Part 4

LADY BUTTERFLY
PERFUMES HER WINGS
BY FLOATING
OVER THE ORCHID

BASHO

IF STRANGERS THREATEN
TURN INTO FAT
GREEN BULLFROGS...
POND-COOLING MELONS

ISSA

YELLOW EVENING SUN ...
LONG SHADOW
OF THE SCARECROW
REACHES TO THE ROAD

SHOHA

A CAMELLIA
DROPPED DOWN INTO
STILL WATERS
OF A DEEP DARK WELL

BUSON

FOR THE EMPEROR
HIMSELF HE WILL NOT
LIFT HIS HAT ...
A STIFF-BACKED SCARECROW

DANSUI

IN THE HOLY DUSK
NIGHTINGALES BEGIN
THEIR PSALM...
GOOD! THE DINNER-GONG!

BUSON

LIVE IN SIMPLE FAITH ...
JUST AS THIS
TRUSTING CHERRY
FLOWERS, FADES, AND FALLS

ISSA

NIGHT IS BRIGHT WITH STARS
... SILLY WOMAN,
WHIMPERING:
SHALL I LIGHT THE LAMP?

ETSUJIN

BLACK DESOLATE MOOR...
I BOW BEFORE
THE BUDDHA
LIGHTED IN THUNDER

KAKEI

DIRTY BATH-WATER
WHERE CAN I POUR
YOU? ... INSECTS
SINGING IN THE GRASS

ONITSURA

WEE BITTER CRICKET
CRYING ALL THIS
SUNNY DAY ...
OR IS HE LAUGHING?

OEMARU

A SHORT SUMMER NIGHT...
BUT IN THIS SOLEMN
DARKNESS
ONE PEONY BLOOMED

BUSON

LONG THE SUMMER DAY ...
PATTERNS ON
THE OCEAN SAND...
OUR IDLE FOOTPRINTS

SHIKI

ANGRY I STRODE HOME...
BUT STOOPING IN
MY GARDEN
CALM OLD WILLOW-TREE

RYOTA

OH DO NOT SWAT THEM ...
UNHAPPY FLIES
FOREVER
WRINGING THEIR THIN HANDS

ISSA

SEE ... THE HEAVY LEAF
ON THE SILENT
WINDLESS DAY ...
FALLS OF ITS OWN WILL

BONCHO

RASH TOM-CAT LOVER...
CARELESS EVEN
OF THAT RICE
STUCK IN YOUR WHISKERS

TAIGI

MOON SO BRIGHT FOR LOVE!
OH, HEAR THE FARMER
BY THAT LIGHT...
FLAILING HIS LOVELY RICE!

ETSUJIN

NOW THE SWINGING BRIDGE
IS QUIETED
WITH CREEPERS...
LIKE OUR TENDRILLED LIFE

BASHO

DANCING IN MY SILKS
MONEY TOSSED ITSELF
AWAY...
PRETTY, THIS PAPER DRESS!

SONO-JO

THE SEA DARKENING...
OH VOICES OF THE
WILD DUCKS
CRYING, WHIRLING, WHITE

BASHO

WHITE MOTH, FLUTTER OFF:
FLY BACK INTO
MY BREAST NOW
QUICKLY, MY OWN SOUL!

WAFU

NINE TIMES ARISING
TO SEE THE MOON...
WHOSE SOLEMN PACE
MARKS ONLY MIDNIGHT YET

BASHO

WATCHING, I WONDER
WHAT POET COULD PUT
DOWN HIS QUILL...
A PLUPERFECT MOON!

ONITSURA

DO YOUR WORST, OLD FROST
YOU CAN NO LONGER
WOUND ME ...
LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM I

OEMARU

PEBBLES SHINING CLEAR,
AND CLEAR
SIX SILENT FISHES...
DEEP AUTUMN WATER

BUSON

A BRIGHT AUTUMN MOON...
IN THE SHADOW OF
EACH GRASS
AN INSECT CHIRPING

BUSON

YOU TURN AND SUDDENLY
THERE IN PURPLING
AUTUMN SKY ...
WHITE FUJIAMI

ONITSURA

HERE, WHERE A THOUSAND
CAPTAINS SWORE GRAND
CONQUEST ... TALL
GRASS THEIR MONUMENT

BASHO

YELLOW AUTUMN MOON...
UNIMPRESSED
THE SCARECROW STANDS
SIMPLY LOOKING BORED

ISSA

WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUM ...
BEFORE THAT
PERFECT FLOWER
SCISSORS HESITATE

BUSON

CRUEL AUTUMN WIND
CUTTING TO THE
VERY BONES...
OF MY POOR SCARECROW

ISSA

NOW IN LATE AUTUMN
LOOK, ON MY OLD
RUBBISH-HEAP ...
BLUE MORNING-GLORY

TAIGI

A SINGLE CRICKET
CHIRPS, CHIRPS, CHIRPS,
AND IS STILL ... MY
CANDLE SINKS AND DIES

ANON.

FIREWORKS ENDED
AND SPECTATORS
GONE AWAY...
AHD HOW VAST AND DARK!

SHIKI

TWO ANCIENT PINE-TREES ...
A PAIR OF GNARLED
AND STURDY HANDS
WITH TEN GREEN FINGERS

RYOTO

I MUST TURN OVER...
BEWARE OF LOCAL
EARTHQUAKES
BEDFELLOW CRICKET!

ISSA

OH! I ATE THEM ALL
AND OH! WHAT A
STOMACH-ACHE...
GREEN STOLEN APPLES

SHIKI

NOW IN SAD AUTUMN
AS I TAKE MY
DARKENING PATH ...
A SOLITARY BIRD

BASHO

AT OUR LAST PARTING
BENDING BETWEEN
BOAT AND SHORE...
THAT WEEPING WILLOW

SHIKI