Part 3
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Part 3

Japanese Haiku, by Peter Beilenson, [1955], at sacred-texts.com


p. 26

OLD DARK SLEEPY POOL...
QUICK UNEXPECTED
FROG
GOES PLOP! WATERSPLASH!

BASHO

MY SHADOWY PATH
I'VE SWEPT ALL DAY
AND NOW ... OH NO!
CAMELLIA-SHOWER!

YAHA

HARD THE BEGGAR'S BED ...
BUT SOCIABLE
AND BUSY
WITH INSECT-TALKING

CHIYO-NI

COME COME! COME OUT!
FROM BOGS OLD FROGS
COMMAND THE DARK
AND LOOK ... THE STARS!

KIKAKU

p. 27

OVER THE MOUNTAIN
BRIGHT THE FULL WHITE
MOON NOW SMILES...
ON THE FLOWER-THIEF

ISSA

STARTING TO CALL YOU:
COME WATCH
THESE BUTTERFLIES ...
OH! I'M ALL ALONE

TAIGI

GOOD FRIEND GRASSHOPPER
WILL YOU PLAY
THE CARETAKER
FOR MY LITTLE GRAVE?

ISSA

A LOST CHILD CRYING
STUMBLING OVER
THE DARK FIELDS ...
CATCHING FIREFLIES

RYUSUI

p. 28

THE SNAKE DEPARTED
BUT THE LITTLE EYES
THAT GLARED...
DEW, SHINING IN THE GRASS

KYOSHI

AH! BRAVE DRAGON-FLY ...
TAKING FOR YOUR PERCH
THIS SWATTER
CONSECRATE TO DEATH

KOHYO

I RAISED MY KNIFE TO IT:
THEN WALKED
EMPTY-HANDED ON ...
PROUD ROSE OF SHARON

SAMPU

GIDDY GRASSHOPPER
TAKE CARE ... DO NOT
LEAP AND CRUSH
THESE PEARLS OF DEWDROP

ISSA

p. 29

DARTING DRAGON-FLY ...
PULL OFF ITS SHINY
WINGS AND LOOK...
BRIGHT RED PEPPER-POD

KIKAKU

REPLY:
BRIGHT RED PEPPER-POD ...
IT NEEDS BUT SHINY
WINGS AND LOOK...
DARTING DRAGON-FLY!

BASHO

TINY SENTENCES
BRUSHING SOFT ON
MY SHUTTERS...
BUSH-CLOVER VOICES

SESSHI

MIRROR-POND OF STARS ...
SUDDENLY A SUMMER
SHOWER
DIMPLES THE WATER

SORA

p. 30

SADNESS AT TWILIGHT...
VILLAIN! I HAVE
LET MY HAND
CUT THAT PEONY

BUSON

IN DIM DUSK AND SCENT
A WITNESS
NOW HALF HIDDEN...
EVENFALL ORCHID

BUSON

NOW BE A GOOD BOY
TAKE GOOD CARE OF
OUR HOUSE ...
CRICKET MY CHILD

ISSA

WAKE! THE SKY IS LIGHT!
LET US TO THE ROAD
AGAIN...
COMPANION BUTTERFLY!

BASHO

p. 31

STILLNESS ... THEN THE BAT
FLYING AMONG
THE WILLOWS
BLACK AGAINST GREEN SKY

KIKAKU

NOW MY LONELINESS
FOLLOWING
THE FIREWORKS...
LOOK! A FALLING STAR!

SHIKI

STUPID HOT MELONS...
ROLLING
LIKE FAT IDIOTS
OUT FROM LEAFY SHADE!

KYORA

FOR MORNING-GLORIES
I CAN FORESEE GRAVE
DANGER...
SINGLE-STICK PRACTICE

OHORA

p. 32

CAN'T IT GET AWAY
FROM THE STICKY
PINE-BRANCHES ...
CICADA SINGING?

GIJOENS

SILENT THE OLD TOWN...
THE SCENT OF FLOWERS
FLOATING...
AND EVENING BELL

BASHO

VENDOR OF BRIGHT FANS
CARRYING HIS PACK
OF BREEZE...
SUFFOCATING HEAT!

SHIRI

VOICES OF TWO BELLS
THAT SPEAK FROM
TWILIGHT TEMPLES...
AH! COOL DIALOGUE

BUSON

p. 33

DEEP IN DARK FOREST
A WOODCUTTER'S
DULL AXE TALKING...
AND A WOODCUTTER

BUSON

CAMELLIA-PETAL
FELL IN SILENT DAWN ...
SPILLING
A WATER-JEWEL

BASHO

IN THE TWILIGHT RAIN
THESE BRILLIANT-HUED
HIBISCUS ...
A LOVELY SUNSET

BASHO

FRIEND, THAT OPEN MOUTH
REVEALS YOUR
WHOLE INTERIOR...
SILLY HOLLOW FROG!

ANON.

p. 34

BUTTERFLY ASLEEP
FOLDED SOFT ON
TEMPLE BELL...
THEN BRONZE GONG RANG!

BUSON

GOOD EVENING BREEZE!
CROOKED AND
MEANDERING
YOUR HOMEWARD JOURNEY

ISSA

SEE THE MORNING BREEZE
RUFFLING HIS SO
SILKY HAIR...
COOL CATERPILLAR

BUSON

OH LUCKY BEGGAR!...
BRIGHT HEAVEN
AND COOL EARTH
YOUR SUMMER OUTFIT

KIKAKU

p. 35

THE TURNIP FARMER ROSE
AND WITH A FRESH-
PULLED TURNIP...
POINTED TO MY ROAD

ISSA

FLOWER IN THE STREAM
THUS TOO MY LOVELY LIFE
MUST END, ANOTHER
FLOWER...
TO FALL AND FLOAT AWAY

ONITSURA

I AM GOING OUT ...
BE GOOD AND PLAY
TOGETHER
MY CRICKET CHILDREN

ISSA

NOT A VOICE OR STIR ...
DARKNESS LIES ON
FIELDS AND STREETS
SAD: THE MOON HAS SET

IMOZENI

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