Monday, April 27, 2015

THE POCKET HAIKU ~









After a long nap,

the cat yawns, rises, and goes out

looking for love







Give me a homeland,

and a passionate woman,

and winter alone







Brilliant moon,

is it true that you too

must pass in a hurry







Thus spring begins: old

stupidities repeated,

new errs invented





I   S   S   A







In pale moonlight

the wisteria's scent

comes from far away







Light winter rain

like scampering rat's-feet

over my koto







In a bitter wind

a solitary monk bends

to words cut in stone







Moon in midsky, high

over the village hovels

and wandering on




B   U   S   O   N







But for a woodpecker

tapping at a post, no sound

at all in the house







I'm a wanderer

so let that be my name —

the first winter rain







Winter showers,

even the monkey searches

for a raincoat







The morning glories

bloom, securing the gate

in the old fence



B   A   S   H   O






____________________


the pocket haiku
translated by Sam Hamill
Shambhala 2014