寝て起て大欠して猫の恋
nete okite oakubi shite neko no koi

sleeping then waking
then a big yawn
the cat goes out in search of love
—Issa
(trans. David LaSpina^[1])

^{"Four Cats In Different Poses" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi}

Cats would seem to be beloved everywhere, even in pre-modern Japan. And why not, eh? Indeed, who doesn't love a cute cat?

The kigo (season word) here is neko no koi, cat's love. It is a season word for early spring. I don't watch cats enough to know how true it is, but evidently this has long been considered the time of the year when cats are getting it on with each other.

❦

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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.

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1. That is, me! If you like this translation, feel free to use it. Just credit me. Also link here if you can. ↩