Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)3
bashō uete / mazu nikumu ogi no / futaba kana4
Having planted a plantain, at once / hate two stalks of reed
HS
I plant a banana tree
But first see only two stalks
Of dreaded weeds.
AK
by my new banana plant
the first sign of something I loathe –
a miscanthus bud
MU
kareeda ni / karasu no tomari keri / aki no kure 5
On dead branches crows remain perched at autumn’s end
HS
on a barren branch
a raven has perched —
autumn dusk
WJH
On a leafless bough
A crow is sitting: —autumn,
Darkening now —
HGH
furuike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto6
Old Pond — frogs jumped in — sound of water
LH
A lonely pond in age-old stillness sleeps . . .
Apart, unstirred by sound or motion . . . till
Suddenly into it a lithe frog leaps.
CHP
The quiet pond
A frog leaps in,
The sound of water
EGS
old pond . . .
a frog leaps in
water’s sound
WJH
Th’old pond —a frog jumps in. Kerplunk!
AG
frog pond . . .
a leaf falls in
without a sound
BLE7
inazuma ni / satorenu hito no / tōtosa yo8
A flash of lightning
but still benighted
Oh worthy man!
FB
horohoro to / yamabuki chiru ka / taki no oto9
Do the yellow-rose petals
Tremble and fall
At the rapid’s roar?
NGS
umi kurete / kamo no koe / honoka ni shiroshi10
The waters fade
and the wild ducks’ cries
are faintly white
JBe
hiru neburu / aosagi no mi no / tōtosa yo11
sleeping at noon
the body of the blue heron
poised in nobility
EM
shizukasa ya / iwa ni shimiiru / semi no koe 12
How still it is!
Stinging into the stones,
The locusts’ trill.
DK
Quietness: seeping into the rocks, the cicada’s voice
HS
yagate shinu / keshiki wa miezu / semi no koe
Never an intimation in all those voices of sémi. . .
How quickly the hush will come . . . how speedily all must die.
LH
It gives no sign
that it knows its death is near
the cicada’s cry
EM
matsushima ya / ā matsushima ya / matsushima ya13
Matsushima!
Ah, Matsushima.
Matsushima!
FB
shimajima ya / chiji ni kudakete / natsu no umi
Islands: shattered into thousands of pieces in the summer sea
HS
ominaeshi / sono kuki nagara / hana nagara14
The ominaeshi, ah!
The stems as they are,
The flowers as they are.
RHB
kumo oriori / hito ni yasumuru / tsukimi kana
Clouds now and again
give a soul some respite from
moon-gazing — behold
BLE
clouds occasionally
make a fellow relax
moon-viewing
WJH
yoku mireba / nazuna hana saku / kakine kana15
Looking closely
I find a shepherd’s purse blooming
under the hedge.
SF
michinobe no / mukuge wa uma ni / kuware keri16
The roadside thistle, eager
To see the travellers pass,
Was eaten by the passing ass!
CHP
Mallow flowers
By the side of the road —
Devoured by my horse.
DK
mezurashi ya / yama o ideha no / hatsunasubi17
How rare, How lovely!
emerging from sacred peaks
young Ideha...