Part 2

Reading tools

Contents

Display

Soundscape

Focus mode

Listen

Offline

Save

Collection

3 min read 565 wordsCompare

Sacred Texts Japan

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

p. 16

THE LADEN WAGON RUNS BUMBLING AND CREAKING DOWN THE ROAD... THREE PEONIES TREMBLE
BUSON

AH ME! I AM ONE WHO SPENDS HIS LITTLE BREAKFAST MORNING-GLORY GAZING
BASHO

MY GOOD FATHER RAGED WHEN I SNAPPED THE PEONY... PRECIOUS MEMORY!
TAIRO

BY THAT FALLEN HOUSE THE PEAR-TREE STANDS FULL-BLOOMING ... AN ANCIENT BATTLE-SITE
SHIKI

p. 17

IN THE OPEN SHOP PAPERWEIGHTS ON PICTURE BOOKS... YOUNG SPRINGTIME BREEZE
KITO

DIM THE GREY COW COMES MOOING MOOING AND MOOING OUT OF THE MORNING MIST
ISSA

TAKE THE ROUND FLAT MOON SNAP THIS TWIG FOR HANDLE... WHAT A PRETTY FAN!
SOKAN

SEAS ARE WILD TONIGHT... STRETCHING OVER SADO ISLAND SILENT CLOUDS OF STARS
BASHO

p. 18

WHY SO SCRAWNY, CAT? STARVING FOR FAT FISH OR MICE ... OR BACKYARD LOVE?
BASHO

DEWDROP, LET ME CLEANSE IN YOUR BRIEF SWEET WATERS ... THESE DARK HANDS OF LIFE
BASHO

LIGHTNING FLASH, CRASH... WAITING IN THE BAMBOO GROVE SEE THREE DEW-DROPS FALL
BUSON

ASHES MY BURNT HUT ... BUT WONDERFUL THE CHERRY BLOOMING ON MY HILL
HOKUSHI

p. 19

LIFE? BUTTERFLY ON A SWAYING GRASS THAT'S ALL ... BUT EXQUISITE!
SOIN

GLORIOUS THE MOON... THEREFORE OUR THANKS DARK CLOUDS COME TO REST OUR NECKS
BASHO

WHAT A PEONY... DEMANDING TO BE MEASURED BY MY LITTLE FAN!
ISSA

UNDER CHERRY-TREES SOUP, THE SALAD, FISH AND ALL ... SEASONED WITH PETALS
BASHO

p. 20

NOW FROM CHERRY-TREES ... MILLIONS OF MAIDENS FLYING FIERCE WAR-LORD STORM
SADAIYE

MOON SO BRIGHT FOR LOVE! COME CLOSER, QUILT... ENFOLD MY PASSIONATE COLD!
SAMPU

TOO CURIOUS FLOWER WATCHING US PASS, MET DEATH... OUR HUNGRY DONKEY
BASHO

CLOUD OF CHERRY-BLOOM ... TOLLING TWILIGHT BELL ... TEMPLE UENO? ASAKURA?
BASHO

p. 21

MUST SPRINGTIME FADE? THEN CRY ALL BIRDS ... AND FISHES' COLD PALE EYES POUR TEARS
BASHO

A NURSEMAID SCARECROW... FRIGHTENING THE WIND AND SUN FROM PLAYING BABY
ISSA

ON HER DEAD SON IN WHAT WINDY LAND WANDERS NOW MY LITTLE DEAR DRAGONFLY HUNTER?
CHIYO-NI

A SADDENING WORLD: FLOWERS WHOSE SWEET BLOOMS MUST FALL... AS WE TOO, ALAS...
ISSA

p. 22

DESCRIBE PLUM-BLOSSOMS? BETTER THAN MY VERSES ... WHITE WORDLESS BUTTERFLIES
REIKAN

LEND ME WATER PLEASE? SOME FRESH YOUNG MORNING-GLORY, CARELESS ... TOOK MY WELL
CHIYO-NI

A YOUNG SISTER PITIFUL ... ON MY OUTSTRETCHED PALM AT DUSK DIES THE LITTLE FIREFLY
KYORAI

YOU STUPID SCARECROW! UNDER YOUR VERY STICK-FEET BIRDS ARE STEALING BEANS!
YAYU

p. 23

AFTERNOON SHOWER... WALKING AND TALKING IN THE STREET: UMBRELLA AND RAINCOAT!
BUSON

IN THE FARTHER FIELD A SCARECROW KEPT ME COMPANY ... WALKING AS I WALKED
SANIN

PRETTY BUTTERFLIES... BE CAREFUL OF PINE-NEEDLE POINTS IN THIS GUSTY WIND!
SHUSEN

AH, UNREQUITED LOVE! NOW ELEVATE YOUR CHIN AND KEEN TOM-CAT, TO THE MOON!
KYORAI

p. 24

HI! KIDS MIMICKING CORMORANTS ... YOU ARE MORE LIKE REAL CORMORANTS THAN THEY!
ISSA

BUZZING THE BEE TRADES PEONY FOR PEONY WITH THE BUTTERFLY
TAIGI

SUCH UTTER SILENCE! EVEN THE CRICKETS’ SINGING... MUFFLED BY HOT ROCKS
BASHO

FAR ACROSS LOW MIST INTERMITTENTLY THE LAKE LIFTS A SNOW-WHITE SAIL
GAKOKU

p. 25

A WHITE SWAN SWIMMING ... PARTING WITH HER UNMOVED BREAST CHERRY-PETALED POND
ROKA

FOR A COOL EVENING I HIRED THE OLD TEMPLE PORCH ... PENNY IN THE DISH
SHIKI

QUITE A HUNDRED GOURDS SPROUTING FROM THE FERTILE SOUL... OF A SINGLE VINE
CHIYO-NI

SWALLOW IN THE DUSK... SPARE MY LITTLE BUZZING FRIENDS AMONG THE FLOWERS
BASHO

Ask PRATIBHA about this text

Answers quote this scripture directly and show their sources.

Reflect on this passage

Only you can see these notes. They stay on this device.