The only substantial
collection in English
of Basho's renku, tanka,
letters and spoken word
along with his haiku, travel
journals, and essays.
The only poet in old-time
literature who paid attention with praise
to ordinary women, children, and teenagers
in hundreds of poems
Hundreds upon hundreds of Basho works
(mostly renku)about women, children,
teenagers, friendship, compassion, love.
These are resources we can use to better
understand ourselves and humanity.
Interesting and heartfelt
(not scholarly and boring)
for anyone concerned with
humanity.
“An astonishing range of
social subject matter and
compassionate intuition”
"The primordial power
of the feminine emanating
from Basho's poetry"
Hopeful, life-affirming
messages from one of
the greatest minds ever.
Through his letters,
we travel through his mind
and discover Basho's
gentleness and humanity.
I plead for your help in
finding a person or group
to take over my 3000 pages of Basho material,
to edit and improve the material, to receive 100%
of royalties, to spread Basho’s wisdom worldwide
and preserve for future generations.
Quotations from Basho Prose
The days and months are
guests passing through eternity.
The years that go by
also are travelers.
The mountains in silence
nurture the spirit;
the water with movement
calms the emotions.
All the more joyful,
all the more caring
Seek not the traces
of the ancients;
seek rather the
places they sought.
The number 4:9 indicates that Basho stanza is on Volume 4, page 9 of the Basho Renku Zenchuukai: These numbers will enable you to find the commentary to each tsukeku in the corresponding B section
Peony petals 4: 9 deep within, the bee’s reluctance to part
Morning moon shall cool your road of shining dew
牡丹蕊深く這い出るはちの別れ哉
朝月涼し露の玉ぼこ
botan shibe fukaku /hai-deru hachi no /wakare kana
asa-zuki suzushi / tsuyu no tama boku
Her hair gone, chamberlain’s daughter grown weary
Storm over Nonomiya 4:11 Ladies’ temple bell
髪 下す/ 侍従 が 娘 / おとろえて
野々宮 の あらし / 岐王寺 の 鉦
Kami orosu / jijuu no musume / otoroete
Nonomiya no arashi / Gio tera no kane
To follow in the footsteps of a wandering madwoman
Compassion is 4:49 learned when the gold has rotted away
狂女さまよう/ 跡し たう なる
情 しる / 身 は 黄金の / 朽ちてより
Kyōjo samayou / ato shitau naru
Nasake shiru / mi wa ōkon no / kuchite yori
Colors of the rainbow decorate the boulder
Kite string cut, 4: 59 soul of the milk-giver soars to heaven
立 初める 虹の / 岩をいろどる
きれだこに / 乳人 が 魂 は/ 空 に 飛び
Tachi-someru niji no / iwa o irodoru
Kire dako ni / menoto ga tama wa / sora ni tobi
Castle guards asleep on their feet, morning dawns
Covering her faded 4: 80 eyebrows, lovers part
殿 守が / ねぶたが立る / あさぼろけ
はげたる 眉を / 隠す きぬぎぬ
Tono-mori ga / nebutagaritsuru / asaboroke
Hagetaru mayu o / kakusu kinuginu
Waiting to meet, 4: 85 temple bell has fallen amidst the grass
Toads call to their friends in tones of deep lament
待ち かいの /鐘 は 堕ちたる / 草 の 中
友 よぶ 蟾の / 物 うき の 声
Machi kai no / kane wa ochitaru / kusa no naka
Tomo yobu hiki no / mono uki no koe
Sister waits for cowherd’s late returning shadow
Chest conflicted, 4: 93 crepe fabric of Echigo she cannot weave
姉 待 牛 の /おそき 日 の 影
胸 あはぬ / 越 の 縮 を / おりかねて
Ane matsu ushi no / osoki hi no kage
Mune awanu / koshi no chijimi o / orikanete
Knocking on back door 4: 102 and running away home
She cries and cries with never a conclusion to her hiccups
妻戸たたきて / 逃げて 帰りぬ
泣く泣くて /しゃくりのとまる / 果て も なし
Tsumado tatakite / nigete kaerinu
Naku nakute / shakuri no tomaru / hate mo nashi
The punitive force already has set forth in solemn dignity
For one night’s vow 4: 109
he empties his purse
すでに立つ / 討手の使い / いかめしき
一夜 の 契り/ 銭 が かづける
Sude ni tatsu / utte no tsukai / ikameshiku
ichiya no chigiri / zeni ga kazukeru
Sinking in to 4:111
chill the hot spring awesome moon
Of the three deer one carries an arrow
しずみては / 温泉 を 醒す / 月 すごし
三つ ゆく 鹿 の / ひとつ 矢を負う
Shizumite wa / ideyu o samasu / tsuki sugoshi
Mitsu yuku shika no / hitotsu ya o ou
Hard of hearing 4: 114 his wife has to tell him
“hototogisu”
Through hardship in Mino they have a tea house
耳 うとく/ 妹 が 告げたる / 時鳥
つれなき美濃に茶屋をしてある
Mimi utoku / imo ga tsugetaru / hototogisu
Tsurenaki Mino ni / chaya o shite aru
In the cold wind at sunset, long-drawn-out cries of hawks
Foretell the heads to fall 4: 162 in tomorrow’s battle
風寒き /夕日に鷹の /声ひきて
軍 に あすの / 首 を 占ふ
Kaze samuki /yuuhi ni tobi no / koe hikite
ikusa ni asu no / kubi o uranau
Among pines a low door closed in by thorns
His play-woman 4: 163 hidden seven miles from the Capital
荊 に 閉じる / 松 の 潜りり戸
都 より / 三里 遊女を / しのばせて
Ibara ni tojiru / matsu no kuguri do
Miyako yori / sanri yuujo o / shinobasete
With her needle in autumn she manages to make a living
Daughter playing koto 4: 164 reaches age seven
お 針して / 秋 も 命 の/ 緒を繋ぎ
琴 引 娘 / 八ッ に なりける
O-hari shite / aki mo inochi no / o o tsunagi
koto hiki musume yattsu ni narikeru
White flowers 4:171 without mother at home seem so chilly
Her fragrance lingering a brief night’s dream An assortment of clouds can be seen, the moon clear.
卯の花も / 母 なき 宿 ぞ /冷じき
香消のこる / みじか夜の 夢
色々の / 雲 を 見に けり /月澄て
Unohana mo / haha naki shuku zo /susamajiki
Kōshō nokoru / mijika ya no yume
Iro iro no / kumo o mi ni keri / tsuki sumite
Rice planting maidens are lined up to drink sake
Holding snow in summer 4: 194 twin peaks of Tsukuba
酒 飲みに /早乙女 達 の / 並び居て
卯月の 雪 を / 握る つくば ね
Sake nomi ni / saotome tachi no/ narabi ite
Uzuki no yuki o / nigiru tsukuba ne
Drunk on the shoulders of people he leans
The party today 4: 208 was so much fun! granddad’s dance
酔っては 人の / 肩 に とりつく
けふの賀 の / いでおもしろや / 祖父が 舞
Yotte wa hito no / kata ni toritsuku
Kyō no ga no / ide omoshiro ya / jiji ga mai
On the young wife’s head 4: 209 Chinese Rings are gentle
As a keepsake some fabric from a bag getting faint
妹 が かしら の / からわ やさしき
かたみてふ / 袋 の 切れの / はつ はつ に
Imo ga kashira no / karawa yasashiki
Katamite chou / fukuro no kire no / hatsu hatsu ni
Along with his tears hillbilly’s dumb poem
He combs his hair 4:230 with bear grease, oh what a horrible name!
なみだをそえて / 鄙 の 腰折れ
髪けずる / 熊 の 油 の/ 名 も つらく
Namida o soete / hina no koshiore
Kami kezuru / kuma no abura no / na mo tsuraku
After the years of grieving. . . finally past eighteen
Day and night dreams 4: 233 of Father in that battle
うき年を / 取りて はたち も / 漸 過ぎぬ
父 の いくさ を / 起きふしの 夢
Uki toshi o /torite hatachi mo / yaya suginu
Chichi no ikusa o / oki fusa no yume
The pines all night long cordially receive snow
Fisherman’s child 4: 269 to announce a whale blows into a shell
雪 をもてなす / 夜すがら の 松
海士の子 が / 鯨 を 告げる / 貝吹いて
Yuki o motenasu / yosugara no matsu
Ama no ko ga / kugira o tsugeru / kai fuite
Cold to the skin, unused to coin hanging from his neck
Black hair spilling power 4: 303 of a baggage carrier
肌 寒 / ならわぬ 銭 を/ 襟 に かけ
こぼるる 髪の / 黒き 強力
Hada samuku / narawanu zeni o / eri ni kake
Koboruru kami no / kuroki gōriki
As dawn comes we realize in the night bell was stolen
Hut of a border guard 4:303 to a country defeated
明けわたる / 鐘 ぬすむ夜は / しらじらと
やぶれて 國の / 境 守る 庵
Akewataru / kane nusumu ya wa / shira jira to
Yaburete koku no / sakai mamoru an
Hot spring boiling 4: 305 so people stay away
In this grave her fame like a flower broken off
Whose tearful face 4: 305 blooms in these azaleas?
Calls of pheasants 4:306 mingle with the pathos of mourning hawks
温泉はにえて人もすさめず
此塚の / 女は花の / 名におられ
たが泣き顔を / さけるつつじ
朝鷹にくまれて詫ぶる雉子の声
Ideyu wa niete / hito mo susamezu
Kono tsuka no / onna wa hana no / na ni orare
Taga naki gao o / sakeru tsutsuji
Asa taka ni / kumarete waburu / kiji no koe
Wearing imperial robes he is indeed august
Full of sutras 4:307 is his boat escorted by a crocodile?
勅衣 をまとう/ 身こそ たかけれ
鰐添えて / 経 つむ 船 を / おくるかと
Choku-e o matō / mi koso takakere
Wani soete / kyō tsumu fune o / okuru ka to
Waves cover the rock then they reveal it
As the pines are 4:308 battered and twisted such is love
塩 こす岩 の / かくれ あらわれ
打ち やがむ / 松 に も 似たる / 恋をして
Shio kosu iwa no / kakure-araware
Uchi-yagamu / matsu ni mo nitaru / koi o shite
Two nails for clothing lonely is the night
No one comes 4: 325 to make my own wife give me leisure
Boiling rice is a drag and makes me cry
布 杭 二本 / 夜 は 寂しき
隙 くれし / 妹 をあつかう /人 も 来ず
飯 焼く事を / 倦みて 泣 けり
Nuno kui nihon / yoru wa sabishiki
Hima kureshi / imo o atsukau / hito mo kizu
Meshi taku koto o / umite nakakeri
Not getting up I recognize his smell and am afraid
Wiping the sweat from 4:359 sidelocks in disarray
起きもせで / きき知る匂ひ / おそろしき
乱れし 髪 の / 汗 ぬぐひ居る
Oki mo sede / kiki-shiru nioi /osoroshiki
Midareshi kami no / ase nugui iru
With face red 4: 374 and beard scraggly Seishi’s papa
I plead for your help in finding a person or group to take over my 3000 pages of Basho material, to edit and improve the presentation, to receive all royalties from sales, to spread Basho’s wisdom worldwide and preserve for future generations.
The only substantial
collection in English
of Basho's renku, tanka,
letters and spoken word
along with his haiku, travel
journals, and essays.
The only poet in old-time
literature who paid attention with praise
to ordinary women, children, and teenagers
in hundreds of poems
Hundreds upon hundreds of Basho works
(mostly renku)about women, children,
teenagers, friendship, compassion, love.
These are resources we can use to better
understand ourselves and humanity.
Interesting and heartfelt
(not scholarly and boring)
for anyone concerned with
humanity.
“An astonishing range of
social subject matter and
compassionate intuition”
"The primordial power
of the feminine emanating
from Basho's poetry"
Hopeful, life-affirming
messages from one of
the greatest minds ever.
Through his letters,
we travel through his mind
and discover Basho's
gentleness and humanity.
I plead for your help in
finding a person or group
to take over my 3000 pages of Basho material,
to edit and improve the material, to receive 100%
of royalties, to spread Basho’s wisdom worldwide
and preserve for future generations.
Quotations from Basho Prose
The days and months are
guests passing through eternity.
The years that go by
also are travelers.
The mountains in silence
nurture the spirit;
the water with movement
calms the emotions.
All the more joyful,
all the more caring
Seek not the traces
of the ancients;
seek rather the
places they sought.
