Famous Senryu Poems by Famous Poets

These are examples of famous Senryu poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous senryu poems. These examples illustrate what a famous senryu poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).

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Dont worry spiders

by Kobayashi Issa
 Don't worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually....Read more of this...

John Coltrane

by James A Emanuel
 "Love Supreme," JA-A-Z train,
tops. prompt lightning-express, but
made ALL local stops....Read more of this...

Teeth sensitive to the sand

by Matsuo Basho
 Teeth sensitive to the sand
in salad greens--
 I'm getting old....Read more of this...

The end of spring

by Yosa Buson
 The end of spring--
the poet is brooding
 about editors....Read more of this...

The morning glory also

by Matsuo Basho
 The morning glory also
turns out
 not to be my friend....Read more of this...

All the time I pray to Buddha

by Kobayashi Issa
 All the time I pray to Buddha
I keep on
killing mosquitoes....Read more of this...

Napped half the day

by Kobayashi Issa
 Napped half the day;
no one 
punished me!...Read more of this...

How much

by Kobayashi Issa
 How much
are you enjying yourself,
tiger moth?...Read more of this...

Wistful

by Carl Sandburg
 WISHES left on your lips
The mark of their wings.
Regrets fly kites in your eyes....Read more of this...

My arm for a pillow

by Yosa Buson
 My arm for a pillow,
I really like myself
under the hazy moon....Read more of this...

Dont know about the people

by Kobayashi Issa
 Approaching my village:

 Don't know about the people,
 but all the scarecrows
 are crooked....Read more of this...

The man pulling radishes

by Kobayashi Issa
 The man pulling radishes
pointed my way
with a radish....Read more of this...

In these latter-day

by Kobayashi Issa
 In these latter-day,
Degenerate times,
 Cherry-blossoms everywhere!...Read more of this...

Bush warbler

by Matsuo Basho
 Bush warbler:
shits on the rice cakes
 on the porch rail....Read more of this...

Pissing in the snow

by Kobayashi Issa
 Pissing in the snow
outside my door--
it makes a very straight hole....Read more of this...

Children imitating cormorants

by Kobayashi Issa
 Children imitating cormorants
are even more wonderful
than cormorants....Read more of this...

Face of the spring moon

by Kobayashi Issa
 Face of the spring moon--
about twelve years old,
I'd say....Read more of this...

Wrapping the rice cakes

by Matsuo Basho
 Wrapping the rice cakes,
with one hand
 she fingers back her hair....Read more of this...

Last time I think

by Kobayashi Issa
 Last time, I think,
I'll brush the flies
from my father's face....Read more of this...

Fleas lice

by Matsuo Basho
 Fleas, lice,
a horse peeing
 near my pillow....Read more of this...

Having slept the cat gets up

by Kobayashi Issa
 Having slept, the cat gets up,
yawns, goes out
to make love....Read more of this...

No doubt about it

by Kobayashi Issa
 No doubt about it,
the mountain cuckoo
is a crybaby....Read more of this...

This moth saw brightness

by Kobayashi Issa
 This moth saw brightness
in a woman's chamber--
burnt to a crisp....Read more of this...

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