66 Basho from The Complete Haiku
translated, anointed, introduction by Jane Reichhold
Kodansha USA 2008 – original artwork by Shiro Tsujimura
Basho 1644-1694
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside the temple
visitors cannot know
cherries are blooming
(36 of 1012, 1670)
~
Tomorrow the rice dumpling
will be just dead reed leaves
with a dream
(76 of 1012, 1677)
~
Scudding clouds
as a dog pisses while running
scattered winter showers
(86 of 1012, 1677)
~
On a bare branch
a crow settled down
autumn evening
(120 of 1012, 1680)
~
Dew on roses
the rapeseed flowers’ faces
become envious
(132 of 1012, 1681?)
~
The crane’s legs
have gotten shorter
with the spring rain
(136 of 1012, 1681)
~
Fully in darkness
grabbing a thorn
instead of a firefly
(137 of 1012, 1681)
~
Old pond
a frog jumps into
the sound of water
(152 of 1012, 1681-82)
~
Dew drips drips
wanting to rinse away
the dust of this world
(206 of 1012, 1684?)
~
Even a long day
is not enough for the singing
of a skylark
(304 of 1012, 1687)
~
In the middle of a field
with nothing to cling to
a skylark sings
(305 of 1012, 1687)
~
A peasant’s child
stops hulling rice
gazes at the moon
(314 of 1012, 1687)
~
Winter sun
frozen on horseback
the priest’s shadow
(332 of 1012, 1687)
~
On snow and sand
you can fall off a horse
drunk on wine
(334 of 1012, 1687)
~
First celebrate
the flowers in your heart
confined in winter
(341 of 1012, 1687)
~
With young leaves
I would like to wipe away
the tears in your eyes
(396 of 1012, 1688)
~
Early autumn
the sea and rice fields
one green
(443 of 1012, 1688)
~
Various grasses
each flower
an achievement
(444 of 1012, 1688)
~
Travel weary
how many days of this?
autumn wind
(447 of 1012, 1688)
~
Seeing someone off
his back looks lonely
in the autumn wind
(448 of 1012, 1688)
~
Spring departing
birds cry and in the fishes’
eyes are tears
(497 of 1012, 1689)
~
Heat threads
tie together
to hold the smoke
(498 of 1012, 1689)
~
How glorious
young green leaves
flash in the sun
(502 of 1012, 1689)
~
Fleas and lice
now a horse pisses
by my pillow
(531 of 1012, 1689)
~
Not permitted to tell
how sleeves are wetted
in the bathroom
(548 of 1012, 1689)
~
Small flower scraps
small red-beauty shells
small wine cups
(597 of 1012, 1689)
~
A clam
torn from its shell
departing autumn
(600 of 1012, 1689)
~
First winter rain
even the monkey seems to want
a little straw raincoat
(613 of 1012, 1689)
~
Not yet a butterfly
even as autumn passes
the caterpillar
(614 of 1012, 1689)
~
Winter garden
the moon and insects’ song
a thin thread
(616 of 1012, 1689)
~
Now children
come run among jewels
hailstones
(619 of 1012, 1689)
~
Butterfly wings
how many times have they flown
over the wall’s roof
(637 of 1012, 1690)
~
Day break
not yet lavender
the cuckoo
(645 of 1012, 1690)
~
Missing a wife
putting on bamboo grass
(unfinished)
(647 of 1012, 1690)
~
Don’t be like me
even though we’re like the melon
split in two
(659 of 1012, 1690)
~
A dragonfly
unable to settle
on the grass
(660 of 1012, 1690)
~
A wild bore
it is also blown about
by the typhoon
(661 of 1012, 1690)
~
At my house
the smallest of the mosquitoes
is my treat
(662 of 1012, 1690)
~
Soon to die
yet showing no sign
the cicada’s voice
(663 of 1012, 1690)
~
Drinking morning tea
the monk is quiet
as is the mum flower
(678 of 1012, 1690)
~
With lightning
one is not enlightened
how valuable
(685 of 1012, 1690)
~
Building a bridge
between snow-covered mountains
white egrets
(695 of 1012, 1690)
~
Year after year
the cherry tree nourished by
fallen blossoms
(709 of 1012, 1691)
~
Summer rain
where the poem card peeled off
a mark on the wall
(716 of 1012, 1691)
~
For a while
flowers are above
the night’s moon
(719 of 1012, 1691)
~
Loneliness
hung on a nail
a cricket
(738 of 1012, 1691)
~
The hawk’s eye
already it has darkened
the quail call
(752 of 1012, 1691)
~
Feeling holy
the leaves that stain
fallen leaves
(762 of 1012, 1691)
~
Memorial Service
five gallons of sake
like oil
(808 of 1012, 1692)
~
Year after year
the monkey wearing
a monkey mask
(816 of 1012, 1693)
~
Ice fish
their dark eyes are open
in the net of the law
(822 of 1012, 1693)
~
Baby sparrows
exchange voices with
rats in the nest
(891 of 1012, 1694)
~
Life’s journey
plowing the patch of rice field
back and forth
(934 of 1012, 1694)
~
Flowers and fruit
at the same time melons
at their peak
(941 of 1012, 1694)
~
Coolness
exactly as a pine in the fields
the shape of a branch
(944 of 1012, 1694)
~
Pine and cedar
to admire the wind
smell the sound
(963 of 1012, 1694)
~
Rippling waves
the fragrance of wind
in their rhythm
(964 of 1012, 1694)
~
My dwelling
the moon’s square of light
at the window
(980 of 1012, 1694)
~
Under a clear moon
the foothills’ mist
is the field’s cloud
(982 of 1012, 1694)
~
The color of wind
planted artlessly
in an autumn garden
(985 of 1012, 1694)
~
A cricket
does it get into the bed of
a wild boar
(998 of 1012, 1694)
~
How pleasurable
sleeping late in autumn
as if master of the house
(999 of 1012, 1694)
~
Autumn night
dashed to bits
by conversation
(1004 of 1012, 1694)
~
This road
that no one goes on
autumn’s departure
(1006 of 1012, 1694)
~
Ill on a journey
dreams in a withered field
wander around
(1011 of 1012, 1694)
~
Clear cascade
scattered on the waves
green pine needles
(1012 of 1012, 1694)
