Takaha Shugyo Haiku and Tanka Translations

These are my modern English translations of Takaha Shugyo haiku and tanka... hatogata horarete ichiju haya mebuku A single tree with a heart carved into its trunk blossoms prematurely —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch dôkefuku nugazu tentômushi no shi yo Still clad in its clown's costume— the dead ladybird. —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch ochitsubaki ware naraba kyuryu e otsu Oh, fallen camellias, if I were you, I'd leap into the torrent! —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch kari sugishi ato zenten o miseitari Wild geese pass leaving the emptiness of heaven revealed —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch kurumi waru kurumi no naka ni tsukawanu heya Inside the cracked shell of a walnut: one empty room —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Michinoku no hoshiiri tsurara ware ni kure yo Bring me an icicle sparkling with the stars of the deep north —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch matenro yori shinryoku ga paseri hodo Seen from the skyscraper the trees' fresh greenery: sprigs of parsley —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Our life here on earth: to what shall we compare it? It is not like a rowboat departing at daybreak, leaving no trace of us in its wake? —Takaha Shugyo, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Are the geese flying south? The candle continues to flicker... ?Takaha Shugyo, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Such gloom! Inside the walnut's cracked shell: one empty room ?Takaha Shugyo, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Tree crickets chirping— after I've judged a thousand verses today! ?Takaha Shugyo, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Crickets chirping discordantly— how to judge ten thousand verses? ?Takaha Shugyo, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Original Haiku Dark-bosomed clouds pregnant with heavy thunder ... the water breaks ?Michael R. Burch Am I really this old, so many ghosts beckoning? —Michael R. Burch Brittle autumn leaf, how was I to know you were my life? —Michael R. Burch Sleepyheads! I recite my haiku to the inattentive lilies. —Michael R. Burch Early robins get the worms, cats waiting to pounce. —Michael R. Burch Fireflies thinking to illuminate the darkness? Poets! ?Michael R. Burch Keywords/Tags: Takaha Shugyo, haiku, translation, English, nature, camellias, ladybug, geese, walnut, tree, rowboat