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 |
順ふや 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 ばかりぞわれと 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 生れ変らば 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 |
遠つ世の 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 池をめぐりて 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 佐渡によこたう 天河 |
araumi
ya turbulent
sea; Sado
ni yokotau over
Sado Isle amanogawa the
|
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 |
五月雨を あつめて早し 最上川 |
samidare
wo gathering
summer atsumete hayashi rain,
the swift Mogamigawa |
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 |
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 蚊の声よわし 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 |
むざんやな 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 |
一家に 遊女もねたり 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, |
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 咳つつ夢に 旅しをり |
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 流るるごとく 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 星あらわる々 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 独ねざめの 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 |
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 雨にしづまる 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 ちぎりおそろし 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 はつ霞 |
more
izuru unveiled yama
mata yama ya mountain
meeting mountain; hatsu-gasumi first
mists |
梅が香や 何所へ吹かる々 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 かたおもひ |
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 静まりぬ |
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 もみぢ哉 |
yūgure
wo twilight yoso
ni azukete is
left elsewhere; momiji
kana red
maple leaves |
名月に 帰て咄す 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 わかなの野 |
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 ひ々な哉 |
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
akebono
mo naki and
daybreak no more; kamiko
kana paper
clothes |
拾ふもの みな動くなり 塩干潟 |
hirou
mono picked
up mina
ugoku nari everything
moves – shio
higata ebb-tide
beach |
もの々音 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 |
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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Tanka
Introduction