90 Frogs - karma tenzing wangchuk

The copy, pictured above, is actually the second edition of 90 Frogs by karma tenzing wangchuk, published as the first chapbook in Stanford Forrester's bottle rockets chapbook series.  Stanford provides a wonderful introduction on the composition of the original edition, which was produced by tenzing in 4 days for his mother's 90th birthday.  Not only did he present her the book but on the train on the way to visit her, tenzing made 90 origami frogs and wrote one poem on each to present to his mother on his arrival.

little frog
watch out
fly tongues about

There are any number of the poems in this collection which show the influence of the ever compassionate Issa.   Particularly when the poems directly address life forms, as with this "little frog" above, they have that timbre.

summer heat
a fly relaxing
on a frog's back

The ironical juxtaposition here of two natural "enemies" is delightful to all, except perhaps the frog.

the tree frog's
tiny toes
touched by the dawn

Time and again, tenzing's power of minute observation evinces itself, powerfully juxtaposed by the extreme minimalist of description.  What feels most impressive to me about these poems is their timeless quality; truly, as well done as they are, they could have been written by one of classic masters.

one moon
one pond
one frog

The poet here seems to tip his hat to all the possibilities of the situation, including Bashō's.

sitting patiently
without a thought
the frog

This poem nicely posits a response to critics of the anthropomorphic strain found in Issa's work, which also appears in some of the tenzing's poems in this collection.  Lighten up and laugh, folks, knowing full well what you (don't) know.

a blade of grass
bends with the weight
of a tree frog

Somehow, we feel the weight, light as it is.  And see it, too.  Truly, there is so little to say about tenzing's poems that they don't already more succinctly and more powerfully say on their own.  I'm just going to get out of the way of the next two:

back and forth
over the lake
two frogs

mrs. frog
I was once
a tadpole myself

Try this one on for size:

haiku festival
eleven frogs
hop on stage

Having just attended a haiku festival, I can tell you there is a lot of hopping around onstage.  This, however, is another timeless haiku; literal, it may be, and figurative it definitively is

frog chorus
none of the voices
out of tune

This poem shares a kinship with "waiting patiently," above - it is simple, wonderful truth

the teacher's drawer
has a frog in it
the class very quiet

Here is a moment perfectly captured.  The silence can be heard.

all those frogs
not one
with a cell phone

Ha!

Finally, three more which all, in one way or another, look back on their ancient precursor:

jumping in
the frog deepens
the silence

the frog
jumps over
the moon

the biggest splash
of them all
Basho's

This volume, of which this is just a small selection, is truly a classic of our time.  It is so rich, so resonate, and so spot-on it really is hard to believe that it has slipped out of print for a second time.  tenzing informs me that, down the line a ways, there is a possibility of another reprint.

In my view, it can't be soon enough.


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This week's selection from the Lilliput archive comes from #170, July 2009 and it is a powerful monostitich by the fine poet Grant Hackett.  Enjoy.

Each step into simplicity :: undoes the weave

                           Grant Hackett

he likes the grass
of my umbrella-hat...
flitting firefly

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

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