Zen Death Haiku Xii

ZEN DEATH HAIKU XII These are my modern English translations of Japanese Zen Death Haiku. Both victor and vanquished are dewdrops: flashes of light briefly illuminating the void. —Ouchi Yoaka, loose translation/interpretation of his jisei (death poem) by Michael R. Burch The snow melts the rivers rise and the village is flooded with children! —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Don't weep, we are all insects! Lovers, even the stars themselves, must eventually part. —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Peonies blossom; the world is full of fibbers. —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Peonies blossom; the world is full of blooming liars. —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Overdressed for my thatched hut: a peony blossoms. —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Oh, magnificent peony, please don't disdain these poor surroundings! —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Insolent peony! Demanding I measure your span with my fan? —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch 'This big!' The child's arms measured the peony. —Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch The rutting cat has grown so scrawny he's nothing but eyes. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Clinging to each other beneath an umbrella: spring rain. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Twos become one: butterflies. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch No rain and yet the flowers glisten? Dew. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Buzzings encircle a meditating monk: mosquitoes. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch He's lost so much weight in the summer heat even the mosquitoes won't bite. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Autumn's here, crickets, whether you chirp or not. —Natsume Soseki, loose translation by Michael R. Burch A windy temple: coins clatter in the collection box. —Shuson Kato, loose translation by Michael R. Burch After death six feet under the frost will be sufficient cover. —Shuson Kato, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Midwinter thunder rattles the windowpanes. —Shuson Kato, loose translation by Michael R. Burch Keywords/Tags: Haiku, Zen, Japan, Japanese, translation, life, death, aging, time, pain, sorrow, lament, age, analogy, angst, animal, anxiety, august, autumn