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)

Philosophy 167

Many paths.
Many mountains.
Many valleys.
Many steps.

Yet one.

~

Philosophy 168

Hope to outgrow
what I cannot outrun.

The ache of break
from dream to wake.

– Smith, 10.1.2017