Moonlight slanting
through all this long bamboo grove
and nightingale song.
Here where a thousand
captains swore grand conquest
Tall grasses their monument.
By lonely roads
this lonely poet marches
into autumn dusk.
Glorious the moon
therefore our thanks, dark clouds
come to rest our necks.
Lady butterfly
perfumes wings by floating
over the orchid.
Spring morning marvel
lovely nameless little hill
on a sea of mist
In my dark winter
lying ill, at last I ask
how fares my neighbor
Old dark sleepy pool
quick unexpected frog
goes plop! Watersplash.
Basho translated by Lucien Stryck
From moon wreathed
bamboo grove,
cuckoo song.
Summer grasses
all that remains
of soldiers dreams.
Not one traveller
braves this road-
autumn night.
Clouds-
a chance to dodge
moonviewing.
Orchid breathing
incense into
butterfly wings.
Spring- through
morning mist
what mountains there?
Autumns end
how does my
neighbour live?
leap- splash
a frog.
Basho translated by R H Blyth
Moonlight slants through
The vast bamboo grove:
A cuckoo cries
Ah, summer grasses!
All that remains
Of the warriors dreams.
Along this road
Goes no one;
This autumn evening.
From time to time
The clouds give rest
To the moon beholders..
The butterfly is perfuming
Its wings in the scent
Of the orchid.
Yes, spring has come
This morning a nameless hill
Is shrouded in mist.
It is deep autumn
My neighbor
How does he live, I wonder.
A frog jumps in
The sound of water.
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