Par la bonté bouddhique, Bâshô modifia un jour avec ingéniosité un haïkaï cruel composé par son humoristique disciple, Kikakou. Celui-ci ayant dit : " Une libellule rouge – arrachez-lui les ailes – un piment", Bâshô y substitua : "Un piment – mettez-lui des ailes – une libellule rouge"
André Breton, Ode à Charles Fourier, 1947
(Out of Buddhist kindness, one day Basho cleverly changed a cruel haiku composed by his witty disciple, Kikaku. The latter having written, 'A red dragonfly - tear off its wings - a pepper', Basho substituted 'A pepper - add wings - a red dragonfly').
Gosh, sounds like Basho may have pulled Kikaku back from the haiku Dark Side.
Kikaku: Your powers are weak, old man.(And in case you were wondering, it's a burst plastic football. What did you think it was?)
Basho: You can't win, Kiki. If you write that down, I shall become more poetical than you could possibly imagine.
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