Haiku by Matsuo Basho

The old pond is still
a frog leaps right into it
splashing the water


A kiss of snowflakes
is barely enough to bend
the jonquil leaves


At the fallen snow
the leaves of daffodil are
bending together


A sprinkling spring rain
drip dropping from the wasp nest
leaking through the roof


Awake at night time
the sound of the water jar
cracking in the cold


Because of the cold
we felt safe sleeping together
in a single room


Bitter tasting ice
just enough to wet the throat
of a sewer rat


Bush-clover flowers,
they sway but do not drop
their beads of dew


But for a woodpecker
tapping at a post, no sound
at all in the house


By lonely roads
this lonely poet marches
into autumn dusk


Chilling autumn rains
curtain Mount Fuji, then make it
more beautiful to watch


Coolness of melon
stained and flecked with mud
in the morning dew


Chrysanthemums go
there's nothing to write about
but reddish radishes


Crossing long fields
frozen in its saddle
my shadow creeps by


Don't imitate me
it is as boring as two
halves of a melon


From time to time
the clouds are given a rest
to moon beholders

蚤虱 馬の尿する 枕もと

Eaten alive by
lice and fleas -- now the horse
beside my pillow pees


Glorious the moon
therefore our thanks, dark clouds
come to rest our necks


Harvest moon:
around the pond I wander
and the night is gone


Holding by my hands
would hot tears make it vanish ?
that rime of autumn


How admirable!
to see lightning and not think
that life is fleeting

How wild the sea is
and over Sado island
the river of heaven

Japanese oak tree
can't arouse curiosity
in cherry blossoms


Ill on a journey;
my dreams wander abroad
over a withered moor


I'm a wanderer
so let that be my name -
the first winter rain


In all the rains of May
there is one thing not hidden -
the bridge at Seta Bay


In the cicada's cry
there's no sign that can foretell
how soon it must die


 In my dark winter
lying ill, at last I ask
how fares my neighbour


In the twilight rain
these brilliant-hued hibiscus
A lovely sunset 


In the winter garden
the moon thinned to a thread
insects were singing


It sleeps peacefully
with a warbler for a soul
this mountain willow


Lady butterfly
perfumes wings by floating
over the orchid


Long conversations
beside blooming irises
joys of life on path


Moonlight slanting
through all this long bamboo grove
and nightingale song


No blossoms and no moon,
and he is drinking sake
all alone !


Old dark sleepy pool
a quick unexpected frog
goes plop! Water splash


On a stormy day
the dragonfly can't quite land
on a blade of grass


On Buddha's death day
wrinkled sore old hands pray
the prayer beads' sound


On the white poppy
a butterfly’s broken wing
leaving a keepsake


Now and then falling
petals of the mountain rose
sound of waterfall


The petals tremble
on the yellow mountain rose
roar of the rapids


Spring morning marvel
lovely nameless little hill
on a sea of mist

旅に病で夢は枯野をかけ廻る

Sick on my journey
only my dreams will wander
these desolate moors


Sleep on horseback,
the far moon in a continuing dream,
steam of roasting tea


Souls' festival
today also there is smoke
from the crematory

一家に遊女もねたり萩と月

Staying at the inn
where prostitutes are asleep
moon and bush clover


Temple bells die out
the fragrant blossoms remain
a perfect evening !

桂男すまずなりけり雨の月

The man in the moon
ended up to be homeless
on a showery night


The basho leaves
will cover those crossbeams
the hut of the moon


The banana tree
blown by winds pours raindrops
into the bucke


The morning glories
bloom, securing the gate
in the old fence


The morning glory
that hour of dawn turns out
not to be my friend

古池蛙飛び込む水の音 

The silent old pond
a mirror of ancient calm,
a frog-leaps-in splash



The squid seller's call
mingles with the voice
of the cuckoo

夏草や兵どもが 夢の跡

The summer grasses
of the brave soldiers' dreams
what an aftermath


The warbler sings
among new shoots of bamboo
of coming old age


The whole family
all with white hair and canes
visiting graves


The white rooted leeks
have been rubbed and washed
how icy cold it is !


The years first day
thoughts and loneliness
the autumn dusk is here

荒海や佐渡によこたふ天河

Turbulent the sea
across to Sado stretches
a heavenly river

木のもとに 汁も膾も桜かな

Under my tree-roof
slanting lines of April rain
separate the drops


Ungraciously
under a soldier's empty helmet
a cricket chirps


With every gust of wind
the butterfly changes its place
on the willow tree


Wonderful heyday
I keep thinking about
since the end of fall


Won't you come and see
one leaf from the kiri tree
there is loneliness


Wrapping the rice cakes
into fresh bamboo leaves
she ties back her hair


You make the fire
I’ll show you something wonderful
a big ball of snow !

木のもとに 汁も膾も桜かな

Underneath the trees
soups and salads are buried
in cherry blossoms 

蛸壺やはかなき夢を夏の月

ephemeral dream
an octopus shaped kettle
 the summer moon




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