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.
Basho Spoken Word
Only this, apply your heart to what children do
"The attachment to Oldness is the very worst disease a poet can have."
“The skillful have a disease; let a three-foot child get the poem"
"Be sick and tired of yesterday’s self."
"This is the path of a fresh lively taste with aliveness in both heart and words." .
"In poetry is a realm which cannot be taught. You must pass through it yourself. Some poets have made no effort to pass through, merely counting things and trying to remember them. There was no passing through the things."
"In verses of other poets, there is too much making and the heart’s immediacy is lost. What is made from the heart is good; the product of words shall not be preferred."
"We can live without poetry, yet without harmonizing with the world’s feeling and passing not through human feeling, a person cannot be fulfilled. Also, without good friends, this would be difficult."
"Poetry benefits from the realization of ordinary words."
"Many of my followers write haiku equal to mine, however in renku is the bone marrow of this old man."
"Your following stanza should suit the previous one as an expression of the same heart's connection."
"Link verses the way children play."
"Make renku ride the Energy. Get the timing wrong, you ruin the rhythm."
"The physical form first of all must be graceful then a musical quality makes a superior verse."
"As the years passed by to half a century. asleep I hovered among morning clouds and evening dusk, awake I was astonished at the voices of mountain streams and wild birds."
“These flies sure enjoy having an unexpected sick person.”
Haiku of Humanity
Drunk on sake woman wearing haori puts in a sword
Night in spring one hidden in mystery temple corner
Wrapping rice cake with one hands she tucks hair behind ear
On Life's journey plowing a small field going and returning
Child of poverty hulling rice, pauses to look at the moon
Tone so clear the Big Dipper resounds her mallet
Huddling under the futon, cold horrible night
Jar cracks with the ice at night awakening
Basho Renku Masterpieces
With her needle in autumn she manages to make ends meet Daughter playing koto reaches age seven
After the years of grieving. . . finally past eighteen Day and night dreams of Father in that battle
Now to this brothel my body has been sold Can I trust you with a letter I wrote, mirror polisher?
Only my face by rice-seedling mud is not soiled Breastfeeding on my lap what dreams do you see?
Single renku stanzas
Giving birth to love in the world, she adorns herself
Autumn wind saying not a word child in tears
Among women one allowed to lead them in chorus
Easing in her slender forearm for his pillow
Two death poems:
On a journey taken ill dreams on withered fields wander about
Clear cascade - into the ripples fall green pine needles
"Only this, apply your heart to what children do." 只子供のする事に心をつくべし。
Tada, kodomo no suru koto ni kokoro o tsuku beshi. For commentaries see Section 7 B
Even in dreams sake 7:11 gives me a hangover
Native place not forgotten, my horse goes clip clop
夢さえ酒に / 二日酔する
古郷を/わすれぬ馬に / ぼくぼくに
Yume sae saki ni / futsuka yoi suru
Furugou ni /wasurenu uma ni / boku boku to
The crying child’s face is such a mess
Renting a room 7: 15 they make no fire to boil rice
泣いている 子の/ かお の きたなき
縮 かして / 米 搗く 程 は/ 火 も 焼ず
Naite iru ko no / kao no kitanaki
Shuku kashite/kome tsuku hodo wa/hi mo takazu
With only a whisper 7: 35 the hair dresser departs
In dyer’s shop all sorts of material scattered about
ただささやいて /出る髪結い
トリドリに / 紺屋の形を /とり散らす
Tada sasayaite / deru kami yui
tori dori ni / kouya no kata o / tori chirasu
Hearing her mallet occasional thoughts of love a wife in Edo
To finish with her tears 7: 23 an extra month this year
きぬた聞 /折々おもう / 江戸の妻
涙ではつる/ 閏あるとし
Kinuta kiku / ori ori omou / Edo no tsuma
Namida de hatsuru / uruo aru toshi
Winter solstice on porch my desperation for love!
No matter how 7: 36 I make up and dress he gazes not back
冬至の 縁に / 物おもいます
けはえども / よそえど も 君 / かえりみず
Touji no en ni / mono omoimasu
Kewaedo mo / yosoedo mo kimi / kaerimizu
Basho told Kyorai
Only this, apply your heart to what children do
只子供のする事に心をつくべし。
Tada, kodomo no suru koto ni kokoro o tsuku beshi
And so he did:
For some coolness kids throw off their clothes to wait for the moon
Straw mats their shields 7: 46 they run and jump about
“Are you asleep?” strange that the dog’s tail keeps its shape
すずしさの / 裸に なりて/ 月 を 待つ
筵 を たてに / はしり とび する
ねて居るか / おかしく犬 の /尾 を すべて
Suzushisa no / hadaka ni narite /tsuki o matsu
Mushiro o tate ni / hashiri tobi suru
Nete iru ka / okashiku inu no / o wo subete
In the moonlight among O-Bon lanterns, time to weep
Autumn wind more slender 7: 50 than strands of her hair
月影に/ 灯篭張いて / 泣暮し
髪筋よりも / ほそき秋風
Tsukiyo ni / tourou haite / naki kurashi
kami suji yori mo / hosoki aki kaze
Under the trees 7: 67 soup and vinegar salad and blossoms hurray!
Western sun peacefully brings us good weather
木の本に汁もなますも櫻かな
西日のどかによき天気なり
Konomoto ni / shiru mo namasu mo / sakura kana
Nishibi nodoka ni / yoi tenki naru
Mixed bathing in a Suwa hot spring twilight dim
Among them a tall 7: 69 mountain ascetic
入り込みに / 諏訪の 湧湯 の /夕 ま暮れ
中 に も せいの / 高き 山伏
Irigomi ni / Suwa no ideyu no / yuu magure
Naka ni mo sei no / takaki yamabushi
Basho said the following words about the above tsukeku:
“The following stanza fits the previous one, and within that it stands out to our eyes.”
前句にはまりて付けたる句也。其中の事を目に立ていひたる句也
Maeku ni hamarite tsuketaru ku nari. Sono naka no koto o me ni tate iitaru ku nari
From such slender threads love becomes so intense
Though my thoughts 7: 70 are of love, “eat something!” she commands me
ほそき 筋 より /愛 つのり つつ
物 おもふ /身 に もの 喰え と/ せつかれて
Hosoki suji yori / ai tsunori tsutsu
Mono omou / mi ni mono kue to / setsukarete
When a pilgrim dies shimmers rise from path
More than any, 7: 72 the reality of a butterfly is so pathetic
巡礼しぬる / 道の陽炎
何よりも / 蝶の現ぞ /あわれなる
Junrei shineru / michi no kagerou
Nani yori mo / chou and utsutsu zo / aware naru
With thin silk to guard from the sun her noble figure
“Wish to see Kumano” 7: 72 she cries out politely
Bow in hand the barrier-guard at Ki so stubborn
羅に / いとはるる / 御かたち
熊野みたいと / 泣給ひけり
手束弓 /記の関守が / かたくなに
Usumono ni / hi o itowaruru / on-katachi
Kumano mitaki to / naki tamaikeri
Tatsuka yumi / Ki no sekimori ga / katakuna ni
Bald from too much sake his head has become
At the eyes 7: 74 of dice he does stare come twilight
酒ではげたる / あたま成らん
双六の /目をのぞくまで /くれかかり
Sake de hagetaru / atama naru ran
Sugoroku no /me o nozoku made / kurekakari
Well, well. . . I sit on earthen floor with no fleas
My name is a joke 7: 75 in my native place
なかなかに / 土間に 居れば / 蚤 も なし
我 名 は 里 の / なぶり もの 也
Naka naka ni / doma ni suwareba / nomi mo nashi
Waga na wa sato no / naburi mono nari
“As I looked into the situation in the previous stanza,
I considered what sort of person this would be, then gave him a human character.”
前句の所に位を見込む、されも有るべきと
おもいなして、人の体を付けたる也。
Maeku no tokoro ni i o mi-komu, sare mo aru beki to
Omoinashite, hito no tei o tsuketaru nari.
Deciding not to take 7: 77 the doctor’s medicine
As cherries bloom wandering place to place in Yoshino mountains
医者のくすりは /飲ぬ分別
花さけば / 芳野あたりを / 欠け廻り
Isha no kusuri wa / nomanu bunbetsu
Hana sabekba / yoshino atari o / kakemawari
The next fifteen stanzas, five by Basho, are the first fifteen of the renku sequence Ichinaka, “Market Town”
composed by Basho, Kyorai, and Boncho in 1691; it is the most commonly translated of Basho renku., although usually titled “Summer Moon” from the third line of Boncho’s hokku which is placed first in other translations.
Market town above the smell of things summer moon
“So hot, so very hot” 7: 95 voices at every gate
Second weeding not yet done, grain heads are emerging Striking the ashes from single dried salmon
市中は /物のにほいや / 夏の月
あつしあつしと / 門々の聲
二番草取りも/ 果さず穂にでて
灰うちたゝく / うるめ一枚
Ichi naka wa /mono no nioi ya / natsu no tsuki
Atsushi atsushi to / kado kado no koe
Niban kusa tori / hate sazu ho ni dete
Hae uchi tataku / urume ichimai
In these parts 7:96 silver coins are unknown, what a bummer!
Absurdly long sword hangs from his waist Evening dusk startled by a frog in thick grass
To pick buds of coltsfoot 7: 97 lantern shaken goes out
此筋は /銀も見しらず / 不自由さよ
ただとひやうしに /長き脇指
草群に /蛙に怖がる/夕まぐれ
蕗の芽採りに /行灯揺り消す
Kono suji wa / gin mo mishirazu / fujiyusa yo
Tada tohyoushi ni / nagaki wakizashi
Kusa mura ni / kawazu ni kowagaru / yuumagure
Fuki no to tori ni / andon yuri kesu
Her devotion arose when blossoms were in bud On the Noto Peninsula winter life is so hard
Toothless gums 7: 98 into old age gnaw on a fish bone
He lets her lover in lock on mansion gate
道心の /おこりは花の /つぼむ時
能登の七尾の / 冬は住うき
魚の骨 /しはぶる迄の / 老を見て
待人入れし / 小御門のかぎ
Doushin no / okori wa hana no / tsubomu toki
Notou no nanao no / fuyu wa sumi uki
Uo no hone /shiwaburu made / no oi o mite
Machibito ireshi / ko-mikado no kagi
Leaning against folding screen, the maids knock it over –
Wretched the bathroom’s 7: 99 bamboo floorboards
Evening storm blows down the fragrant seeds of fennel
立かかる /屏風を倒す / 女子共
湯殿は竹の / 作すの子侘しき
茴香の / 実を吹落す / 夕嵐
Tachikakara / byoubu o taosu / onna kodomo
Yudono wa take no / sunoko wabishiki
Uikyou no / mi o fuki otosu / yuu arashi
Monkey showman 7: 100 through the world with monkey autumn moon
去る引の / 猿と世を経る/ 秋の月
Saru hiki no / saru to yo o heru / aki no tsuki
Ever so quietly weaving sandals of straw the moon beams
To shake out the fleas 7: 103 arising start of autumn
こそこそと /草鞋を作る / 月夜さし
蚤をふるいに / 起し初秋
Koso koso to / waraji o tsuru / tsukiyo sashi
Nomi o furui ni / okishi hatsu aki
So many changes have occurred in my love affairs
In this floating world 7: 105 all end as Komachi
For what reason? given rice gruel to sip eyes fill with tears
さま々に / 品かわりたる / 恋をして
浮世の果は / 皆小町なり
何故ぞ / 粥すするにも / 涙ぐみ
Samazama ni / hin kawaritaru / koi o shite
Ukiyo no hate wa / mina Komachi nari
Nani yue zo / kayu susuru ni mo / namida gumi
On straw mat we are stuck with unsold market greens
Crawling baby manages 7: 139 to snatch rice from tray
一 むしろ / なぐれ 残る / 市 の 草
這いかかる 子 の / 飯 つかむ なり
Ichi mushiro / nagurete nokoru / ichi no kusa
Hai kakaru ko no / meshi tsukamu nari
In her haste nowhere can she find the lamp oil
She steps on his boil 7: 140 so parting is wretched
いそがしと / さがし かねたる / 油 筒
ねぶ と 踏まれて / 別れ 詫び つつ
Isogashito/sagashi-kanetaru/abura-tsutsu
Nebu to fumarete / wakare wabi tsutsu
Face of farm wife chatters on and on
Smell of garlic 7: 143 cannot be approached yet still in love
Weak from the heat July in mosquito net
物よくしゃべる / いわらじの顔
蒜の香の /よりもそはれぬ /恋をして
暑気によはる / 水無月の蚊屋
Mono yoku shaberu / iwaraji no kao
Hiru no ka no /yori mo sowarenu / koi o shite
Atsuke ni yowaru / minazuki no kaya
Traces of leech bites, 7: 152 scratching feels so good
A love affair on this day of rest I will forget
蒜の口処 を / かきて気味よき
ものおもい /今日はわすれて / 休む日に
Hiru no kuchido o / kakite kimiyoki
Mono omoi kyou wa wasurete yasumu hi ni
Convenience on a journey 7: 155 daybreak lantern is placed
How depressing: the wisdom of women is so fleeting
旅の馳走に / 有明しおく
すさまじき / 女の智恵も / はかなくて
Tabi no chisou ni / ari ake shi oku
susamajiki / onna no chie mo / hakanakute
“You should speak while the light that can be seen in things still has not faded from your heart.”
物の見えたる光、いまだ心に 消えざる 中 に いひとむ べし
Mono no mietaru hikari, imada kokoro ni kiezaru uchi ni iitomu beshi
Threat of snow so cold the island’s north wind As evening comes he climbs to the summit to light the lamp
All the cuckoos have sung 7: 173 their final ho-toto-GI-su
Skin and bones, still without the power to sit upright
雪げにさむき嶋の北風
火ともしに暮れば登る峯の寺
ほととぎす皆鳴仕舞たり
痩骨のまだ起直る力なき
Yukige ni samusa / shima no kitakaze
Hi tomoshi ni / kurureba noboru / mine no tera
Hototogisu mina / naki shimaitari
Soukotsu / mada oki naoru / chikara naki
His carriage pulls in the neighbor’s gateway
“Fickle one, 7: 174 under hedge of spikes you must crawl!”
Now, before he leaves, she hands him his sword
隣 を かりて / 車 引きこむ
うき人を / 枳穀 垣 より /くぐらせん
いまや 別れ の / 刀 差し 出す
Tonari o karate / kuruma hikikomu
Uki hito o /kitoku kaki yori / kugurasen
Ima ya wakare no / katana sashi dasu
Unseen by all now and then I cry thinking of love
Tonight too boat rocking 7: 183 shakes me from a dream
人の見ぬ / 時 々 は 泣き /もの思い
こよい も ふね に / ゆり おこす 夢
Hito no minu / toki-doki wa naki / mono omoi
Koyoi mo fune ni / yuri okosu yume
Walking about hired to do laundry her lowly work She resents the harsh cries of cats snarling
High on top, 7: 197 low on bottom, how love is done
洗濯 に / やとはれ ありく / 賤が業
猫 の いがみの / 声 も うらめし
上 は かみ / 下 は しも とて / 物 おもい
Sentaku ni / yatoware ariku/ shizu no waza
Neko no igami no / koe mo urameshi
Ue wa kami / shimo wa shimo tote / mono omoi
Plum blossoms, young greens, 7: 207 at Mariko post station
tororo yam paste
My new hat of sedge daybreak in springtime
梅若 / 菜まりこの宿の /とろろ汁
かさあたらしき / 春の曙
Ume wakana mariko no shuku no tororo-jiru
Kasa atarashiki / haru no akebono
Daffodils and 7: 210 the white paper windows eachother reflect
Only this charcoal fire for winter entertainment
水仙や / しろき障子の / とも移り
炭の火ばかり / 冬のもてなし
Suisen ya / shiroki shouji no / tomo utsuri
Sumi no hi bakari / fuyu no motenashi
Only a slow gentle tapping on the back
Realized but 7: 236 unspoken, for that one love cannot be
只そろそろと / 背中打する
打明て / いはれぬ人を / おもい兼
Tada sorosoro to / senaka uchi suru
Uchi akete / iwarenu hito o / omoi-kane
Evening dusk, going back for the pipe he left behind
Rice maidens for fun 7: 238 throw mud at each other
Stone Buddhas without features missing there are none
夕まぐれ / 煙管お として / 立帰り
泥 うちかわす / 早乙女 の ざれ
石 佛 / いづれ かけぬ は /なかりけり
Yuumagure / kiseru otoshite / tachi-gaeri
Doro uchikawasu / saotome no zare
Ishi-botoke / izure kakenu wa / nakari keri
After having measles 7: 241 traces are a benefit
One foot at a time replaced, succession of straw sandles
疹してとる / 跡のやすさよ
片足づつ拾ひ次第の古草鞋
Hashika shite toru / ato no yasusa yo
Katashi zutsu hirai / shidai no furu waraji
As her due date approaches, a light carefree face – No time to talk at neighborhood well about fickle men
Thread seller as guest 7: 255 departs the morning after
産 月 まで も / かるき おもかげ
うき事を / 辻井 に 語る / 隙もなし
かせ買う 客 の / かえる きぬぎぬ
Umuzuki made mo / karuki omokage
Uki koto o / tsui ni kataru / hima mo nashi
Kase kau kyaku no / kaeru kinuginu
Her semblance of power pebbles thrown in vain
Among women 7: 257 one allowed to lead them in chorus
ちから に 似せぬ / 礫 かい なき
ゆるされて / 女 の 中 の /音頭 取り
Chikara ni nisenu / tsubute kai naki
Yurusarete / onna no naka no / ondō tori
This morning I found 7: 267 a strand of white hair
Year after year lined up under blossoms number of friends
髪 の しらが を /今朝 見付けたり
々 の / 花 に ならびし / 友の数
Kami no shiraga o / kesa mitsuketari
Toshi-doshi no / hana ni narabishi / tomo no kudzu
Drunk on new sake so dazed and dopey
With nothing 7: 281 to say, you and I face each other
新酒 の 酔 の /ほきほきと して
語る事 / なければ 君 に / さし 向かい
Shinzake no yoi no / hoki hoki to shite
Kataru koto / nakereba kimi ni / sashi mukai
Pounding of cloth 7: 291
from within white wall, starts to sound
Receiving light from candle, evening moon
白壁の /うちより砧 / 打ち染めて
蝋燭の火を / もらう夕月
Shiro kabe no / uchi yori kinuta / uchi-somete
Rousoku no hi o / morau yuu-zuki
Young and helpless with bow and arrows, the boy kneels
White hair seen through 7: 299 gaps in bamboo blind
弓 と 矢も / まだいたいけに /膝 まずき
白髪 さし出す / 簾 の あわせむ
Yumi to ya mo / mada itakeni ni / hiza mazuki
Shiraga sashidasu / misu no awasemu
Before he leaves, to his chilly jacket her warmth given
When young they both 7: 320 are innocent in love
わかれんと /つめたき小袖 /あたためて
おさなきどちの / 恋のあどなさ
Wakaren to / tsumetaki kosode / atatamete
Osanaki dochi no / koi no adonasa
Husband and wife talk 7: 356 of becoming beggars
Turning backs to each other, they wipe off snow
乞食となって /夫婦かたらう
さしむくる / 背中の雪を / 打ちはらい
Kojiki to natte / meoto katarau
Sashi mukuru / senaka no yuki o / uchiharai
Here are two tanka Basho wrote in 1690; although they are not tsukeku, they have the form of tsukeku, and do illustrate his poetic genius.
Spring passes by again and again in layers of blossom-kimono may you see wrinkles come with old age
いく春を /かさねがさねの /花ごろも
しわよるまでの /老もみるべく
Iku haru o / kasane gasane no /hana-goromo
shiwa yoru made no / oi mo miru beku
Each evening kettle surely boiling, how I miss those three pillows in the room where we slept
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.
Basho Spoken Word
Only this, apply your heart to what children do
"The attachment to Oldness is the very worst disease a poet can have."
“The skillful have a disease; let a three-foot child get the poem"
"Be sick and tired of yesterday’s self."
"This is the path of a fresh lively taste with aliveness in both heart and words." .
"In poetry is a realm which cannot be taught. You must pass through it yourself. Some poets have made no effort to pass through, merely counting things and trying to remember them. There was no passing through the things."
"In verses of other poets, there is too much making and the heart’s immediacy is lost. What is made from the heart is good; the product of words shall not be preferred."
"We can live without poetry, yet without harmonizing with the world’s feeling and passing not through human feeling, a person cannot be fulfilled. Also, without good friends, this would be difficult."
"Poetry benefits from the realization of ordinary words."
"Many of my followers write haiku equal to mine, however in renku is the bone marrow of this old man."
"Your following stanza should suit the previous one as an expression of the same heart's connection."
"Link verses the way children play."
"Make renku ride the Energy. Get the timing wrong, you ruin the rhythm."
"The physical form first of all must be graceful then a musical quality makes a superior verse."
"As the years passed by to half a century. asleep I hovered among morning clouds and evening dusk, awake I was astonished at the voices of mountain streams and wild birds."
“These flies sure enjoy having an unexpected sick person.”
Haiku of Humanity
Drunk on sake woman wearing haori puts in a sword
Night in spring one hidden in mystery temple corner
Wrapping rice cake with one hands she tucks hair behind ear
On Life's journey plowing a small field going and returning
Child of poverty hulling rice, pauses to look at the moon
Tone so clear the Big Dipper resounds her mallet
Huddling under the futon, cold horrible night
Jar cracks with the ice at night awakening
Basho Renku Masterpieces
With her needle in autumn she manages to make ends meet Daughter playing koto reaches age seven
After the years of grieving. . . finally past eighteen Day and night dreams of Father in that battle
Now to this brothel my body has been sold Can I trust you with a letter I wrote, mirror polisher?
Only my face by rice-seedling mud is not soiled Breastfeeding on my lap what dreams do you see?
Single renku stanzas
Giving birth to love in the world, she adorns herself
Autumn wind saying not a word child in tears
Among women one allowed to lead them in chorus
Easing in her slender forearm for his pillow
Two death poems:
On a journey taken ill dreams on withered fields wander about
Clear cascade - into the ripples fall green pine needles