Kobayashi Issa translations

Kobayashi Issa: Modern English translations of Haiku

Petals I amass
with such tenderness
prick me to the quick.
―Kobayashi Issa , loose translation by Michael R. Burch

This world of dew
is a world of dew indeed;
and yet ...
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Standing beneath cherry blossoms
who can be strangers?
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

An enormous frog!
We stare at each other,
both petrified.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Skinny frog,
hang on ...
Issa to the rescue!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Right at my feet!
When did you arrive here,
snail?
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

I toss in my sleep,
so watch out,
cricket!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

In a better world
I'd leave you my rice bowl,
little fly!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Cries of the wild geese―
spreading rumors about me?
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

While a cicada
sings softly
a single leaf falls ...
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Wake up, old tomcat,
then with elaborate yawns and stretchings
prepare to pursue love
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

The cry of a pheasant,
as if it just noticed
the mountain.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

The ghostly cow comes
mooing mooing mooing
out of the morning mist
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

As I stumble home at dusk,
heavy with her eggs
a spider blocks me.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

All the while I'm praying to Buddha
I'm continually killing mosquitoes.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

If anyone comes, child,
don't open the gate
or the melons will flee!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

All's well with the world:
another fly's sharing our rice!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

It's not at all anxious to bloom,
the plum tree at my gate.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

This windy nest?
Open your hungry mouth in vain,
Issa, orphaned sparrow!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

The snow melts
and the village is flooded with children!
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Full moon―
my ramshackle hut
is an open book.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Oh, brilliant moon
can it be true
that even you
must rush off, late
for some date?
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Don't weep, we are all insects!
Lovers, even the stars themselves,
must eventually part.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

In our world
we walk suspended over hell
admiring flowers.
―Kobayashi Issa, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Keywords/Tags: Issa, Japan, Japanese, Oriental, Haiku, Translation, Nature, Season, Seasons, Animal, Animals, Flower, Flowers, Image, Images, Imagery, Moon, Stars, Frog, Snail, Cricket, Fly, Spider, Geese, Cicada, Cat, Tomcat, Cow, Dew, Eggs, Melon, Melons, Sparrow, Scarecrow