Nazawa Boncho, No1

A soft sound

The scarecrow has fallen

to the ground

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Issa No 17.

The spring wind-
the skirts of the thatcher
are blown about.

Basho No 13

Spring air-
woven moon
and plumb scent

Taira, No1.

High sun burning

in the falcon’s

eyes,

Issa, No 16.

Grasshopper-

do not trample to pieces

the pearls of bright dew.

Basho No 12.

Crescent moon lights

buckwheat flowers –

this hazy earth.

 

 

Buson, No 18

The first gleam

of a new day

on pilchards’ head.

Basho, No 11.

Orchid – breathing
incense into
butterfly’s wings.

Issa, No15.

Silly hailstones…

fleeing into

my fireplace

fast as they can run.

 

Garaku, No1.

While I swoop my net,

deliberate

butterfly…

you never hurry.

Horo, No1

Bouncing bamboo dipper

in the water tub….

following

a fly-away bird

Moritake, No1.

One fallen flower

returning to the

branch?…oh no!

a white butterfly.

Buson No 17.

Standing still at dusk

listen….in far

distances

the song of froglings.

 

Issa No14

She has put the child to sleep,

and now washes the clothes;

The summer moon.

 

Basho No10.

A day of quiet gladness,

Mount Fuji is veiled

In misty rain.

Buson, no16.

 

 

Two water-lilies

shining serenely

golden…

raindrop-dimpled pool.

 

Shiki. No6.

 

 

Planted rows of beans

and random clumps

of lilies….

prosperous islet!

 

Issa, No13.

 

 

Sparrow family…

playing at hide and seek

in the tea bushes.

 

Basho, No 9.

 

 

Moonlight slanting

through all this

long bamboo grove….

and nightingale song.

 

Issa, No 12.

 

 

What a cooling breeze!

now all stifled

grasshoppers

gaily sing again.

 

Richard Von Sturmer.

 

 

At the edge of a storm

Someone is heard

sweeping leaves.

 

Basho,No8

 

 

Each wave turning over

leaves a trail of tiny shells

and petals of bush clover.

 

Chiyo-Ni, no 7

 

Dragonfly hunter

how far has he travelled

today, I wonder.

 

 

Taigi

 

 

From the mountain pass

see the sunlit

castle town…

flying new-year kites.

 

Issa. No11.

 

 

Dew evaporates

and all our world

is dew…so dear,

so fresh, so fleeting.

 

Ringai. No1

 

 

In these dark waters

drawn up from

my frozen well

glitterings of spring.

 

Buson, No15

 

 

Butterfly asleep

folded soft on

temple bell…

then bronze gong rang.

 

Chiyo-ni, No6

 

 

Shocking…the red of

lacquered fingernails

against

white chrysanthemum

 

Shoha. No3

 

 

Yellow evening sun…

long-shadow

of the scarecrow

reaches to the road.

 

Buson, No14

 

 

My two plum trees are

so gracious…

see, they flower

one now, one later.

 

Basho, No7

 

 

An ancient pond

a frog jumps in

the splash of water

 

Onitsura, No6

 

 

But see the mountain…

shaking with the

waves of heat

where the day has gone.

 

Chora No2

 

 

The very planets

gleaming through

its silhouette…

frozen willow tree.

 

Issa, No 11

 

 

stubborn woodpecker…

still hammering

at twilight

at that single spot.

 

Basho, No6

 

 

Having tumbled off

his grass blade…

the firefly

buzzes up again.

 

Kikaku,No1

 

 

Twilight watering….

and please,

a cooling sprinkle

for wrens and crickets.