Matsuo Basho

On This Road

On this road
Where nobody else travels
Autumn nightfall
— Matsuo Basho

This old village–
Not a single house
Without persimmon trees.
— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

Heat waves shimmering
one or two inches
above the dead grass.

— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

The oak tree:
not interested
in cherry blossoms.
— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

—

Moonlight slanting
through the bamboo grove;
a cuckoo crying.

— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

—

The dragonfly
can’t quite land
on that blade of grass.

— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

But for a woodpecker
Tapping at a post, no sound
At all in the house
— Matsuo Basho

With every gust of wind,
The butterfly changes its place
On the willow.
— Matsuo Basho

The banana tree
Blown by winds pours raindrops
Into the bucket
–Matsuo Basho

Spring rain
leaking through the roof
dripping from the wasps’ nest.

— Matsuo Basho (Translated by Robert Hass)

Winter downpour –
even the monkey
needs a raincoat.
— Matsuo Basho