Basho Poems - Poems about Basho

Matsuo Basho: English translations of haiku about birds, flowers, candles, life, death. Naptime! But my drowsiness is nixed by busybody warblers. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch Carolers: the sparrows smile at their warbling. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch Giving thanks to the flowers for brightening my visit: farewell. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch Melancholy nub! The bamboo bud’s sad end. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of haiku about clouds, geese, departing, empty nests and huts, lonely, loneliness, drinking alone, sake, longing, loss, death, hawks, the moon, Japanese culture. As clouds drift apart, so we two separate: wild geese departing. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch The old nest deserted, how empty now my next-door neighbor’s hut. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch Yesterday? Departed, like...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of Haiku about winter, cold, rain, rains, frost, frosts, snow, snowflakes, wind, children, childhood, hail, hail stones, winter life. Mushroom-gathering, rushing to beat cold evening rains. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Ceremonious hailstones assail my hinoki hat. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Caught hatless in a winter shower? So it goes. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch How...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of haiku about winter, snow, snowball, home, fire, children, fun, frost, hail, fish, ice fishing. The year’s first snowfall; such happiness to be at home in my hut. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Fire-making friend, let me show you something grand: a huge snowball! —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Written for Basho’s dear friend Sora, who...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of Haiku about autumn, fall, falling, trees, leaves, leaving, goodbye, rice, moon, moonlight, words. Reverential tears: the falling leaves bid their trees goodbye. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Plates and bowls gleaming dimly in the darkness: evening coolness. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Twice the pity: beneath the headless helmet, a chirping cricket. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R....

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of Haiku about autumn, fall, sea, autumn wind, harvest moon, dark, darkness, dawn, day, life. First of autumn: the sea and the rice fields the same green hue. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch The autumn wind like a ventriloquist projects its piercing voice. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Voices in the reeds? Ventriloquism of the autumn wind. —Matsuo Basho,...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of haiku about summer, trees, firefly, fireflies, cuckoos, rice fields, rice paddies, bush-clover, Iris, Irises, temple, temples, Japanese culture, light, daylight, lit, boat, boats. Fireflies turn our trees into well-lit lodges. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch A noontime firefly, dim by daylight, hides behind a pillar. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Firefly watching, the tipsy boatman rocks the...

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Matsuo Basho: English translations of haiku about summer, life, sun, sunshine, sunlight, melons, willows, rain, rivers, hats, shade, sad, sadness. Such coolness when shouldered: the summer’s first melon. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch A wicker basket shields the coolness of the first melon. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Morning dew: the muddy melon exudes coolness. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Early summer...

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Matsuo Basho English Translations of haiku about spring, birds, bats, butterflies, flowers, sun, cherry. Seeing them naked almost makes me caress the wanton flowers. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch As temple bells fade flowers strike their fragrance into the silence. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch The bat also emerges into the birds’ world of flowers. —Matsuo Basho, translation by Michael R. Burch When planting, please...

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Matsuo Basho Haiku: English Translations of haiku about seasons, spring, rain, moon, flowers, blossoms, wind, river, etc. Blame the rainy season for my absence, old friend Moon. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch For yet a little while, the pale moon floating among blossoms... —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Moon past full: darkness increasing. —Matsuo Basho, translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Spring rains so heavy they overflow...

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W O R D S Basho ...

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If I were to end it, pull the cord and douse the cabin lights for good, it would be here at the high bluff salt tang in my hair blowing free to the lighthouse the blue blue gem of the sea below this is what I want, if I should ever choose to go It does not mean I will just...

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Fukuda Chiyo-ni Haiku Fukuda Chiyo-ni (1703-1775) was a Japanese poet and painter of the Edo period, also known as Kaga no Chiyo. Because morning glories held my well-bucket hostage I went begging for water! —Chiyo-ni, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Chiyo-ni wrote the next poem in calligraphy on a portrait of Matsuo Basho. To listen, fine ... fine also not to echo, nightingale. —Chiyo-ni,...

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These are original haiku by Michael R. Burch and his translations of haiku by the Japanese masters Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Masaoka Shiki, and others. Am I really this old, so many ghosts beckoning? —Michael R. Burch Sleepyheads! I recite my haiku to the inattentive lilies. —Michael R. Burch The sky tries to assume your eyes’ azure but can’t quite pull it off. —Michael R. Burch The...

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Matsuo Basho My brother, it’d snowed so much That the Sun had died. Poems are vital For a better Society Du Fu is happy. Su Shi is proud too Yes, Poetry is important For the Universe. Copyright © December 2023, Hébert Logerie, all rights reserved. Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems. ...

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