Various Haiku Composed by Kabuki Actor Banto Enkaku and His Pupils 

Curator: This piece, from the Harvard Art Museums, presents various haiku composed by Kabuki actor Banto Enkaku and his pupils, rendered by Hanzan Matsukawa. Note the tiger clambering through bamboo. Editor: The tiger immediately feels... domesticated. Its eyes are soft, almost pleading. This isn't the fierce predator we expect. Curator: The imagery of the tiger, often a symbol of power, here feels softened, perhaps reflecting the influence of the actor's sensibilities. It becomes a more palatable symbol. Editor: The tiger's almost awkward embrace of the bamboo suggests vulnerability. It's a symbol of contained strength, perhaps mirroring the restraints placed upon performers by society. Curator: It's a fascinating tension, the juxtaposition of a traditionally potent image with the refined world of Kabuki theater. The poems themselves offer another layer of societal commentary. Editor: Indeed, the cultural memory of tigers clashes interestingly with the delicate script; the tiger, a wild symbol, tamed by art and language. Food for thought.