HAIKU – Part One

 

この秋は

膝に子のなき

月見かな

kono aki wa                                     this autumn,

              hiza ni ko no naki                            no child in my lap

                            tsukimi kana                                    to watch the moon

谷水や

石も歌詠む

山桜

tanimizu ya                                      sakura-slopes;

              ishi mo uta yomu                             in the valley-stream,

                            yamazakura                                     even the stones make songs

ふや

音なき花も

耳の奥

 

shitagau ya                                      concordance:

              oto naki hana mo                             a flower without a sound

                            mimi no oku                                    and the depths of the ear

大旦

昔吹きにし

松の風

ō-ashita                                            on the first day,

              mukashi fukinishi                            the pristine swish

                            matsu no kaze                                 of the wind in the pines

 

uejima onitsura (1660-1738)

 

我死なば

墓守となれ

きりぎりす

ware shinaba                                   when I am gone,

              haka-mori to nare                            guard my gravestone,

                            kirigirisu                                          cricket

鬼と成り

仏となるや

土用雲

oni to nari                                        now an oni,

              hotoke to naru ya                            now the Buddha,

                            doyō-gumo                                      dog-day clouds

山焼の

明りに下る

夜舟哉

yama-yake no                                  floating down

akari ni kudaru                                mountain fire-light

                            yobune kana                                    night-boat

生きている

ばかりわれと

けしの花

ikite iru                                            alive,

              bakari zo ware to                             that’s all; I and

                            keshi no hana                                  the poppy

 

kobayashi issa (1763-1827)

 

水晶の

念珠に映る

若葉かな

suishō no                                         reflected in the crystal

nenju ni utsuru                                of my rosary –

                            wakaba kana                                   young leaves

 

明滅の

いづれ悲しき

蛍かな

meimetsu no                                    the flickering

izure kanashiki                                of soon sorrowful

                            hotaru kana                                     fireflies

 

Kawabata Bōsha (1900-41)

 

淋しさに

又銅鑼打つや

鹿火屋守

sabishisa ni                                      from loneliness

mata dora utsu ya                            striking the gong again,

                            Kabiya-mori                                    Kabiya-keeper

 

Hara Sekitei (1886-1951)

 

朝風や

ただ一筋に

揚雲雀

asa-kaze ya                                   morning breeze –

tada hito-suji ni                               only a line

                            age-hibari                                        of rising skylarks

名月や

生れ変ら

峰の松

meigetsu ya                                     harvest moon –

umare-kawaraba                              the birthing change

                            mine no matsu                                 a pine on a peak

 

Ōshima Ryōta (1718-87)

 

山桜

雪嶺天に

声もなし

yama-zakura                                    mountain sakura –

setsu-rei ten ni                                 in the snow-peak sky

                            koe mo nashi                                   no sound

 

世の

面輪かしこし

木彫雛

tōtsu-yo no                                      far generations

omowa kashikoshi                           similar faces –

                            kibori-bina                                       woodcarved dolls

 

一輪の

霜の薔薇より

年明くる

ichi-rin no                                        a single

shimo no bara yori                           frosty rose

                            toshi akuru                                      opens a year

 

Mizuhara Shūōshi (1892-1981)

 

ら星に

うす雲わたる

初秋かな

mura-boshi ni                                  wisps of cloud

usu-gumo wataru                            cross the host of stars –

                            shoshū kana                                     early autumn

冬灯

死は容顔に

遠からず

fuyu-tomoshi                                   winter lamp –

shi wa yōgan ni                               death from the face

                            tōkarazu                                                        is not far

 

                                                        burning winter light –

                                                                      death from the face

                                                                                    does not keep its distance

 

(Imitation):                                      winter-lit

                                                                      a face once-removed

                                                                                    from death

Iida Dakotsu (1885-1962)

 

春の夜や

泣きながら寝る

子供達

haru no yo na                                  spring night

naki-nagara neru                              crying to sleep

                            kodomo-tachi                                  my children

 

murakami kijō (1865-1930)

 

菅笠を

着て鏡見る

茶摘かな

suge-gasa wo                                   wearing a sedge-hat,

kite kagami miru                             looking in the mirror,

                            chatsumi kana                                 picking tea

 

Kagami Shikō (1665-1731)

 

いなづまや

闇のかたゆく

五位の声

inazuma ya                                      lightning –

yami no kata yuku                        into the darkness

                            goi no koe                                       a night-heron’s cry

病雁の

夜さむに落ちて

旅に哉

byōgan no                                       a wild goose falls

              yosamu ni ochite                             ill in the cold night;

                            tabine kana                                      itinerant sleep…

ほと々ぎす

消行方や

嶋一つ

hototogisu                                       cuckoo

              kieyuku kata e                                 fading towards

                            shima hitotsu                                   a lone isle

名月や

池をめぐり

夜もすがら

meigetsu ya                                     harvest moon –

              ike wo megurite                              milling round the pond

                            yomosugara                                     throughout the night

月はやし

こずえはあめを

持ちながら

tsuki hayashi                                   fleeting moon

              kozue wa ame wo                           while rain clings

                            mochinagara                                    to the twigs

荒海や

佐渡によこた

天河

araumi ya                                         turbulent sea;

              Sado ni yokotau                              over Sado Isle

                            amanogawa                                     the River of Heaven

夏草や

兵どもが

ゆめの跡

natsu-kusa ya                                  summer grasses;

tsuwa-mono-domo ga                     ruins

                            yume no ato                                of soldiers’ dreams

 

                                                        summer grasses

                                                                      warriors’ dreams

                                                                                    over

旅に病で

夢は枯野を

かけめぐる

tabi ni yande                                   waning on a journey –

yume wa kare-no wo                       dreams through withered fields

                            kake-meguru                                   are wandering

この道や

行く人なしに

秋の暮れ

kono michi ya                                  no one walks

yuku hito nashi ni                            with this road –

                            aki no kure                                      autumn evening

五月雨を

あつめて早し

最上川

samidare wo                                    gathering summer

atsumete hayashi                             rain, the swift

                            Mogamigawa                                  Mogami River

暑き日を

海に入れたり

最上川

atsuki hi wo                                     sinking the hot sun

              umi ni iretari                                    into the sea –

                            Mogamigawa                                  Mogami River

閑さや

岩にしみいる

蝉の声

shizukasa ya                                    silence –

iwa ni shimi-iru                               throbbing through the rock,

                            semi no koe                                     cicada cry

やがてしぬ

けしきはみえず

蝉の声

yagate shinu                                    no sign

keshiki wa miezu                             of dying soon –

                            semi no koe                                     cicada chirp

 

牛部屋に

蚊の声わし

秋の風

ushi-beya ni                                     in the cowshed

ka no koe yowashi                          mosquitoes whirring weakly –

                            aki no kaze                                                    autumn wind

蚤虱

馬の尿する

枕もと

nomi shirami                                    fleas and lice and

              uma no shito suru                            the drizzle of horses

                            makura moto                                   by my pillow

風流の

初めや奥の

田植うた

fūryū no                                          poetry

              hajime ya Oku no                            rising; an Oku

                            taue uta                                           rice-planting song

涼しさを

我が宿にして

ねまるなり

suzushisa wo                                   taking my quarters

              wa ga yado ni shite                         at coolness,

                            nemaru nari                                     I repose …

塚も動け

我が泣く声は

秋の風

tsuka mo ugoke                               … shake your tomb!

              wa ga naku koe wa                         my weeping voice …

                            aki no kaze                                      … autumn wind …

あかあかと

日はつれなくも

秋の風

aka aka to                                        red, red,

              hi wa tsurenaku mo                         the heartless sun, yet

                            aki no kaze                                      autumn wind

むざんや

甲の下の

きりぎりす

muzan ya na                                    ruthless

              kabuto no shita no                           underneath the helmet

                            kirigirisu                                          cricket

石山の

石より白し

秋の風

ishiyama no                                     a sharper white

              ishi yori shiroshi                              than the stones of Ishiyama –

                            aki no kaze                                      autumn wind

這ひ出よ

飼屋が下の

ひきの声

haiide yo                                         crawl out!

              kaiya ga shita no                             beneath the silkworm shed

                            hiki no koe                                      the croak of a toad

五月雨の

降り残してや

光堂

samidare no                                     spared from falling

              furinokoshite ya                              early summer rain –

                            hikari-dō                                          Hall of Light

涼しさや

ほの三日月の

羽黒山

suzushisa ya                                    refreshing –

              hono mikazuki no                            a faint crescent moon’s

                            Haguro san                                      Mount Haguro

一家に

遊女もたり

萩と月

hitotsu ya ni                                    sharing a roof

              yūjo mo netari                                 with sleeping harlots –

                            hagi to tsuki                                    bush-clover and the moon

まゆはきを

俤にして

紅粉の花

mayuhaki wo                                   reminiscent

              omokage ni shite                             of eyebrow brushes –

                            beni no hana                                    safflower blossoms

寂しさや

須磨に勝ちたる

浜の秋

sabishisa ya                                     the loneliness!

              Suma ni kachitaru                           deeper still than Suma,

                            hama no aki                                     autumn shore

名月や

北国日和

定めなき

meigetsu ya                                     harvest moon –

              hokkoku biyori                                weather without order

                            teimenaki                                         in the North

 

matsuo bashō (1644-94)

 

遠近に

滝の音聞く

若ばかな

ochi-kochi ni                                   heard far and near,

taki no oto kiku                               the rush of a cascade –

                            wakaba kana                                   young leaves

山鳥の

尾を踏む春の

入日哉

yama-dori no                                   stepping on

              o wo fumu haru no                          a copper pheasant’s tail –

                            iri-hi kana                                        spring sunset

 

Yosa Buson (1716-84)

 

秋風に

ひとり立ちたる

姿かな

akikaze ni                                        autumn wind –

              hitori tachitaru                                 a figure

                            sugata kana                                     standing alone

 

初時雨

名もなき山の

おもしろき

hatsu-shigure                                   first winter-rain –

namonaki yama no                          a nameless mountain

omoshiroki                                      quaintly

鉄鉢に

明日の米あり

夕涼み

teppatsu ni                                       in the begging-bowl

asu no kome ari                               tomorrow’s rice –

yūsuzumi                                         evening breeze

行く秋の

哀れを誰に

語らまし

yuku aki no                                     the poignancy

aware wo tare ni                              of closing autumn, whom

kataramashi                                     to tell?

人のみな

ねぶたきときの

行々子

hito no mina                                    when everyone

nebutaki toki no                              wants to sleep –

gyōgyōshi                                        reed-warblers

倒るれば

倒るるままの

庭の草

taorureba                                         fallen

              taorurumama no                              still

                            niwa no kusa                                   garden plants

 

yamamoto ryōkan (1758-1831)

 

風鈴は

鳴らで時計の

暑さかな

fūrin wa                                           the wind-chimes

nara-de tokei no                              do not tinkle, the clock

                            atsusa kana                                      heat–

 

Yokoi Yagū (1702-83)

 

さびしさの

底ぬけてふる

みぞれかな

sabishisa no                                     falling through

soko nukete furu                             the bottom of loneliness –

                            mizore kana                                     sleet

 

Naitō Jōsō (1662-1704)

 

冬海や

落花のごとく

鴎浮く

fuyu umi ya                                     winter sea

rakka no gotoku                              like fallen leaves,

                            kamome uku                                    seagulls float

冬すでに

路標にまがう

墓一基

fuyu sude-ni                                    winter already

rohyō ni magau                               like a signpost,

                            haka ikki                                          the gravestone

 

Nakamura Kusatao (1901-83)

 

さみだれを

つつ夢に

しをり

samidare o                                       June rain

              sekitsutsu yume ni                           coughing as I travel

                            tabi shi ori                                       in a dream

天地の

息合ひて激し

雪降らす

ame-tsuchi no                                  matching their breath,

iki aite hageshi                                Earth and Heaven

                            yuki furasu                             bring down tempestuous snow

 

Nozawa Setsuko (1920-95)

 

病む瞳には

眩しきものか

冬薔薇

yamu hitomi niwa                           to the ailing eye

mabushiki mono ka                         they are dazzling,

                            fuyu sōbi                                         winter roses

 

Katō Shūsōn (1905-93)

 

裸木と

なりたる空の

深さかな

hadaka-gi to                                    a naked tree

naritaru sora no                               making a sky without leaves –

                            fukasa kana                                     depth…

 

Katō Kōko (1931-)

 

山茶花や

白壁淡き

白き影

sazanka ya                                       sazanka

shira-kabe awaki                             a white wall with a pale

                            shiroki kage                                     white silhouette

 

Ishizaki Ryokufū (1935-)

 

瓶の芒

野にあるごとく

夕日せり

kame no susuki                                vase susuki

              no ni aru gotoku                              as in a field

                            yū-hi seri                                         in the setting sun

 

Ōno rinka (1904-82)

 

走馬燈

るるごとく

人老ゆる

sōma-tō                                           like the flow

nagaruru gotoku                              of a zoetrope,

                            hito oyuru.                                       humans age

 

Nishijima Bakunan (1895-1981)

 

里へ出る

鹿の背高し

雪明り

(The starving deer)

sato e deru                                       emerging at the village,

shiki no se takashi                           the deer is tall

yukiakari                                         in the light of the snow

それぞれの

星あらわる

寒さかな

sore-zore no                                     each and every star

              hoshi arawaruru                               is brought to light –

                            samusa kana                                    how cold

 

tan taigi (1709-71)

 

身あがりに

ねざめの

夜寒哉

mi-agari ni                                       her body-debt paid,

              hitori nezame no                              she wakes up alone –

                            yosamu kana                                   ah, the cold of night

清水には

裏も表も

なかりけり

shimizu ni wa                                  in clear water

              ura mo omote mo                            there is no back

                            nakari keri                                       no front

涼しさや

夜ふかも橋に

しらぬ同士

suzushisa ya                                    coolness –

              yo fukaki hashi ni                            strangers on a bridge

                            shiranu dōshi                                   deep in night

葉も塵も

ひとつ台や

雪の花

ha mo chiri mo                                leaves and dust

              hitotsu utena ya                               on the one lotus-calyx –

                            yuki no hana                                    flowering snow

何事も

筆の往来や

冬籠

nanigoto mo                                    the commutation

              fude no yukiki ya                            of the writing-brush –

                            fuyu-gomori                                    hibernating

音添ふて

雨にしづま

砧かな

oto sōte                                           companion sounds –

              ame ni shizumaru                            the rain falls more softly

                            kinuta kana                                      cloth-pounding

名月や

雪踏分て

石の音

meigetsu ya                                     full moon –

              yuki fumi wakete                            steps part the snow

                            ishi no oto                                       the sound of stone

手折らる々

人に薫るや

梅の花

taoraruru                                          fragrant

              hito ni kaoru ya                               to the hand that breaks –

                            ume no hana                                    plum-blossom

晩鐘を

空におさゆる

さくらかな

iriai wo                                            evening

              sora ni osayuru                                suppressed in the sky;

                            sakura kana                                     cherry blossoms

根を付けて

女子の欲や

菫草

ne wo tsukete                                  woman’s passion

              onago no yoku ya                            taken root;

                            sumire-sō                                         wild violets

かけたらぬ

女心や

土用干

kaketaranu                                       never enough

onna-gokoro ya                               a woman’s heart;

                            doyōboshi                                       summer airing

夏の夜の

ちぎりおそろ

橋の霜

natsu no yo no                                 a summer evening

              chigiri osoroshi                                vow is appalling;

                            hashi no shimo                                frost on the bridge

もれ出る

山又やまや

はつ

more izuru                                       unveiled

              yama mata yama ya                         mountain meeting mountain;

                            hatsu-gasumi                                   first mists

梅が香や

何所へ吹かる

雪女

ume ga ka ya                                   plum-blossom scent –

              doko e fukaruru                              whither has the snow

                            yuki onna                                        woman been blown?

染かねて

片山紅葉

かたおも

somekanete                                     one mountain-slope retinged

              katayama momiji                             with maple leaves;

                            kataomoi                                         unilateral love

かおる風

おくにひかえて

松の花

kaoru kaze                                       fragrant wind

              oku ni hikaete                                  held in the depths

                            matsu no hana                                 pine flowers

杜鵑

まだ白神の

あわれなり

hototogisu                                       cuckoo –

              mada shirakami no                          still blank paper

                            aware nari                                        poignancy

三日月に

ひしひしと物の

静まり

mikazuki ni                                      in the crescent moon

              hishihishi to mono no                      deeply lowers

                            shizumarinu                                     hush

ゆふぐれを

余所に預けて

もみぢ

yūgure wo                                       twilight

              yoso ni azukete                               is left elsewhere;

                            momiji kana                                     red maple leaves

名月に

て咄す

事はなし

meigetsu ni                                      harvest moon –

              kaerite hanasu                                 returned with nothing

                            koto wa nashi                                  to say

十六夜の

闇をこぼすや

芋の露

izayoi no                                          sixteenth night

              yami wo kobosu ya                         darkness in the taro

                            imo no tsuyu                                   dew drops

白菊や

紅さいた手の

おそろしき

shiragiku ya                                     white chrysanthemums –

              beni saita te no                                the horror

                            osoroshiki                                        of rouged fingers

しなわねば

ならぬ浮世や

竹の雪

shinawaneba                                    if one does not bend

              naranu ukiyo ya                               in the floating world…

                            take no yuki                                    bamboo-snow

はつ雪や

もの書けば消え

書けば消え

hatsu yuki ya                                   first fall of snow;

              mono kakeba kie                             if I write a word, it melts,

                            kakeba kie                         if I write, it melts

世の花を

丸うつ々むや

朧月

yo no hana wo                                 the flower-world

              marū tsutsumu ya                            enveloped –

                            oboro-zuki                                       hazy moon

蝶々や

なにを夢見て

羽つかい

chōchō ya                                        butterfly…

              nani wo yume mite                          what dreams does it see

                            hane tsukai                                      fanning its wings?

きじ啼いて

土いろいろの

草となる

kiji naite                                          the pheasant sings

              tsuchi iro iro no                               the earth

                            kusa to naru                                     a spectrum of grasses

人あしに

鷺も消えるや

わかなの

hito ashi ni                                       human legs

              sagi mo kieru ya                              herons disappear –

                            wakana no no                                  seven-herb field

曙の

わかれはもたぬ

ひ々な

akebono no                                      the parting of daybreak

              wakare wa motanu                          is never worn

                            hi-i-na kana                                     by dolls…

待暮も

曙もなき

紙衣かな

matsu kure mo                                 waiting for evening

              akebono mo naki                             and daybreak no more;

                            kamiko kana                                    paper clothes

もの

みな動くなり

塩干潟

hirou mono                                      picked up

              mina ugoku nari                              everything moves –

                            shio higata                                       ebb-tide beach

もの

水に入夜や

ほと々ぎす

mono no oto                                    a night of sounds

              mizu ni iru yo ya                             entering water –

                            hototogisu                                       ho-to-to-gi-su

涼風や

袂にしめて

寝いるまで

suzukaze ya                                     coolish breeze –

              tamoto ni shimete                            ensconced in my sleeves

                            ne-iru made                                     until sleep

こぼれては

もとの水なり

紅の露

koborete wa                                    spilt

              moto no mizu nari                           it is water again –

                            beni no tsuyu                                   safflower dew

滝の音も

細るや峰に

蝉の声

taki no ne mo                                  the sound of the waterfall

              hosoru ya mine ni                            narrows; in the peaks

                            semi no koe                                     cicada voices

初雁や

いよいよながき

夜にかわり

hatsukari ya                                     first wild geese –

              iyoiyo nagaki                                   a lengthening line

                            yo ni kawari                                    of long nights

時雨る々や

一間にきのふ

けふもくれ

shigururu ya                                    winter drizzle –

              hitorima ni kinō                               in one room yesterday

                            kyō mo kure                                    today ends

独り寝の

さめて霜夜を

さとりけり

hitorine no                                       sleeping alone

              samete shimoyo wo                         wakened by the chilling night

                            satori keri                                        and aware

茶のはなや

此夕暮を

咲のばし

chanohana ya                                  tea-flowers –

              kono yūgure wo                              dusk delayed

                            saki nobashi                                     by blooms

かさとりの

山や笑ひも

もどかしき

kasatori no                                       Kasatori

              yama ya warai mo                           Mountain – a smile

                            modokashiki                                    still expecting

月影も

たたずむや花の

あさぼらけ

tsukikage mo                                   the moon’s shadow,

              tatazumu ya hana no                       too, pauses – cherry-

                            asaborake                                        blossom dawn

ともかくも

風にまかせて

かれ尾花

tomokakumo                                   anyway

              kaze ni makasete                             leave it to the wind

                            kareobana                                        dry miscanthus

我雪を

水にうつして

にらみけり

ware yuki wo                                  I, snow

              mizu ni utsushite                             reflected in the water,

                            nirami keri                                       glaring

川ばかり

闇はながれて

蛍かな

kawa bakari                                     only a river

              yami wa nagarete                            darkness is flowing

                            hotaru kana                                     fireflies…

行水に

おのが影追う

蜻蛉哉

yuku mizu ni                                   in moving water

              onoga kage ou                                 chasing its reflection,

                            tonbo kana                                      the dragonfly

蝶は夢の

名残わけ入

花野哉

chō wa yume no                              butterfly –

              nagori wake iru                               traces of a dream within

                            hana-no kana                                   a field of flowers

夢さめぬ

畳に菊の

咲きしけふ

yume samenu                                  a dream does not fade –

              tatami ni kiku no                             in the tatami today

                            sakishi kyō                                      chrysanthemum blossoms

月も見て

我はこの世を

かしく哉

tsuki mo mite                                  and I saw the moon;

              ware wa kono yo wo                       now to this world

                            kashiku kana                                   farewell

 

chiyo-ni (1703-75)

 

 

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