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
“Now in my thoughts the form of poetry is as looking into a shallow stream over sand,
with Lightness both in the body of the verse as well as in the heart’s connection.” Basho 1694
No stars could be seen on that fateful night
Empty stomachs 9: 11 especially in battle are decisive
星さえ見えず / 二十八日
ひだるきは / 殊に軍の / 大事也
Hoshi sae miezu nijuuhachi nichi
Hidaru ki wa koto ni ikusa no daiji nari
Chopping greens to serve on top of rice, thoughts elsewhere
Not out with the horse 9: 13 but inside making love
Thread seller coming after four-o’clock, a wrong sound
上おきの/ 干葉刻むも / うはの空
馬に出ぬ日も/ 内で恋する
株モﾌ/ 七つさがりを / 音づれて
Uwa-oki no/ hoshiba kizamu mo / uwa no sora
Uma ni denu hi mo / uchi de koi suru
kasekai no /nanatsu sagari no / otozurete
Calculating 9: 16 their path through life in the Capital
They send no notice of daughter's joyful birth
算用に / 浮世を立つ / 京ずまい
又沙汰なしに / 娘倦む
Sannyo ni / ukiyo o tatsu / kyou zumai
Mata sata nashi ni / musume yorokobu
Hustle and bustle 9: 19 on wharf for rice shipments going and returning
To visit Meguro Temple bunch of hot blooded men
ちらはらと/ 米の揚げ場の / 行き戻り
目黒まいりの / つれのねちみやく
Chirahara to / kome no ageba no / iki modori
Meguro mairi no / tsure no nechi miyaku
Pole for drying cloth, icicles long and short
With one hand 9: 41 on abacas he records sales of rice
虎落の氷 / 柱長く短き
十露盤を / 片手に米の / 印して
Mogari no tsurara / nagaku mijikaki
Soroban no / katate ni kome no / shirushi shite
Before the sun rises winter sky tinted red
Boatload of fish 9: 51 from the depths spread out across the beach
日の出るまへの / 赤き冬そら
下肴を一舟 / 浜へ打明て
Hi no deru mae no/akaki fuyu sora
Ge-zakana o / hito fune hama e / uchi akete
With no power in her skinny arms she worries
No reason to mend 9: 67 his cotton garments
力なく / 腕ほそりし / うきおもひ
つくろふかひも / なき木綿もの
Chikara naku / kaina mo hosorishi / uki omoi
Tsukurou kai mo / naki momen mono
Pulling leeches from ox on a rest from plowing
Dyed black 9: 96 male temple servant’s heart heavy
蒜とる牛の/ 方把やすむる
黒染めに / 寺の男の /こころいれ
Hiru toru ushi no / makuwa yasumuru
Kuro some ni /tera no otoko no / kokoru ire
Flawless blue fabric spreads over the large yard
Baby crawls about 9: 99 getting ‘that place’ dirty
広庭に / 青の駄染めを / 引き散らし
這廻る子の /よごす居所
Hiro niwa ni / ao no dasome wo / hiki chirashi
Hai mawaru ko no / yogosu i-dokoro
Thief of rice plants 9: 101 released from the net
Viewing the moon, the love from his parents was not enough
Dew which has fallen 9: 101 where does it go?
稲盗人の綱を / 解きやる
月見れて / 親に不足に / 出来心
こぼれて露は / どこへ行きやら
Ine nusubito no tsuno wo tokiyaru
Tsuki mirete / oya ni fusoku ni / dekigokoro
Koborete tsuyu wa / doko e iku yaya
Scatter of snow beneath conical hat reaches her hood
Wiping hilt of sword 9:107 kerchief freezes to it
雪や散る / 笠のしたなる / 頭巾迄
刀の柄に /こぼる手拭
Yuki ya chiru / kasa no shita naru / zukin made
Katana no hei ni / koboru tenugui
She has cut her hair yet maintains her self
For such fragrance 9: 110 the watchtower curtains are pushed aside
髪を切ても / 身を作りけり
焼かおる / 物見るの筵 /おしまくり
Kami o kite mo / mi o tsukurikeri
Taki kaoru / mono miru no mushiro / oshi makura
Today too they spend playing and giving advice
In father’s time, 9: 117 prosperous, the doctor’s younger sons
今日もあそんで / くらす相談
親の時 / はやりし医者の / 若手共
Kyou m mo asonde / kurasu Soudan
Oya no toki / hayarishi isha no / wakate-domo
Stomach from a journey aches, plain rice gruel
Robe of hemp 9: 118 worn even by the horses in that valley
旅から物の / あたる白粥
麻衣を / 馬にも着せる /木曾の谷
Tabi kara mono no /ataru shiro kayu
Asa-ginu o / uma ni mo kiseru / Kiso no tani
Moon at daybreak meager as his breakfast of sliced mackerel
His sail set to eight 9:130 voice of the boatman
在明も /すくなき鯖の /きざみ物
帆を八合に/ 船頭の声
Ariake mo sukunaki / saba no kizami mono
Ho o hachigo ni / sendou no koe
Here begins the well-known renku sequence Plum Blossom Scent with Basho’s hokku and Yaba’s wakaku. Only these two poets alternate their stanzas from here to 9: 154 STANDING SCREEN SHADOW six pages later – although Basho does composed both stanzas in the tsukeku at 9: 149. Of the 36 total stanzas, here are translated 24, 13 by Basho and 11 by Yaba, so we see how these two, the master Basho and the shop clerk Yaba, cooperate to create images of humanity and human activity.
Plum blossom scent 9: 143 Behold! the sun emerges from mountain trail
Here and there the calls of pheasants rising
むめがかに /のっと日の出る/ 山路かな
処々に / 雉の啼きたつ
Ume ga ka ni / notto hi no deru / yamaji kana
Tokoro dokoro ni / kiji no naki tatsu
Company boss got our chrysanthemums what a pain!
Strict not to let his 9: 145 daughter meet people
御頭へ / 菊もらはるる / めいわくさ
娘を型う / 人にあわせぬ
O-kashira e / kiku morawaruru / meiwakusa
Musume o katau / hito ni awasenu
Suddenly speaking out 9: 146 about my dead mother
All night long soothing away the nun’s chronic pain
ひたと言い出す / お袋の事
夜もすがら / 尼の持病を / 押しえける
Hitasu to iidasu / o-fukuro no koto
Yomosugara / ama no jibyou o / oshiekeru
Only slices of konnyaku 9: 147 remaining harvest moon
With wild geese he tries out a cushion on his saddle
こんいやくばかり / のこ名月
はつ雁に /乗懸下地 / 敷いて見る
Konyaku bakari / nokoru meigetsu
Hatsu kari ni / nori kake shita ji / shiite miru
Dew for his opponent 9: 148 sword drawn in a flash
Town notables together getting drunk under blossoms
露を相手に/居合ひとねき
町衆の / つらりと酔って / 花の陰
Tsuyu o aite ni / iai hito nuki
Machishuu no tsurari to yotte hana ni kage
Jostled in temple gateway 9: 149 for nembutsu pantomimes -
An east wind 9: 149 the fumes of nightsoil wafting about
門で押さるる / 壬生の念仏
東風に / 糞のいきれを / 吹きまわし
Mon de osaruru / Mibu no nembutsu
Kochi kaze ni / koe no ikire o / fuki-mawashi
Doing nothing at all but elbow painful
News from Edo 9: 150 shopkeeper across the street has returned
ただ居るままに / 腕わずらう
江戸の / 佐右むかいの亭主 / 登られて
Tada iru mama ni / kaina wazurau
Edo no / sau mukai no teishu / noborarete
High above paulownia tree the moon clear and cold
Closing the gate 9: 151 and silently going to bed, interested in that
桐の木高く / 月さゆる也
門しめて / だっまてねたる / 面白さ
Kiri no ki takaku sayuru nari
Mon shimete damatte netaru omoshirosa
With coins picked up replacing tatami covers
For the festival 9: 151 the missus entertains her relatives
ひろうた金で / 表かえする
初牛に / 女房のおやこ / 振る舞いで
Hirouta kane de omote kaesuru
Hatsu ushi ni / nyoubo no oyako / furu maute
Still this spring the vagrant has yet to settle down
Priest sends him 9: 152 to heal in hot spring cherries’ full bloom
又この春も済まぬ浪人
法印の湯治を送る花ざかり
Mata kono haru mo / sumanu rounin
Houin no / touji o okuru / hana-zakari
Every house has a window open to the east
Tired of eating fish 9: 153 in seaside stew
どの家も / 東の方に / 窓をあけ
魚に食あく / はまの雑水
Dono ie mo / higashi no kata ni / mado o ake
Uo I kui aku / hama no zousui
A new bride, without neighbors knowing, joins our house
Standing screen shadow 9: 154 tray of sweets peaks out
隣へも / 知らせず 嫁を / つれて来て
屏風の陰に / みゆるくわし盆
Tonari e mo / shirasezu yome o / tsurete kite
Byoubu no kage ni / miyuru kuwashi bon
"The tray of sweets stands out to the eyes, not from our appreciation for this image, but rather from the Newness of the heart’s connection to the previous stanza."
盆の目に立、味わう事もなくして付けたる句也。心の付けなし新しあり.
Bon no me ni tatsu, ajiwau koto mo nakushite tsuketaru ku nari. Kokoro no tsukenashi atarashi ari
Everything for her son’s marriage mother decides
Buds bursting open 9: 164 area of cotton fields
祝言も /母が見て来て /究めけり
木綿ふきたつ / 高安の里
Shuugen mo / haha ga mite kite / kiwamekeri
Kiwata fukitatsu / takayasu no sato
The bottle’s fragrance 9:172 going to buy vinegar Three whole years 9:173 on a journey from a journey to a journey
徳利の匂ふて / 酢を買いにゆく
丸三とせ / 旅から旅へ / 旅をして
Tokkuri no niote / su o kai ni yuku
Maru san to / se tabi kara tabi e / tabi o shite
Wings flap in sequence 9: 175 wild geese under moon, Every mouth 9: 175 shall sample this year’s new sake
はね打ちかはす/ 雁に月影
口々に / 今年の酒を / 試むる
Hane uchi kawasu / kari ni tsukikage
Kuchi guchi ni / kotoshi no sake o / kokoromuru
Glaring about, she orders the children to “behave!”
While roasting bean paste 9: 177 some ash she puffs away
行儀能 /せよと子供を /ねめ廻し
やき味噌の 灰 / 吹きはらいつつ
Gyougi you /se yo to kodomo o / neme-mawashi
Yaki miso no hai / fuki-harai-tsutsu
Gradually 9: 180 helped to sit up, she combs her hair
Cat fondly caressed by the one I adore
To stop blossoms 9: 180 from falling, if only there was a way
漸と / かきおこされて /髪けづり
猫可愛がる /人ぞ恋しき
あの花の / 散らぬ工夫が /有るならば
Youyou to / kaki-okosarete / kami kezuri
Neko kawaigaru / hito zo koi shiki
Ano hana no / chiranu kufuu ga / aru naraba
Beneath her eyelids overflow the stars
Forced to stand 9: 196 against her will, she dances so delicately
まぶたに星の /こぽれかかれる
引き立て / むりに舞する / たおやかさ
Mabuta ni hoshi no / kobore kakareru
Hiki tatete / muri ni mai suru / taoyakana
Their engorged stomachs now subsiding, morning moon
Sleeping then carousing 9: 202 old friends at Obon
食傷の/ 腹をほしけり / 朝の月
昼寝て遊ぶ /盆の友達
Shokushou no / fuku o hoshi keri / asa no tsuki
Hiru nete asobu / bon no tomodachi
All the children 9: 204 I see have this year’s smallpox scars
Angel sharks hanging on old bamboo screen
見るほどの / 子供にことし / 疱瘡の跡
古きすだれに / ころさめをつる
Miruhodo no / kodomo ni kotoshi / imo no ato
Furuki sudare ni / koro same o tsuru
Quietly peeking into sake revelry –
In the bedroom 9: 210 no one is sleeping evening moon
そつとのぞけば / 酒の最中
寝處に /誰も寝て居ぬ / 宵の月
Sotto nozokeba / sake no saichuu
Ne-dokoro ni /dare mo nete inu /yoi no tsuki
Making preparations for her nighttime work. Younger sister has been requested by a good family
To the Priest, at first 9: 211 Father sends a letter
晩の仕事の / 工夫するなり
妹を / よい処から / もらはるる
層部のもとへ / まづ文をやる
Ban no shigoto no / kufuu suru nari
Imouto o / yoi tokoro kara / morawaruru
Souzu no moto e / mazu fumi o yaru
Going to see traces of a house washed away
Dojo loach soup 9: 212 makes him do it better than young men
Drop in price of tea
to sell out the stock
家のながれた / あとを見に行く
どじょうじろ / 若い者より /よくなりて
茶の買置を / さげて売り出す
Ie no nagareta / ato o mi ni iku
dojou-jiru / wakai mono yori / yoku narite
cha no kai-oki o / sagete urudasu
“Be sick and tired of yesterday’s self
昨日の我に飽くべし
Kinou no ware ni aku beshi
Traces of snow cleared off by the wind, moon in haze
Her futon rolled up 9: 214 she dreams of love
Relationship ruined because an asshole lives next door Monk with beggar’s bowl brought inside to listen
She cries about 9: 215 what happened in secrecy, roof of thatch
雪の跡 /ふきがしたる /朧月
ふとん丸げて /ものおもい居る
不届きな / 隣と中の / わるうなり
はつち坊主を /上へあがらす
泣く事の / 密かに出来し / 浅ぢふに
Yuki no ato / fukigashitaru /oborozuki
Futon marugete / mono omoi iru
Futodoki na / tonari to naka no / warau nari
Hatsuchi bouzu o / ue e agarasu
Naku koto no / hisoka ni dekishi / asa jiu ni
Over sun-bleached whites lark sings to the sky
Girls only 9: 219 going to view blossoms rise in a flock
晒の上に / ひばり囀る
花見にと /女子ばかりが /つれ立て
Sarashi no ue ni / hibari saezuru
Hanami ni to / onago bakari ga / tsuretatete
“Now in my thoughts the form of poetry is as looking into a shallow stream over sand,
with Lightness both in the body of the verse as well as in the heart’s connection.”
今思う体は浅き砂川を見るごとく、句の形、付心ともに軽きなり。
Ima omou wa tei ni asaki suna-gawa o miru gotoku, ku no kata, tsuke-gokoro tomo ni karuki nari
Day in spring birth room attendants’ long tedium
One by one they eat 9: 247 warm water over rice
春の日に / 産屋の伽の /つつくりと
かはりがはりや /湯漬くうらん
Haru no hi ni / ubuya no togi no / tsutsukuri to
Kawari-gawari ya / yu-tsuke kuuran
From a young age 9: 250 blaming all on the Gods
Once more a chicken stolen from the coop this morning’s moon
わかい時から / 神せせせりする
鶏を / また盗まれし / 今朝の月
Wakai toki kara / kami seseri suru
Niwatori o / mata nusumareshi / kesa no tsuki
Basho, on his final journey, stayed at the home of his senior follower in Nagoya, Kakei. Kakei writes this hokku, and Basho follows.
Till grain is soft you must boil this year’s homegrown barley
Together with rice planters 9: 255 early rising on a journey
やわらかに/ たけよことしの / 手作麦
田植のともに /たびの 朝起
Yawarakani / take yo kotoshi no / tesaku mugi
Taue no tomo ni / tabi no asa oki
Now Basho begins and Kakei follows:
On Life’s Journey 9: 259 plowing a small field going and returning
Path of a water rail across the roof slat
世は旅に / 代かく小田の /行き戻り
水鶏の道に / わたす こば板
Yo wa tabi ni / shirokaku oda no / iki modori
Kuina no michi ni / watasu koba ita
She waits in vain upon words hard as nails false and cold
With her sleeve she sweeps 9: 277 dew from her forelocks
うそ寒き / 言葉の釘に / まちぼうけ
袖にかなぐる / 前髪の露
Uso samuki / kotoba no kugi ni / machi bouke
Sode ni kanaguru / maegami no tsuyu
Removing his headband he lets down ox’s load
One river 9: 295 crossed in the cold of daybreak
手拭脱で / おろす牛の荷
川ひとつ / 渡て寒き / 在明に
Tenugui nuite / orosu ushi no ni
Kawa hitotsu / watatte samuki / ariake ni
For a pilgrimage to Ise, even stealing is forgiven
Smiling row of clouds 9: 310 welcome the rising sun
参宮と / いえばぬすみも / ゆるしけり
につと朝日に / 迎うよこ雲
Sanguu to / ieba nusumi mo / yurushikeri
Nitto asahi ni / mukau yoko kumo
Bonfire past, 9: 311 neighborhood children practice Noh
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
