Blossoms at night
Blossoms at night,
and the faces of people
moved by music.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
The oak tree
The oak tree:
not interested
in cherry blossoms.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A bat flits
A bat flits
in moonlight
above the plum blossoms.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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What a strange thing
What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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White blossoms of the pear
White blossoms of the pear
and a woman in moonlight
reading a letter.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Summer night
Summer night--
even the stars
are whispering to each other.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Don't know about the people
Approaching my village:
Don't know about the people,
but all the scarecrows
are crooked.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Awake at night
Awake at night--
the sound of the water jar
cracking in the cold.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Cold night: the wild duck
Cold night: the wild duck,
sick, falls from the sky
and sleeps awhile.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A cool fall night
At a hermitage:
A cool fall night--
getting dinner, we peeled
eggplants, cucumbers.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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These sea slugs
These sea slugs,
they just don't seem
Japanese.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Even with insects
Even with insects--
some can sing,
some can't.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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That wren
That wren--
looking here, looking there.
You lose something?
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A bee
A bee
staggers out
of the peony.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Seen
Seen
through a telescope:
ten cents worth of fog.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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How much
How much
are you enjying yourself,
tiger moth?
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Hey, sparrow!
Hey, sparrow!
out of the way,
Horse is coming.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Visiting the graves
Visiting the graves,
the old dog
leads the way.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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They end their flight
They end their flight
one by one---
crows at dusk.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Napped half the day
Napped half the day;
no one
punished me!
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The toad! It looks like
The toad! It looks like
it could belch
a cloud.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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