HAIKU BY YOSA BUSON

 

Walking on dishes
the rat’s feet make the music
of shivering cold

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

This cold winter night
that old wooden-head buddha
would make a nice fire

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

The ferry departs
as the tardy man stands in
the first winter rain

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

Head pillowed on arm,
such affection for myself!
and this smoky moon

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

Fallen red blossoms
from plum trees burst into flame
among the horse turds

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

Only the shoots
of new green leaves, white water,
and yellow barley

          Buson – tr. Sam Hamill – The Sound of Water (Shambhala, 2000)

 

 

 

The short night is through:
on the hairy caterpillar,
little beads of dew.

          Buson – tr. Harold G. Henderson – An Introduction to Haiku (Doubleday, 1958)

 

 

These morning airs—
one can see them stirring
caterpillar hairs!

          Buson – tr. Harold G. Henderson – An Introduction to Haiku (Doubleday, 1958)

 

 

Morning haze:
as in a painting of a dream,
men go their ways.

          Buson – tr. Harold G. Henderson – An Introduction to Haiku (Doubleday, 1958)

 

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