Opening their hearts
ice and water become
friends again.

Teishitsu

The spring sun
shows its power
between snowfalls.

Shigeyori

Not in a hurry
to blossom—
plum tree at my gate.

Issa

White plum blossoms
return to the withered tree—
moonlit night.

Buson

The warbler
wipes its muddy feet
on plum blossoms.

Issa

With each falling petal
they grow older—
plum branches.

Buson

Dried grasses—
and just a few heat waves
rising an inch or two.

Bashō

Overflowing with love
the cat as coquettish
as a courtesan.

Saimaro

Both partners
sport whiskers—
cats’ love.

Raizan

Spring sun
in every pool of water—
lingering.

Issa

Is the dawn, too,
still embraced by
hazy moon?

Chōsui

In the shimmering haze
the cat mumbles something
in its sleep.

Issa

Spring rain—
just enough to wet tiny shells
on the tiny beach.

Buson

The nurseryman
left behind
a butterfly.

Ryōta

Again and again
stitching the rows of barley—
a butterfly.

Sora

A pheasant’s tail
very gently brushes
the violets.

Shūshiki-jo

Over the violets
a small breeze
passes by.

Ontei

Each time the wind blows
the butterfly sits anew
on the willow.

Bashō

Spring chill—
above the rice paddies
rootless clouds.

Hekigodō

Daybreak—
the whitefish whiten
only one inch.

Bashō

Domestic ducks
stretch their necks
hoping to see the world.

Kōji

The warbler
dropped his hat—
a camellia.

Bashō

Crazed by flowers
surprised by the moon—
a butterfly.

Chora

White camellias—
only the sound of their falling
moonlit night.

Rankō

Squeaking in response
to baby sparrows—
a nest of mice.

Bashō

Out from the darkness
back into the darkness—
affairs of the cat.

Issa

Joyful at night
tranquil during the day—
spring rain.

Chora

A camellia falls
spilling out
yesterday’s rain.

Buson

A hedge of thorns—
how skillfully the dog
wriggled under it!

Issa

Misty day—
they might be gossiping
horses in the field.

Issa

An old well—
falling into its darkness
a camellia.

Buson

Trampling on clouds,
inhaling the mist,
the skylark soars.

Shiki

Crouching,
studying the clouds—
a frog.

Chiyo-jo

On the temple bell
perching and sleeping—
a butterfly.

Buson

Could they be sutras?
in the temple well
frogs chant.

Kansetsu

Recited on and on,
the poems of the frogs
have too many syllables.

Eiji

Bracing his feet
and offering up a song—
the frog.

Sōkan

From the nostril
of the Great Buddha comes
a swallow.

Issa

On the brushwood gate
in place of a lock—
one snail.

Issa

Sunlight
passes through a butterfly
asleep.

Rankō

With the power of non-attachment
floating on the water—
a frog.

Jōsō

Highlighting the blossoms,
clouded by blossoms—
the moon.

Chora

Flower petals
set the mountain in motion—
cherry blossoms.

Hōitsu

On the surface
of petal-covered water—
frogs’ eyes.

Fōsei

The retreating shapes
of the passing spring—
wisteria.

Kana-jo

Spring passes—
the last reluctant
cherry blossoms.

Buson

Shallow river
twisting west and twisting east—
young leaves.

Buson

Forsythia—
and radiant spring’s
melancholy.

Mantarō

In daytime “darken the day”
at night “brighten the night”
frogs chant.

Buson

Crossing the sea
into a net of mist—
the setting sun.

Buson

Misty grasses—
water without voices
in the dusk.

Buson

Spring passing—
looking at the sea,
a baby crow.

Shokyō

The cuckoo
with a single song
has established summer.

Ryōta

The voice of the cuckoo
slants
over the water.

Bashō

The cuckoo calls—
and the waters of the lake
cloud over a little.

Jōsō

The cuckoo—
flies and insects,
listen well!

Issa

Summer rains—
leaves of the plum
the color of cold wind.

Saimaro

Early summer rains—
lunging at the blue sea
muddy waters.

Buson

Early summer rains—
even nameless rivers
are fearsome.

Buson

Summer cool—
in the green rice fields
a single pine.

Shiki

Only Fuji
remains unburied—
young leaves.

Buson

On the hydrangeas
the weight of the morning sun,
the evening sun.

Otsuyū

Mountain ant—
seen so clearly
on the white peony.

Buson

Alone, silently—
the bamboo shoot
becomes a bamboo.

Santōka

The warbler
amid the bamboo shoots
sings of old age.

Bashō

A triangle—
is the lizard’s head getting
a little longer?

Kyoshi

In my dwelling
friendly with the mice—
fireflies.

Issa

How interesting—
running errands right and left
fireflies.

Kaiga

Pursued,
it hides in the moon—
the firefly.

Sano ryōta

Burning so easily,
extinguishing so easily—
the firefly.

Chine-jo

The morning breeze
ripples the fur
of the caterpillar.

Buson

As the lake breeze
cools his bottom
the cicada cries.

Issa

As lightning flashes
he strokes his head—
the toad.

Issa

The snake flees—
but the eyes that peered at me
remain in the weeds.

Kyoshi

Rustling, rustling,
the lotus leaves sway—
a tortoise in the pond.

Onitsura

Today too
mosquito larvae—
and tomorrow again.

Issa

As flies retreat
mosquitoes start
their battle cry.

Anonymous

Dashing into one another
whispering, parting—
ants.

Anonymous

Inhaling clouds
exhaling clouds—
mountaintop pines.

Anonymous

Across a pillar of mosquitoes
hangs the bridge
of dreams.

Kikaku

Even the clams
keep their mouths shut
in this heat.

Bashō

Motionless
in a crevice of an old wall—
a pregnant spider.

Shiki

Heat in waves—
in the stones
angry reverberations.

Kyōtai

Sudden shower—
and rising from the heat,
the broken-down horse.

Kitō

Lightning!
fleeing up the wall,
the legs of a spider.

Kichō

Sudden shower—
clutching the blades of grass
a flock of sparrows.

Buson

Down a paulownia tree
the rain comes trickling
across a cicada’s belly.

Baishitsu

The tree frog
riding the plantain leaf
sways.

Kikaku

“It’s much too long a day,”
opening its mouth
a crow.

Issa

The fish
not knowing they’re in a bucket
cool by the gate.

Issa

A sudden shower
drums down upon
the heads of the carp.

Shiki

Lightning—
yesterday to the east
today to the west.

Kikaku

Even in a single blade of grass
the cool breeze
finds a home.

Issa

The trout leaps up—
and below him in a stream
clouds float by.

Onitsura

How quiet—
at the bottom of the lake
peaks of clouds.

Issa

At the sound of the sea
the sunflowers open
their black eyes.

Yūji

Octopus pot—
evanescent dreams
of the summer moon.

Bashō

Short summer night—
flowing through reeds
bubbles from crabs.

Buson

Stillness—
seeping into the rocks
the cicada’s voice.

Bashō

How beautifully
the cow has slimmed down
in the summer fields.

Bonchō

In the morning dew
soiled and cooled—
dirt on the melon.

Bashō

Summer coolness—
lantern out,
the sound of water.

Shiki

Summer rains—
secretly one evening
moon in the pines.

Ryōta

The bat’s
secret home—
a tattered hat.

Buson

Evening glories—
the cat chewing the flower
has its mind elsewhere.

Buson

Among the ears of barley
are you hiding your tail?
old fox.

Tesshi

The coming of autumn
determined
by a red dragonfly.

Shirao

The stars
have already opened
their autumn eyes.

Kōyō

Early autumn—
the evening shower becomes
a night of rain.

Taigi

Autumn begins—
ocean and fields
all one green.

Bashō

Early autumn—
peering through willows
the morning sun.

Seibi

Morning glories—
blown to the ground
bloom as they are.

Issa

As dew drips
gently, gently, the dove
murmurs its chant.

Issa

Grasses and trees all
waiting for the moon—
dewy evening.

Sōgi

White dew
on brambles and thorns—
one drop each.

Buson

On blades of grass
frolic and roll on—
pearls of dew.

Ransetsu

Dew cooling—
things with shapes
all alive.

Kijō

Its face
looks like a horse—
the grasshopper.

Anonymous

Dragonfly on a rock
absorbed in
a daydream.

Santōka

The dragonfly
cannot come to rest
on the blades of grass.

Bashō

Kittens
playing hide-and-seek
in the bush clover.

Issa

Dragonflies
quiet their mad darting—
crescent moon.

Kikaku

The bat
circling the moon
would not leave it.

Kyōtai

Give me back my dream!
a crow has wakened me
to misty moonlight.

Onitsura

Dyeing his body
autumn—
the dragonfly.

Bakusui

Distant mountains
reflecting in its eyes—
a dragonfly.

Issa

A floating sandal—
an object of scorn
to the plovers.

Anonymous

The pine wind
circling around the eaves—
autumn deepens.

Bashō

Cool breeze
filling the empty sky—
pine voices.

Onitsura

To the mountain quietude
the quiet
rain.

Santōka

The old dog
is leading the way—
visiting family graves.

Issa

Typhoons ended,
the rat swims across
flowing waters.

Buson

Calling three times,
then no more to be heard—
the deer in the rain.

Buson

Running across the shelf
hoisting a chrysanthemum—
a temple mouse.

Takamasa

On a withered branch
lingers the evanescent memory
of a cicada’s voice.

Kagai

Singing as it goes,
an insect floats down the stream
on a broken bough.

Issa

“The eyes of the hawks
are now dimmed,”
quails sing.

Bashō

A grasshopper
chirps in the sleeve
of the scarecrow.

Chigetsu

The fields have withered—
no need for the crane
to stretch out its neck.

Shikō

The first goose
seeking its own sky
in the dusk.

Shirō

When they fall,
just as they fall—
garden grasses.

Ryōkan

Mountains darken—
robbing the scarlet
from maple leaves.

Buson

The moon speeds on—
the treetops
still holding rain.

Bashō

A rock
against the moon
sits big.

Seisensui

The bright moon—
out from the sleeve
of the scarecrow.

Issa

Fallen leaves
fall on each other—
rain beats on the rain.

Kyōtai

Blown from the west
collecting in the east—
falling leaves.

Buson

The old pond’s
frog also growing old—
fallen leaves.

Buson

Sweeping
and then not sweeping
the fallen leaves.

Taigi

Very squarely
setting its buttocks down—
the pumpkin.

Sōseki

The autumn wind
takes the shape
of pampas grass.

Kigin

To passing autumn
the pampas grass waves
goodbye goodbye.

Shirao

Autumn rains—
a spider encased in
a clump of fallen grass.

Sekitei

Evening fog—
my horse has learned
the holes on the bridge.

Issa

The sound
of the raindrops
also grown older.

Santōka

In the harvest moonlight
standing nonchalantly—
the scarecrow.

Issa

Its hat fallen off
and embarrassed—
the scarecrow.

Buson

A rinse of vermilion poured
from the setting sun, and then
autumn dusk.

Taigi

The bitter persimmons
spending their autumn
quietly.

Ritō

Garden gate
slamming and thwacking—
autumn wind.

Haritsu

Just like people
the monkey clasps its hands—
autumn wind.

Shadō

One edge
hanging over the mountain—
the Milky Way.

Shiki

The moon in the water
turns somersaults
and flows away.

Sano Ryōta

Whiter than
the stones of Stone Mountain—
the autumn wind.

Bashō

The autumn wind
at the sliding door—
a piercing voice.

Bashō

The huge setting sun—
little remains of
its power.

Kyoshi

All in calmness—
the earth with half-opened eyes
moves into winter.

Dakotsu

New garden
stones settling down—
first winter rain.

Shadō

Red berries—
just one has fallen
frosty garden.

Shiki

Without a companion,
abandoned in the fields
winter moon.

Roseki

Camphor-tree roots
silently soak in
the early winter rain.

Buson

How amusing,
it may change into snow—
the winter rain.

Bashō

Crescent moon warped
coldness
keen and clear.

Issa

First snow—
just enough to bend
the narcissus leaves.

Bashō

On the mandarin duck’s wings
a dust of snow—
such stillness!

Shiki

Cold moon—
the gateless temple’s
endless sky.

Buson

Unable to wrap it
and dropping the moon—
the winter rain.

Tokoku

How warm—
the shadows of withered trees
stretching out their arms.

Tei-jo

There’s nothing
he doesn’t know—
the cat on the stove.

Fūsei

On a mandarin duck
its beauty is exhausted—
winter grove.

Buson

The sea grows dark
the voice of the duck
faintly whitens.

Bashō

Cold moon—
among the withered trees
three stalks of bamboo.

Buson

Its saddle taken off
how cold it looks—
the horse’s rump.

Hekigodō

Snow
falls on snow—
and remains silent.

Santōka

Wolves
are keening in harmony—
snowy evening.

Jōsō

If it had no voice
the heron might disappear—
this morning’s snow.

Chiyo-jo

Dawn—
the storm is buried
in snow.

Shirō

Withered by winter
one-colored world—
the sound of wind.

Bashō

The winter moon
trailing its white glow
leaves the mountain.

Dakotsu

The salted sea bream’s
teeth are also chilly—
fish-market shelf.

Bashō

Bleakly, bleakly
the sun enters into the rocks—
a withered field.

Buson

Blistering wind—
splintered by rocks
the voice of the water.

Buson

Today is also ending—
at the bottom of the snowstorm
a gigantic sun.

Arō

Wintry blasts—
blown off into the ocean
the evening sun.

Sōseki

Sad stories
whispered to the jellyfish
by the sea slug.

Shōha

Frozen together,
what are they dreaming?
sea slugs.

Seisei

In the eyes of the hawk
over the withered fields
sits the winter storm.

Jōsō

Coming to the sea
the winter wind has no place
to return.

Seishi

In the abandoned boat
dashing and sliding—
hail.

Shiki

Flowing down
ice crushes
ice.

Gomei

The winter storm
hides in the bamboo
and becomes silent.

Bashō

Dearly, dearly
embracing the sun—
the fallen garden leaves.

Ritō

Each plum blossom
brings a single blossom’s
warmth.

Bashō

The warbler
sings upside-down
his first note.

Kikaku

The tiny child—
shown even a flower
opens its mouth.

Seifu-jo

Flea bites—
while counting them, she nurses
her baby.

Issa

Shielding an infant
from the wind—
a scarecrow.

Issa

Garden butterfly—
as the baby crawls, it flies
crawls—flies—

Issa

A child on my back
I picked a bracken shoot
and let him hold it.

Kyōtai

Her mother eats
the bitter parts—
mountain persimmons.

Issa

The harvest moon—
“Get it for me!”
cries the child.

Issa

“It’s this big!”
forming a peony with her arms—
a child.

Issa

Today too!
today too! kites caught
by the nettle tree.

Issa

Spring rains—
a child teaches the cat
a dance.

Issa

Worse than tears—
the smile of the
abandoned child.

Anonymous

The season’s first melon
clutched in its arms
sleeps the child.

Issa

Blazing sun—
whose barefoot child
is running free?

Kōyō

At the ticket window
our child becomes
one year younger.

Seiun

The youngest child
visiting family graves
carries the broom.

Buson

First love—
coming close to a lantern
face-to-face.

Taigi

Secret night rendezvous—
a mosquito was swatted
and died quietly.

Anonymous

Heaven knows,
earth knows, every neighbor knows—
parents don’t know.

Shishōshi

Sharing one umbrella—
the person more in love
gets wet.

Keisanjin

Catching up
and looking at her—
nothing special.

Anonymous

Hearing footsteps
splitting in two
the shadow.

Anonymous

Waving umbrellas
“goodbye” . . . “goodbye” . . .
gossamer haze.

Issa

Having children,
you understand—
but too late.

Anonymous

Pear blossoms—
a woman reads a letter
by moonlight.

Buson

Harvesting radishes,
he points the way
with a radish.

Issa

Workers—
they laugh
in a single color.

Hakushi

Selling ladles,
he shows how to scoop up
nothing at all.

Anonymous

Chanting the Lotus Sutra—
only his lips
are busy.

Anonymous

With both hands
thrust up mightily—
my yawn.

Anonymous

Trout fishing—
more fishermen
than trout.

Kenjin

Very secretly
the medicine peddler
is sick.

Anonymous

The convalescent—
indulging in his mother’s care
has become a habit.

Anonymous

Losing,
he straightens in his seat
and loses again.

Anonymous

Having given my opinion
I return home to
my wife’s opinion.

Yachō

Priding himself
on scolding
his beautiful wife.

Anonymous

“Every woman . . .”
he starts to say,
then looks around.

Anonymous

“After you die
they’ll be valuable”
he tells the painter.

Anonymous

Skeletons
covered with adornment—
flower viewing.

Onitsura

Wanting to be logical
he tries so hard—
the drunkard.

Meitei

“Let’s pull them all”
says the dentist
generously.

Anonymous

“I’d never lose
in a sumo match”—
pillow talk.

Buson

No talents
also no sins—
winter seclusion.

Issa

Winter seclusion—
from my wife and children
I too play hide-and-seek.

Buson

New Year’s cards
with women’s handwriting
get looked at first.

Biriken

She lowers
her eloquent lap
onto his silent lap.

Anonymous

The kimono for flower-viewing—
disrobing, I’m entwined in
a myriad of sashes.

Hisa-jo

Without a word
the guest, the host,
white chrysanthemums.

Ryōta

Out from the gate,
I too become a traveler—
autumn dusk.

Buson

Walking along the river
with no bridge to cross—
the day is long.

Shiki

Cold moon—
feeling the pebbles
under my shoes.

Buson

A single guest
visits a single host—
autumn evening.

Buson

“Coming, coming,”
but someone still knocks—
snowy gate.

Kyorai

My go rival—
how vexing
and how dear.

Anonymous

Getting old—
I slip on a watermelon rind
as I dance.

Sōchō

My nose running
I play a solitary go-game—
night chill.

Buson

Just asking them to fight,
he saved tons of money
and died.

Hakuchō

Flesh getting thin—
these are thick bones

Hōsai

Feeling my bones
on the quilting—
frosty night.

Buson

Charcoal fire—
my years dwindle down
just like that.

Issa

For me leaving
for you staying
two autumns.

Shiki

Owning nothing—
such peace,
such coolness!

Issa

Left to live on
left to live on and on—
this cold.

Issa

Loneliness
also has its pleasure—
autumn dusk.

Buson

Autumn of my years—
the moon is perfect
and yet—

Issa

Walking the dog
you meet
lots of dogs.

Sōshi

Taking a nap
I hide within myself—
winter seclusion.

Buson

All of a sudden
my first fallen tooth—
autumn wind.

Sanpū

Winter rain—
I’m not dead yet

Santōka

A whole family
all gray-haired with canes
visits graves.

Bashō

This autumn
no child in my lap—
moon-viewing.

Onitsura

Are my youthful dreams
still unfinished?
this morning’s frost.

Anonymous

The auspiciousness
is just about medium—
my spring.

Issa

On New Year’s Day
the morning in town
comes irregularly.

Anonymous

First winter kimono—
may you quickly grow to
a naughty age.

Issa

Snow has melted—
the village is full
of children.

Issa

“Don’t dare break it!”
but he broke off and gave me
a branch of garden plum.

Taigi

Spring river—
a tiny wooden clog
floats by.

Haritsu

Spring rain—
blown onto the bush
a discarded letter.

Issa

A shame to pick it
a shame to leave it—
the violet.

Nao-jo

Even when chased
it pretends not to hurry—
the butterfly.

Garaku

One sneeze—
and I lost sight of
the skylark.

Yayū

Tired heart—
mountains and ocean
too much beauty.

Santōka

Lead him slowly!
the horse is carrying
the spring moon.

Watsujin

Come out!
you can almost touch
the spring moon.

Tei-jo

Spring moon—
if I touch it, it would
drip.

Issa

Spring rain—
I gave my yawn
to the dog at the gate.

Issa

While I ponder
a snail
passes me by.

Anonymous

Frogs grow silent—
noble humans
are passing by.

Rakukyo

Early summer rain—
a letter from home
arrives wet.

Haritsu

Sudden shower—
riding naked
on a naked horse.

Santōka

Rocks and trees
glisten in my eyes—
such heat.

Kyorai

The stone-carver
cools his chisel
in the clear stream.

Buson

A hoe standing
with no one around—
the heat!

Shiki

Becoming a cow
would be fine—morning naps
and the evening cool.

Shikō

After my sneeze
all is quiet—
summer mountains.

Yasui

Only the moon and I
remain on the bridge
cooling off.

Kikusha

One person
and one fly
in the large room.

Issa

The fly on the porch
while rubbing its hands—
swat!

Issa

Each time
I swat a fly, I chant
“Namu Amida Butsu”

Issa

Mosquito larvae,
dancing a Buddhist chant
in the water by the grave.

Issa

Being hit
the gong spits out
a noontime mosquito.

Sōseki

Sharing the same blood
but we’re not related—
the hateful mosquito!

Jōsō

The flute player
bitten by a mosquito
on the edge of his lips.

Kyoriku

Swarms of mosquitoes—
but without them,
it’s a little lonely.

Issa

During the day
the Buddha shelters behind
mosquitoes.

Issa

The beggar
wears heaven and earth
as summer clothes.

Kikaku

Where there are people
there are flies, and
there are Buddhas.

Issa

They live long—
the flies, fleas, and mosquitoes
in this poor village.

Issa

Two old bent backs
sitting close, wrapped in
a shower of cicada songs.

Anonymous

In my hand
its fleeting light vanishes—
the firefly.

Kyorai

How delightful
walking on dewy grasses—
straw sandals.

Haritsu

Killing the spider
then so lonesome—
evening cold.

Shiki

Seeing that I’m old
even the mosquito whispers
closer to my ear.

Issa

An autumn mosquito
determined to die
bites me.

Shiki

Before the white mums
hesitating for a while—
the scissors.

Buson

Truly the autumn has come—
I was convinced
by my sneeze.

Buson

Planting my buttocks
on a huge taro leaf—
moon-viewing.

Haritsu

Whatever they wear
they become beautiful
moon-viewing.

Chiyo-jo

Taking me along
my shadow comes home
from moon-viewing.

Sodō

Even grandma
goes out drinking—
moonlit night.

Issa

Wild geese muttering, muttering—
are they spreading
rumors about me?

Issa

Don’t cry, wild geese,
it’s the same everywhere—
this floating world.

Issa

A man raking—
the leaves keep
calling him back.

Anonymous

Dusk—
while the earth and I talk
leaves fall.

Issa

When I show my delight
they fall down faster—
acorns.

Fūsei

Coldly, coldly
the sun slips into my sleeve—
autumn mountains.

Issa

Autumn wind—
in my heart, how many
mountains and rivers.

Kyoshi

Deep in the mountains—
falling into my heart
autumn streams.

Shinkei

More than last year
it is lonely—
the autumn dusk.

Buson

On my shoulder
is it longing for a companion?
a red dragonfly.

Sōseki

Love in my old age—
as I try to forget,
late autumn rain.

Buson

When I finally die—
weeds
falling rain.

Santōka

From the nose
of the Buddha in the fields—
icicles.

Issa

Visitors
kindly create a path
through the snow at my gate.

Issa

The black dog
becomes a lantern—
snowy road.

Anonymous

Winter sun—
frozen on horseback
is my shadow.

Bashō

Piercing cold—
I dropped my broom
under the pines.

Taigi

Colder than snow
on my white hair—
the winter moon.

Jōsō

A hundred miles of frost—
in a boat, I own
the moon.

Buson

Peaceful, peaceful
chilly, chilly
snow, snow.

Santōka

To my cat
a New Year’s card
from its vet.

Yorie

The child on my lap
begins to point at
plum blossoms.

Issa

Plum blossoms—
“Steal this one here!”
points the moon.

Issa

Under the trees
into the salad, into the soup—
cherry blossoms.

Bashō