Tablada was a multi-talented writer, artist, and world traveler. He is best known from introducing the Haiku to Spanish-language audiences. |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| José Juan Teodoro Tablada was born April 1, 1871, in Mexico city. He had seven sisters. He learned German and French before being briefly sent to a military school by his father, who died when he was 17 years old. His first poems were published when he was 20 and he began writing for various publications the following year. He was introduced in the weekly "México Gráfico" as follows: | José Juan Teodoro Tablada was born April 1, 1871, in Mexico city. He had seven sisters. He learned German and French in school, before being briefly sent to a military school by his father, who died when he was 17 years old. His first poems were published when he was 20 and he began writing for various publications the following year. He was introduced in the weekly "México Gráfico" as follows: |
| <blockquote> | <blockquote> |
| "José Juan Tablada, naciente bardo empapado en el modernismo de los neuróticos franceses. Baudelaire y Richepin, Rollinat y Paul Verlaine..." \\ | "José Juan Tablada, naciente bardo empapado en el modernismo de los neuróticos franceses. Baudelaire y Richepin, Rollinat y Paul Verlaine..." \\ |
| In 1903 he married Evangelina Sierra (who he would separate from in 1913) and began writing a regular column for Revista Moderna de México. From 1906 - 1908 he was a professor of archeology at the National Museum. In 1909 he wrote a series of political satire columns. In 1911 and 1912 he visited Paris and then became a professor of literature at la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. During this time he started working on a novel titled, "La Nao de China." \\ | In 1903 he married Evangelina Sierra (who he would separate from in 1913) and began writing a regular column for Revista Moderna de México. From 1906 - 1908 he was a professor of archeology at the National Museum. In 1909 he wrote a series of political satire columns. In 1911 and 1912 he visited Paris and then became a professor of literature at la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. During this time he started working on a novel titled, "La Nao de China." \\ |
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| In 1914, had to flee Mexico and settled in New York, due to the violence of the Mexican Revolution. Tablada had supported the short-lived government of Victoriano Huerta, which was opposed by revolutionary forces, including those led by Emiliano Zapata in the south (the Zapatistas) and Pancho Villa in the north. His house was ransacked and the draft of his novel destroyed. He returned to Mexico in 1917, the same year that he fell in love with his student, Eulalia Cabrera Douval, who he had been teaching French to.\\ | In 1914, he had to flee from Mexico due to the violence of the Mexican Revolution and he settled in New York. Tablada had supported the short-lived government of Victoriano Huerta, in opposition to the revolutionary forces, including those led by Emiliano Zapata in the south (the Zapatistas) and Pancho Villa in the north. His house was ransacked and the draft of his novel destroyed. He returned to Mexico in 1917, the same year that he fell in love with his French student, Eulalia Cabrera Douval.\\ |
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| In 1918, Tablada was made a diplomat by the Mexican government, married Douval, and traveled throughout South America. By 1919, they had settled in Bogata, where he published a book of Haiku-inspired poetry. | In 1918, Tablada was made a diplomat by the Mexican government, married Douval, and traveled throughout South America. By 1919, they had settled in Bogata, where he published a book of Haiku-inspired poetry titled "One Day...". |
| <blockquote> | <blockquote> |
| "Ahí escribe y dibuja las imágenes de su primer volumen de haikus, Un día... poemas sintéticos. \\ | "Ahí escribe y dibuja las imágenes de su primer volumen de haikus, Un día... poemas sintéticos. \\ |
| </blockquote> | </blockquote> |
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| In 1919, Tablada also published a travel memoir of his time in Japan (nearly 20 years after the voyage had taken place). The following year, in 1920, he published the book that is excerpted in Serpent and Fire. | In 1919, Tablada also published a memoir of his time in Japan (nearly 20 years after the voyage had taken place). The following year, in 1920, he published the book that is excerpted in Serpent and Fire. |
| <blockquote> | <blockquote> |
| Editado en Caracas, con pie de la Imprenta Bolívar fechado el 6 de enero, Li-Po y otros poemas reúne sus poemas ideográficos, tanto de corte caligramático como futurista. Con ellos, Tablada sitúa a la poesía mexicana en la vanguardia internacional. \\ | Editado en Caracas, con pie de la Imprenta Bolívar fechado el 6 de enero, Li-Po y otros poemas reúne sus poemas ideográficos, tanto de corte caligramático como futurista. Con ellos, Tablada sitúa a la poesía mexicana en la vanguardia internacional. \\ |
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| ==== The French Influence on the Spread of Haiku Worldwide ==== | ==== The French Influence on the Spread of Haiku Worldwide ==== |
| Higginson and Harter explain that, "Haiku in the West begins at the beginning of the twentieth century, with attempts to write haiku in French during a visit to Japan by Julien Vocance, Paul-Louis Couchoud, and others. They published a book of the efforts in 1905" (49). This was followed by a "decent anthology of Japanese literature in French translation" that was published in 1910, in Paris. \\ | Higginson and Harter explain that, "Haiku in the West begins at the beginning of the twentieth century, with attempts to write haiku in French during a visit to Japan by Julien Vocance, Paul-Louis Couchoud, and others. They published a book of their efforts in 1905" (49). This was followed by a "decent anthology of Japanese literature in French translation" that was published in 1910, in Paris. \\ |
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| It is easy to see how Tablada fit into this timeline of discovery and cross-cultural creative pollination. Higginson and Harter devote a page and a half to him, clarifying that he was a, "Mexican poet and diplomat who visited Japan in 1900 and was much impresssed with its art and poetry, but seems to hae discovered the haikai in Paris during 1911 and 1912" (53). They further identify him as "a major figure in //modernismo//" (54) and describe his style of haiku as using "vivid metaphors to capture some essential characteristic of an animal or object" (54) and "approach[ing] the ecstacy of experience that joins an especially Spanish quality to the emotionalism of some Japanese haiku" (54). They reprint three of his haiku -- two in Spanish and one written in French. | It is easy to see how Tablada fit into this timeline of discovery and cross-cultural creative pollination. Higginson and Harter devote a page and a half to him, clarifying that he was a, "Mexican poet and diplomat who visited Japan in 1900 and was much impresssed with its art and poetry, but seems to have discovered the haikai [sic] in Paris during 1911 and 1912" (53). They further identify him as "a major figure in //modernismo//" (54) and describe his style of haiku as using "vivid metaphors to capture some essential characteristic of an animal or object" (54) and "approach[ing] the ecstacy of experience that joins an especially Spanish quality to the emotionalism of some Japanese haiku" (54). They reprint three of his haiku -- two in Spanish and one written in French. |
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| Matsuo Bashō (1644 - 1694) is credited as the originator of the haiku form. He "is considered The First Great Master of Haiku, or simply The Master" (Higginson & Harter, 12). Bashō was influenced by 7th - 9th centrury (T'ang dynasty) Chinese poets, including Li-Po (who is called Rihaku in Japanese). <fs small>What follows in this section is more speculative than the rest of our wiki post.</fs> Japanese court poetry (specifically the form of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waka_(poetry) |waka]]) may have been the an important intermediary between these styles, but we would need to read more on this topic, perhaps starting with [[https://blog.bierfaristo.com/node/775 | An Introduction to Court Poetry by Earl Miner.]]\\ | Matsuo Bashō (1644 - 1694) is credited as the originator of the haiku form. He "is considered The First Great Master of Haiku, or simply The Master" (Higginson & Harter, 12). Bashō was influenced by 7th - 9th centrury (T'ang dynasty) Chinese poets, including Li-Po (who is called Rihaku in Japanese). <fs small>What follows in this section is more speculative than the rest of our wiki post.</fs> Japanese court poetry (specifically the form of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waka_(poetry) |waka]]) may have been the an important intermediary between these styles, but we would need to read more on this topic, perhaps starting with [[https://blog.bierfaristo.com/node/775 | An Introduction to Court Poetry by Earl Miner.]]\\ |
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| It is also possible that we should be looking at the French for the source of the connection or confusion. Judith Gautier's (mis)translated of Chinese poetry "Le livre de jade" (Book of Jade) was first published in 1867 [[https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/46828/pg46828-images.html|original available on Project Gutenberg]], but it was expanded and reissued in 1902 and edited again for a 1908 version [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/4599060|Yu 2007]]). ([[https://archive.org/details/bookofjade00gautiala/mode/2up |A 1901, English translation of Gautier's translation is available through Internet Archive]]) [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/4599060 |Yu argues that despite Gautier's lack of accuracy in translating, her book had an immense cultural impact]]. It seems possible that Tablada may have encountered some Chinese poetry through her or through the zeitgeist that she inspired. <fs small>The preceding section was speculative.</fs> | It is also possible that we should be looking at the French for the source of the connection or confusion. Judith Gautier's (mis)translated of Chinese poetry "Le livre de jade" (Book of Jade) was first published in 1867 [[https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/46828/pg46828-images.html|(original available on Project Gutenberg)]], but it was expanded and reissued in 1902 and edited again for a 1908 version [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/4599060|(Yu 2007).]] ([[https://archive.org/details/bookofjade00gautiala/mode/2up |A 1901, English translation of Gautier's translation]] is also available through Internet Archive. [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/4599060 |Yu argues that despite Gautier's lack of accuracy in translating, her book had an immense cultural impact]]. It seems possible that Tablada may have encountered some Chinese poetry through her or through the zeitgeist that she inspired. <fs small>The preceding section was speculative.</fs> |
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| ==== Who was Li-Po? ==== | ==== Who was Li-Po? ==== |
| === Drinking in Moonlight === | === Drinking in Moonlight === |
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| José Juan Tablada's poem pays homage to Li Po through an extended use of language and imagery found in Li Po's poem "Drinking in Moonlight" (also known by various other titles such as "Drinking Alone with the Moon"). This poem has numerous translations, and forty one of them can be found at this [[https://clatterymachinery.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/li-bai-drinking-alone-with-the-moon-his-shadow-32-translators/|site]]. For comparison, two translations are included below: | José Juan Tablada's poem pays homage to Li Po through an extended use of language and imagery found in Li Po's poetry and mythologized history. Tablada's "Li-Po" ends on his own translation of Li Po's "Drinking in Moonlight" (also known by various other titles such as "Drinking Alone with the Moon"). This poem has numerous translations, and forty one of them can be found at this [[https://clatterymachinery.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/li-bai-drinking-alone-with-the-moon-his-shadow-32-translators/|site]]. For comparison, two translations are included below: |
| == Drinking in Moonlight== | == Drinking in Moonlight== |
| {{ :omnipoetics:yuexia.jpg?500|}} | {{ :omnipoetics:yuexia.jpg?500|}} |
| - Young, David. //Five T'ang Poets//. Oberlin College Press, 1990. | - Young, David. //Five T'ang Poets//. Oberlin College Press, 1990. |
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| | {{tag>Spanish Mexico Modernism Avant-Garde Experimental Tribute Haiku}} |
