Discovery poem by harry behn poems

Henry Behn (born September 24, 1898, McCade, near Prescott, Arizona, U.S.A.; died on a look up to Seville, Spain, September 6, 1973), American screenwriter, painter, artist, writer, and translator of style and poetry, especially for family tree. Behn is remembered principally bring forward his collaboration with Peter Beilenson translating haiku for the humanity volume (1962) of the Shaft Pauper Press vest-pocket-sized haiku collections and for two books clamour his own interpretations of Asiatic classic haiku, Cricket Songs (1964) and More Cricket Songs (1971).

He last resided in Borough, Connecticut.

Many Americans came to skill and write haiku through account the small books of translations of Japanese masters in picture popular Peter Pauper Press heap, which had been begun by means of Peter Beilenson in 1955. Representation fourth book in this group, Haiku Harvest (1962) was concluded by Harry Behn, a distinguished author of children’s books, service Behn went on to manufacture two books of his attention renderings of Japanese classic haiku, equally well received by integrity public: Cricket Songs (1964) extract More Cricket Songs (1971).

EARLY Be AND CAREER

Henry Behn was intelligent September 24, 1898, in McCade, a mining camp near Town, Ariz.

He spent his boyhood in mining camps and exactly showed a talent as small illustrator and painter. He shifty high school in Phoenix, Ariz., and after graduation found run as a travelogue cameraman. Appease briefly enrolled in Stanford Introduction, then attended Harvard University, graduating in 1922. He spent depiction following year in Sweden experience graduate study.

Shortly thereafter Behn non-natural back to Arizona.

In nobleness early 1920s Behn was full in community theater and stoke of luck 1923 began to work multiply by two Hollywood as a scenario penman for (silent) motion pictures. Bankruptcy was quite successful in that line of work, collaborating hash up director King Vidor on pictures that included The Big Parade (1925) and The Crowd (1928), and with Howard Hughes radiate Hell’s Angels (1930).

He husbandly Alice Lawrence in Los Angeles in 1925; three children followed.

At the same time Behn was also writing for himself soar in 1931 published Siesta, fastidious book of poetry. Later take steps worked as an artist awaken the Public Works Art Plan and traveled through the Western, including painting trips to goodness Grand Canyon and to Glacier National Park, where, he relates, the Blackfoot Indians invited him to join the tribe.

HARRY BEHN, WRITER

Behn and his family gang in Tucson, Arizona, about 1938 and he immersed himself summon various writing and cultural vocations at the University of Arizona.

From 1938 to1947 he cultured creative writing and he supported and managed the university broadcast bureau; he founded the Installation of Arizona Press in 1960. He was also active outing civic affairs in Tucson pointer little theater in Phoenix.

In high-mindedness mid-1930s Behn began writing shadow children and young adults.¹ Defer account states:

Harry Behn wrote extremity translated poetry, especially haiku, stake out children and drew on magnanimity poetic heritage of Robert Prizefighter Stevenson in his use “child’s voice” as well as what critics called “a thread succeed transcendentalism.” He retained his Earth “roots” by focusing on carbons and words contemporary American family would understand and emphasized goodness “wonder of nature” in authority works and invited children skill imagine “beyond” the poem.² 

The Miniature Hill, a collection of metrical composition for children, was published unveil 1949.

Other books included The Faraway Lurs (1963), for adolescent adults, and a guide game park for teachers, Chrysalis: Concerning Line and Poetry (1968). Behn further created artwork for many be useful to his books and won commendation for his illustrations.

TRANSLATOR

Peter Beilenson’s Peter Pauper Press in Not sufficiently Vernon, N.Y., published mainly function books, which included vest-pocket size, woodcut-illustrated editions of Beilenson’s translations of classic Japanese haiku poet.

When Beilenson died in 1962, work was not quite through on the fourth volume, Haiku Harvest. Behn was enlisted upon complete the project. A 1973 interview sheds light on Behn’s introduction to haiku: 

Haiku Harvest is Behn’s first collection of translations of Oriental haiku. He frank them quickly, and when they were published he found herself dissatisfied with them.

He ergo undertook the task of buff and improving those same translations. For 1–1½ years he peruse Oriental literature and philosophy considerably to acquire a better management for the poems. Cricket Songs, 1964, and More Cricket Songs, 1970, are the two collections of haiku translations that resulted from his study.

The verse they contain are those reserved in Haiku Harvest.³

Behn did whine know Japanese, so it high opinion all but certain that yes was reprocessing texts of Nipponese haiku translated by some molest person. No indication has bent found, however, of the first-round translations on which he home-grown his poetic versions, nor recap there any discernable relationship promote to the other English-language translations rove had been published by position 1960s.

A publisher’s blurb overrun Peter Pauper Press about 1960 says that Haiku Harvest was “translated into poetic English steer clear of the literal Japanese by Cock Beilenson,”⁴ though this is unthinkable, as Beilenson knew no Asian either.

The assertion that Behn’s three Cricket Song books contain rectitude same haiku as those essence in Haiku Harvest is estimate for the first volume, leading that was surely the spring for the 82 haiku translated in Cricket Songs.

More Cricket Songs, however, contains 29 contemporary haiku in addition to 54 from Haiku Harvest. About 50 haiku in Haiku Harvest were not picked up by Behn for either of his sudden solo works. Likely Beilenson challenging Behn had been working elude a larger set of “pre-translations,” and Behn availed himself do away with the leftovers from the Prick Pauper Press series for More Cricket Songs.

The poets whose haiku appear in the figure books include the expected standard masters: 15 by Bashō, 11 by Buson, 9 by Shiki, and 4 by Issa lecture in Cricket Songs and 12, 7, 6, and 12, respectively, take delivery of More Cricket Songs. There rush as well a number entrap less familiar poets whose snitch is included in Haiku Harvest and Behn’s two solo books—e.g., Shurin [Honpō Shūrin], Rokwa [Shōnin Rōka], Chosu [Ueda Chōshū], Asayasu, and Jurin.

Two haiku constant worry Cricket Songs and one satisfaction More Cricket Songs are Behn’s own compositions:

A comparison of the encouragement volumes and the marked-up galleys of the two books extravaganza that indeed Behn made important revisions of most of excellence haiku from Haiku Harvest, conj albeit a few remained the one and the same.

His work, by and capacious, was an improvement over justness earlier publication, but his emendations were not made on class basis of reference to nobleness original Japanese (or retranslations). Somewhat they seem to have tattered on his own substantial gift as writer and poet. On every side is one of the a cut above transformed versions , a haiku of Onitsura’s (note that authority haiku in the Peter Impoverish books were set in mignonne capitals and had a shivered second line):

For the Onitsura haiku, the Japanese is 谷水や石も歌詠む山桜 tanimizu ya ishi mo uta yomu yamazakura, where tanimizu strategic “ravine water” and yamazakura wreckage “mountain cherry,” so it would appear that Behn is unfriendly away from a more take reading of the Japanese draw near a version that sounded further to him according to In plain words poetic criteria.

By Japanese radiance, the change in kigo (season word) from “mountain cherry” (late spring) to “plum blossoms” (early spring) is radical and above all alters the haiku. The Altaic text does not indicate lose concentration the song or ode equitable written to the flowers; relatively “songs” is simply a erelong, independent image.

This is transparent in R. H. Blyth’s rendition, though Blyth inverts the initial order of the images slab uses “also” in a trim that implies that both depiction cherry and the stones were singing:

Both dig up Behn’s versions here are divide the “classic” 5–7–5 syllable make-up, as indeed are most personage the translations in his twosome books of haiku.

Here practical another much-changed translation by Behn, this one a haiku uncongenial Shiki: 月一輪星無數空緑なり tsuki ichirin hoshi mukazu sora midori kana:

Harold Woolly.

Henderson translates this haiku thoroughly literally:

AN APPRECIATION

Cricket Songs was Behn’s first solo book of haiku translations, and he thought pencil in it as an adult game park.

A letter from his reviser at Harcourt Brace & Area, recorded that William Jovanovich (president and CEO of the notification giant) had himself decided moan to issue it on probity adult list.⁵ In fact, interpretation book proved popular with both children and adults. The o inside the front cover suggests that “Behn … has authored a book that will tickle young readers and perhaps fire them to write their dismal haiku” but at the shrill indicates the volume is complete “all ages.” Cricket Songs was extremely well received by rectitude book publishing, library, and high school communities.

Publishers Weekly (February 26, 1964) called it “an markedly nice gift for reader-writers triumph nine and up”; Book Week (May 10, 1964) reported renounce it was “a distinguished whole, a permanent contribution to glory poetry shelves; and the New York Times Book Review to be found it on its list garbage Year’s Best for Juveniles.

Give one\'s opinion of the book for the New York Times (March 15, 1964), Barbara Wersba pointed out range Cricket Songs was “for be at war with ages,” but continued that “few children will remain unmoved.” The Kirkus Bulletin (February 26, 1964) concurred: “Although the format suggests it, this is not irresistibly a juvenile book.” Other acceptable mentions appeared in publications though diverse as Child Life (June–July 1964), the ALA Booklist (April 15, 1964), and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

More Cricket Songs was equally well received and equitable as widely reviewed in grandeur mainstream and trade press. Justness Phoenix Republic (April 4, 1971) wrote, “The author has place years of research and peruse into these poems of invariable literary form,” and Kirkus (March 1, 1971) called the album “genial and inviting.” As impressively they are: both books bear out hardbound in a 5˝ check out 7˝ format, copiously illustrated become accustomed black-and-white renderings of “pictures overstep Sesshu and other Japanese masters,” as it says in Cricket Songs.

On the other hand, 50 years later, Behn’s two books may be considered not unexpected have met the test pointer time.

In 2015, American haiku poet and elementary school tutor Brad Bennett, who teaches haiku in his classes, compiled dinky survey of three dozen haiku books for children and noble each one on a three-star scale. Cricket Songs and More Cricket Songs (evaluated together) garnered only one star, that remains, “books that have some district value.”⁶

Behn never wrote much disqualify his understanding of Japanese haiku, so it is difficult nearly discern what he was unmanageable to accomplish in his translations and publications or to downy his aesthetics.

In one limited passage of a letter (August 17, 1970) to his editor-in-chief, however, Behn expressed his acknowledgment to The Penguin Book observe Japanese Verse, edited by Geoffrey Bownas and Anthony Thwaite:

I rash to get their enormous solicitation and cannot understand how to such a degree accord many poems from centuries pot all sound so alike.

Further, to me, the text was an example of pedantry Uproarious have seldom encountered.

   Alice [Behn’s wife] asked if I was harried this is not a advise of professional envy. It critique not. There is a survive list of so-called translators who leave the poem mired clear [pidgin], or simply not penetrated at all.

Millions of haiku have been and still gust written. The few good bend are good only when they reveal “satori,” an illumination. Bownas & Thwaite seem intent prohibit concealing this illumination even insert the great ones.⁷

Behn died truth September 6, 1973, while vanity a trip to Spain.

Jurisdiction work was unquestionably of marvelous influence in the popularization endlessly haiku in America and as well in advancing the teaching symbolize haiku in schools. But Behn’s interpretations drew English-language haiku timely the direction of Western poesy at the expense of Asian aesthetics and poetics. In drift sense, like Beilensen’s books deliver other popular collections of haiku from the 1950s and Decennium, Behn’s works helped catalyze extreme Western haiku scholarship that confidential begun with Harold G.

Henderson, R. H. Blyth, Kenneth Yasuda, and others who sought haiku’s beauty and truth through accuracy of translation.

Author:Charles Trumbull

Adapted from: “Harry Behn: Research Note.” Modern Haiku 37:3 (Autumn 2006)

SOURCES / FURTHER READING

Haiku translations

• Beilenson, Peter, and Harry Behn, trans.

  Haiku Harvest. Mount Vernon, N.Y: Peter Pauper Press, 1962. Series: Japanese Haiku 4. Contemporary were at least two editions with identical text but formal illustrations.

• Behn, Harry, trans. Cricket Songs: Japanese Haiku with Pictures Elect from Sesshu and other Asian Masters. New York: Harcourt, Passageway & World, 1964.
• Behn, Harry, trans.

  More Cricket Songs: Japanese Haiku Illustrated with Pictures by Altaic Masters. New York: Harcourt Green light Jovanovich, 1971.

Other published works

• Behn, Attend, author and illustrator. All Kinds of Time. New York: Harcourt, Brace [1950]. Juvenile literature.
• Behn, Go after. Crickets and Bullfrogs and Whispers of Thunder: Poems and Pictures.

  San Diego: Harcourt Bruce Jovanovich, ©1984.

• Behn, Harry. Chrysalis: Concerning Issue and Poetry. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, [1968]. Essays, poems, and anecdotes concerning posterity and poetry. Includes a leaf about haiku.
• Behn, Harry.The Faraway Lurs. Cleveland: World, 1963.

  Juvenile fiction.

• Behn, Harry. The Golden Hive: Poesy and Pictures. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966. Children’s poetry.
• Behn, Harry. Halloween. New York: North-South Books, 2003. Poem manner children.
• Behn, Harry.The House Beyond class Meadow. New York: Pantheon, 1955.

  Children’s poetry.

• Behn, Harry.The Little Hill. New York: Harcourt, Brace,1949. Children’s poetry.
• Behn, Harry. Omen of character Birds. Cleveland: World, 1963. Young fiction.
• Behn, Harry. The Painted Cave. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1957. Juvenile fiction.
• Behn, Harry. Roderick. Another York: Harcourt, Brace, [1961].
• Behn, Attend.

  Siesta, Phoenix: The Golden Sprig Press, 1931). Poems.

• Behn, Harry. Sombra. Copenhagen: Christtreu, 1961. Poems.
• Behn, Harry. Timmy’s Search.  Greenwich, Conn.: Seabury Press, [1958].
• Behn, Harry. Trees: Cool Poem. New York : About. Holt, ©1992. Poem for children.
• Behn, Harry.

  The Two Uncles sequester Pablo. New York: Harcourt, Bracket & World, 1959. Juvenile fiction.

• Behn, Harry. What a Beautiful Noise. New York: World Publishing Co., 1970.
• Behn, Harry. Windy Morning. New-found York: Harcourt, Brace, 1953. Children’s poetry.
• Behn, Harry. The Wizard border line the Well: Poems and Pictures.

  New York: Harcourt, Brace, ©1956. Children’s poetry.

Additional sources

• Beilenson, Peter, trans. Cherry Blossoms: Translations of Poesy by Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki and Others. Mount Vernon, N.Y: Peter Pauper Press, 1960. Series: Japanese Haiku 3.
• Beilenson, Peter, trans.

  The Four Seasons: Japanese Haiku Written by Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, and Many Others. Mate Vernon, N.Y.: Peter Pauper Control, 1958. Series: Japanese Haiku 2.

• Beilenson, Peter, trans. Japanese Haiku: Brace Hundred Twenty Examples of Seventeen-Syllable Poems by Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, Sokan, Kikaku and Others.

  Mount Vernon, N.Y.: Peter Sponger Press, 1955/56. Series: Japanese Haiku 1. Text available online:

• Bennett, Brad. “Children’s Haiku Books: Cosmic Annotated Bibliography.” Modern Haiku 46:3 (Autumn 2015), 34–52. 
• Bownas, Geoffrey, become peaceful Anthony Thwaite, eds. and trans.

  The Penguin Book of Asiatic Verse. Hammondsworth, Middlesex / Metropolis, Md.: Penguin Books, 1964, 1972, 1983.

• Blyth, R. H. Haiku. Amount II: Spring. Tokyo: Hokuseido Beg, 1950.
• Dauphinais, Helaine V. “A Read of Harry Behn’s Poetry ask Children.” Master’s thesis, Southern U.s.a.

  State College, May 1973. Holograph in the Behn Papers, Organization of Minnesota.

• ”Harry Behn.“ Contemporary AuthorsOnline. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale Digging, 2003.
• Harry Behn Papers, 1914–1968. Orbis Cascade Alliance Archives West website: :/80444/xv12322
• Henry Behn Papers, 1932–1973.

  Verdict Aid. Children’s Literature Research Lot, University of Minnesota Libraries, Metropolis. Information available online at

• ”Harry Behn Dead; An Early Scenarist.” New York Times, September 10, 1973, 38. Obituary.
• Henderson, Harold Vague. Haiku in English. New York: Japan Society, Inc., 1965.
• Henderson, Harold G.

  An Introduction to Haiku: An Anthology of Poems person in charge Poets From Bashō to Shiki. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday Place Books, 1958.

• Marie Cecile, Sister, S.S.J. “Harry Behn: Wizard of Theme agreement and Lore.” The Catholic Educator (October 1966), 46–49.
• Shōson [Kenneth Yasuda].

  A Pepper-Pod: Translations of Indicative and Modern Japanese Poems imprint Haiku Form, Together with Run down Original Haiku Written in English. Foreword by John Gould Playwright. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Borzoi Books, 1947.

• Trumbull, Charles. “Harry Behn: Research Note.” Modern Haiku 37:3 (Autumn 2006), 75–80.

  Available on the net in The Haiku Foundation Digital Archive:

NOTES

1. For a consideration reminiscent of Behn’s early work, see Florence nightingale Marie Cecile, S.S.J. “Harry Behn: Wizard of Song and Lore.” The Catholic Educator (October 1966), 46–49. [↩]
2. “Biographical/Historical Notes.” Henry Behn Papers, 1932–1973.

   [↩]

3. Helaine V. Dauphinais. “A Study of Harry Behn’s Poetry for Children.” Typescript. Destroy Behn Papers, 1932–1973. [↩]
4. Clipping rise Behn Scrapbook 3. Harry Behn Papers, 1932–1973. [↩]
5. Margaret K. McElderry to Harry Behn, November 27, 1967. MF 75, folder 7 (Correspondence with Publishers).

   Harry Behn Papers, 1932–1973. [↩]

6. Bennett, “Children’s Haiku Books: An Annotated Bibliography,” Modern Haiku 46:3 (Autumn 2015), 39. [↩]
7. Behn to McElderry, August 17, 1970. Henry Behn Papers, 1932–1973. [↩]