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Japanese Haiku, by Peter Beilenson, [1955], at sacred-texts.com


p. 56

CONSIDERATE DOGS ...
  STEPPING OFF
  INTO THE SNOW
AS I WALK THE PATH

ISSA

 

 

BUT WHEN I HALTED
  ON THE WINDY STREET
  AT TWILIGHT...
SNOW STRUCK AGAINST ME

KITO

 

 

CALL HIM BACK! AH NO,
  HE'S BLOWN FROM SIGHT
  ALREADY...
FISH-PEDDLER IN THE SNOW

ANON.

 

 

CROSSING IT ALONE
  IN COLD MOONLIGHT...
  THE BRITTLE BRIDGE
ECHOES MY FOOTSTEPS

TAIGI

 

 

p. 57

SUCH A LITTLE CHILD
  TO SEND TO BE
  A PRIESTLING
ICY POVERTY

SHIKI

 

 

WINDY WINTER RAIN...
  MY SILLY BIG
  UMBRELLA
TRIES WALKING BACKWARD

SHISEI-JO

 

 

BUDDHA ON THE HILL...
  FROM YOUR HOLY
  NOSE INDEED
HANGS AN ICICLE

ISSA

 

 

THIS SNOWY MORNING
  THAT BLACK CROW
  I HATE SO MUCH...
BUT HE'S BEAUTIFUL!

BASHO

 

 

p. 58

LOOK AT THE CANDLE!
  WHAT A HUNGRY WIND
  IT IS...
HUNTING IN THE SNOW!

SEIRA

 

 

IF THERE WERE FRAGRANCE
  THESE HEAVY SNOW-
  FLAKES SETTLING...
LILIES ON THE ROCKS

BASHO

 

 

AH! I INTENDED
  NEVER NEVER
  TO GROW OLD ...
LISTEN: NEW YEAR'S BELL!

JOKUN

 

 

SNOW-SWALLOWED VALLEY:
  ONLY THE
  WINDING RIVER...
BLACK FLUENT BRUSH-STROKE

BONCHO

 

 

p. 59

ROARING WINTER STORM
  RUSHING TO ITS
  UTTER END ...
EVER-SOUNDING SEA

GONSUI

 

 

ELEVEN BRAVE KNIGHTS
  CANTER THROUGH THE
  WHIRLING SNOW...
NOT ONE BENDS HIS NECK

SHIKI

 

 

GOING SNOW-VIEWING
  ONE BY ONE THE
  WALKERS VANISH...
WHITELY FALLING VEILS

KATSURI

 

 

"YES, COME IN!" I CRIED...
  BUT AT THE WINDY
  SNOW-HUNG GATE
KNOCKING STILL WENT ON

KYORA

 

 

p. 60

SEE: SURVIVING SUNS
  VISIT THE ANCESTRAL
  GRAVE ...
BEARDED, WITH BENT CANES

BASHO

 

 

THE ORPHAN SPEAKS:
  THE YEAR-END PARTY...
  I AM EVEN ENVIOUS
OF SCOLDED CHILDREN

ISSA

 

 

I GAVE THE GREETINGS
  OF THE BRIGHT
  NEW YEAR ... AS THOUGH
I HELD A PLUM-BRANCH

SHIKI

 

 

ON JOLLY NEW YEAR'S DAY
  MY LAST YEAR'S BILLS
  DROP IN
TO PAY THEIR COMPLIMENTS

ANON.

 

 

p. 61

DEATH-SONG:
  LEAF ALONE, FLUTTERING
  ALAS, LEAF ALONE,
FLUTTERING ...
FLOATING DOWN THE WIND

ANON.

 

 

DEATH-SONG:
  I HAVE KNOWN LOVERS...
  CHERRY-BLOOM ...
THE NIGHTINGALE ...
I WILL SLEEP CONTENT

ANON.

 

 

DEATH-SONG:
  FEVER-FELLED HALF-WAY,
  MY DREAMS AROSE
TO MARCH AGAIN...
INTO A HOLLOW LAND

BASHO

 

 

DEATH-SONG:
  THREE LOVELIEST THINGS:
  MOONLIGHT ... CHERRY-
BLOOM ... NOW I GO
SEEKING SILENT SNOW

RIPPO