For Monday: Basho, "The Narrow Road to the Deep North"

NOTE: Though this is a longer piece, read all or most of it for Monday, though we'll finish up our discussion of it on Wednesday. 

The"Love and Death" group should answer TWO of the following questions.
The students in this group are: Danielle M, Kara C, Sydney W, Bekkah T, Madison G, Erica M, Heather B, Raven J, Jack A, and Mya C

Q1: Unlike the other travel sketches, this one is largely in prose, with only a few touches of haiku spread throughout. Why do you think this is? Was he trying to write more poetically without writing poetry? Or is he trying to tell more of a story this time around? 

Q2: Basho is very excited to visit all the old monuments, shrines, and graves of famous ancient people--whether they are priests or kings. Why might this excite the interest of a poet, and what does he tend to see (or describe) in these places?

Q3: Basho has an interesting meeting with two young Concubines (prostitutes) that mirrors the earlier scene in "the Weather-Beaten Skeleton" with the little child. Why does he refuse to allow the Concubines to travel with him, and why does he even bother to record this experience? It seems like he would hide such moments from the reader.

Q4: In general, the haiku in this piece are different from the ones we've encountered elsewhere in the book. What makes them read or sound a little different? What qualities might he be striving for in this later poetry? Consider, too, the three qualities of haiku: metaphor, color, and honesty.