His Holiness the Abbot
His Holiness the Abbot
is shitting
in the withered fields.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Not quite dark yet
Not quite dark yet
and the stars shining
above the withered fields.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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With my father
With my father
I would watch dawn
over green fields.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Even on the smallest islands
Even on the smallest islands,
they are tilling the fields,
skylarks singing.
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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A bee
A bee
staggers out
of the peony.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
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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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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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My arm for a pillow
My arm for a pillow,
I really like myself
under the hazy moon.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Yosa Buson
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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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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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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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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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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First day of spring
First day of spring--
I keep thinking about
the end of autumn.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
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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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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A caterpillar
A caterpillar,
this deep in fall--
still not a butterfly.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Matsuo Basho
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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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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Asked how old he was
Asked how old he was,
the boy in the new kimono
stretched out all five fingers.
Translated by Robert Hass
poem by Kobayashi Issa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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