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Matsuo Basho 1644~1694

The only substantial
collection in English
of Basho's renku, tanka,
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along with his haiku, travel
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in hundreds of poems

Hundreds upon hundreds of Basho works
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from Basho's poetry"


Hopeful, life-affirming
messages from one of
the greatest minds ever.

Through his letters,
we travel through his mind
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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




basho4humanity
@gmail.com




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or foundation - 
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Home  >  Topics  >  Basho Tsukeku 芭蕉付句  >  K-07


Basho Tsukeku 7 A

Tsukeku of 1690 and 1691 日本語の原文

Legend:
Words of Basho in bold
Words of other poets not bold

"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

 

よひよひは /かまたぎるらん /ね所の

みつの枕も / こひしかりけり

 

Yoi yoi wa / kama tagiru-ran / ne-dokoro no

mitsu no makura mo / koishi karikeri

 

 

                             basho4humanity@gmail.com





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The Three Thirds of Basho

 

 

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.

 

basho4humanity@gmail.com
Basho's thoughts on...

• Woman Central
• Introduction to this site
• The Human Story:
• Praise for Women
• Love and Sex in Basho
• Children and Teens
• Humanity and Friendship
• On Translating Basho
• Basho Himself
• Poetry and Music
• The Physical Body
• Food, Drink, and Fire
• Animals in Basho
• Space and Time
• Letters Year by Year
• Bilingual Basho 日本語も
• 芭蕉について日本語の論文
• Basho Tsukeku 芭蕉付句
• BAMHAY (Basho Amazes Me! How About You?)
• New Articles


Matsuo Basho 1644~1694

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




basho4humanity
@gmail.com




Plea for Affiliation

 

Plea For Affiliation

 

I pray for your help

in finding someone
individual, university,

or foundation - 
to take over my

3000 pages of material,   
to cooperate with me 

to edit the material,
to receive all royalties 

from sales, to spread

Basho’s wisdom worldwide,
and preserve for

future generations.


basho4humanity

@gmail.com