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

 



Home  >  Topics  >  Basho Tsukeku 芭蕉付句  >  K-10


Basho Tsukeku 10 A

Summer 1694 to early winter death; 日本語の原文

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

 

 

Father and son-in-law
greeting to make-up --
Castle servant
back in her home town
close to tears
Things from lacquered box                                  10: 21
taken out and put back

 

むこと舅の / なおる挨拶

御局の / 里下りして /涙ぐみ

ぬったはこより / 物のだし入れ

 

Muko to shuuto no / naoru aisatsu

o-tsubone no / sato kudari shite / namida gumi

nutta hako yori / mono no dashi ire

 

Village embraced
by vast pine mountain
in the dawn light
All the folks I meet                                  10: 28
have the smell of fish

 

抱き込んで / 松山広き /有明に

会う人ごとに /魚くさきなり

 

Dakikonde matsu yama hiroki ariake ni

Au hito goto ni / sakana kusaki nari

 

When only half-assed,
love shall come undone
You so sleepy                                                    10: 45
all night long carried
on back walking

 

尻もむすばぬ恋ぞほぐるる

うとうとと夜すがら君を追行

 

Shiri mo musubanu / koi zo hogururu

Uto uto to / yo sugara kimo o / oi aruku

 

 

From back door to village
shortcut through the woods
Enough to eat,                                                 10: 60
father and son-in-law talk
of helping others

 

藪から村へ / ぬけるうら道

食うかね / 婿も舅も / 口きいて

 

Yabu kara mura e / nukeru ura michi

Kuukanenu / muko mo shuuto mo / kuchgi kiite

 

Facing into the wind
his wind blown face
Plump and healthy                                   10: 76
the young son sits
on the lap
Exhaustion from Edo
comes home for leisure

 

真向きの風に / 顔をふかるる

よう肥えた / むすこのすわる / ひざの上

そろそろ江戸の / 草臥が来る

 

Ma-muki no kaze ni / kao o fukaruru

You koeta / musuko no suwaru / hiza no ue

Soro soro Edo kara / kutabiri ga kuru

 

In the year 1694, on August 11, at the tea hut of Bokusetsu in Otsu:


With autumn near
our hearts draw close
small tea room
Disorderly drooping
nadeshiko in the dew

 

秋ちかき 心の寄るや 四畳半

しどろに伏せる 撫子の露

 

Aki chikaki / kokoro no yoru ya / yojouhan

Shidoro ni fuseru / nadeshiko no tsuyu

 

Incessantly
falling mixture of
sleet and hail -
Wipe and breathe on hands                           10: 88
to repair paper doors

 

降りまじる / あられみぞれの / 一しきり

手のひらふいて / 糊ざいくする

 

Orimajiru / arare mizore no / hito shikiri

Te no hira fuite / nori zaiku suru

 

Socks taken off to air
shimmers in the noon
At New Years                                               10: 92
our little buggers
we take along
Though meaning is hidden
standing there to listen
Above lantern,
appears her pale white
complexion
Upon tatami the lute                                         10: 93
put down with a thud

 

足袋ぬいで干す / 書のかげろう

年長に /ちいさきやつら / 供させて

隠すたよりを / 立ちながら聞く

行燈の /上より白き / 顔つき

畳に琵琶を / どつかりと置く

 

Tabi nuide hosu / kaki no kagerou

Nenchou ni / chiisaki yatsura / tomo sasete

Kakusu tayori o / tachinagara kiku

Andon no / shita yori shiroki / hitai tsuki

Tatami ni biwa o / dotsukari to oku

 

 

Vulgar words to insult
the wife and daughter
All the guests                                                       10: 95
sit there cold, freezing
at the kotatsu

 

嫁とむすめに / わる口をこく

客は皆 /さむくてこおる / 火燵の間

 

Yome to musume ni / waruguchi o toku

Kyaku wa mina / samukute kooru / kotatsu no ma

 

For a while rafts man
at rest on the bank
Pilgrim-robed                                                10: 110
heart on a journey
becomes quiet

 

暫く岸に / 休む筏士

衣着て/ 旅する心 / 静也

 

Shibaraku kishi ni / yasumu ikadashi

Koromo kite / tabi suru kokoro / shizuka nari

 

 

The monk praises the child
who is slow at learning
Winter-withered                                           10: 156
pitiful the fallen oranges
covered with frost
Hardly ever used
the bath tub leaks

 

ならいのわるき /子を誉める僧

冬枯れの /九年母おしむ /霜覆ひ

たまたますれば /居風呂の漏り

 

Narai no waruki / ko o homeru sou

Fuyu kare no / kyunenbou oshimu / shimo ooi

Tama tama sureba / i-buro no mori

 

Showing no signs
of being busy, the shop
of a herbalist
Three years have passed                              10: 169
yet bride has no child

 

いそがしき /体にも見えず /木薬や

三年立ど/ 嫁が子のなき

 

Isogashiki / tei ni mo miezu / kigusuri ya

Sannen tatedo / yome ga ko no naki

 

Frantically
crying baby is thrust
into the cradle
Carpenters and roofers                                   10: 182
go home as it darkens

 

せりせりと / なく子を畚に /つきすえて

大工屋根やの / 帰る暮れどき

 

Serizeri to / naku ko o fugo ni / tsukisuete

Daiku yaneya no / kaeru kure-doki

 

Wind from the east

blows from the west, then

from the north

The pulse in my wrist                                       10: 204
is of great concern

 

こち風の /又西に成り / 北になり

わが手に脈を /大事がらるる

 

Kochi kaze no / mata nishi ni nari / kita ni nari

Waga te ni myaku o / daiji gararuru

 

Bright red cockscomb
at garden’s entrance
To quiet down                                                         10: 208
the unsettled heart
of the daughter
Night sweats have stopped
in this morning’s dream
Pine breeze
awakens the chorus
of caged birds
Carpenters start to work                                   10: 208
heard by wife deep within

 

赤鶏頭を/ 庭の正面

定らぬ /娘の心 / 取しづめ

寝汗のとまる / 今朝がたの夢

鳥籠を /づらりとおこす / 松の風

大工づかいの / 奥にきゆる

 

Aka keitou o / niwa no shoumen

Sadamaranu / musume no kokoro / tori shizume

Ne-ase no tomaru / kesa gata no yume

Tori kago o / zurari to okosu / matsu no kaze

Daiku zukai no / oku ni kikiyuru

 

Hulling rice,
enough done for today
I go home
By myself jostling through                                   10: 209
marketplace crowd

 

米搗も / けふはよしと / 帰るなり

から身で市の / 中を押しあう

 

Kome mo / kyou wa yoshi tote / kaeru nari

Kara mi de ichi no / naka o oshi-au

 

 

At the village square
they gather, then nap
Women only                                                       10: 217
about incoming brides
yakkety-yak
Children they pamper
frostbitten in autumn

 

村の出見世に/ あつめてねる

嫁とりは /女斗で / 埒をあけ

大事がる子の / 秋の霜やけ

 

Mura no demise ni / atsumete neru

Yome tori wa / onago bakari de / rachi o ake

Daijigaru ko no / aki no shimo yake

 

The sun sets
then the moon glows
among the pines
More than laughter                                          10: 235
to cry will console
“Laundry’s late!”
making food for mourners,
she gets scolded

 

日は入れて /やがて月さす / 松の間

笑う事より / 泣きがながすみ

洗濯の / おそきを斎で / せつかるる

 

Hi wa irete / yagate tsuki sasu / matsu no ai

Warau koto yori naki ga nagasumi

Sentaku no osoki o toki de setsukaruru

 

 

This path –
where nobody goes
autumn nightfall                                        10: 253
Rocky mountain farm
tree covered by vines

 

此道や / 行人なしに / 秋の暮れ

祖の畠の / 木にかかる蔦

 

Kono michi ya / yuku hito nashi ni / aki no kure

Soba no hatake no / ki ni kakaru tsuta

 

White chrysanthemum                                10: 261
no speck of dust rises
to meet the eye
Morning moon makes water
with crimson leaves flow

 

白菊の / 眼に立て見る / 塵もなし

紅葉に水を / 流すあさ月

 

Shirogiku no /me ni tatete miru / chiri mo nashi

Momiji ni mizu o / nagasu asa tsuki

 

New house being built,                                  10: 264
in a shack an open fire
Determined
to stay here, the wife
settles down

 

普請のうちは /小屋で火を焼く

帰らぬに/ 極めるの嫁の /さめすまし

 

Fushin no uchi wa / koya de hi o taku

Kaeranu ni / kimeru no yome no / samesumashi

 

Here ends the chronological BRZ,

Stanza-pairs at the end of volume 10 stand alone, usually both by Basho, undated.

To hone his renku art, Basho, by himself, practiced writing both stanzas.

 

Ashes inside censer                                 10: 281
damp from long rains
So tenderly                                               10:281
silkworm eyes and mouths
are first seen

 

香炉の灰の /しめる 長雨

しおらしく / かいこのめくち /見え初めて

 

Kouko no hai no / shimeru naga-ame

Shiorashiku / kaiko no me guchi / mie-somete

 

A melon so big
we both can enjoy
Scraps cut off                                                 10: 307
from fabric of hemp
are lots of fun

 

二人していざ /大きなる瓜

裁ち物の/ 麻にきれ端 /よろこびて

 

Futari shite iza / ouki naru uri

Tachi mono no / asa ni kire hata / yorokobite

 

 

Among cotton bursting out                           10: 312
walks a pure white cat -
Unknown to us,                                              10: 312
within the warm kotatsu
lying contented

 

綿ふきありく/ 猫の真城

人しらぬ / 中を炬燵に / もたれ合

 

Wata fuki ariku / neko no mashiro

Hito shiranu / naka o kotatsu ni / motare au

 

Although summer                                      10: 313
my neck sinks into collar
thinking of love
An account of my prayers                          10: 313
shows they are worthless

 

夏ながら / 襟ふるふると /ものおもい

祈るしろしの / かいなくもあれ

 

Natsu nagara / eri furufuru to / mono omoi

Inoru shiroshi no / kai naku mo are

 

Stones and trees                                       10: 317
said to be illusions
yet we worship --
I rinse my soup bowl                                 10:318
to eat from again

 

石も木も俤といえば拝むなり

汁椀すすぐ二度の喰え物

 

Ishi mo ki mo / omokage to ieba ogamu nari

Shiru wan susugu / nido no kue mono

 

“Lingering on . . .”                                    10: 318
I take down the doll and
look at her face
Again starting to weep                              10: 318
the cough of consumption

 

名残ぞと / 取置 雛の / 顔をみて

また泣入りし / 労咳のせき

 

Nagori zo to / tori oku hina no / kao o mite

Mata naki irishi / rougai no seki

 

Left or right                                                10: 319
wherever I put my tray,
the loneliness
In some way or another                             10: 320
the grief of Kanefusa

 

右左 /膳をすえても / 淋しくて

何にもかにも/うきは兼房

Migi hidari / zen o suete mo / sabishikute

Nan ni mo ka ni mo / uki wa Kanefusa

 

Quiet temple,                                         10: 321
on verandah is spread
a straw mat,
He measures out herbs                           10: 321
to trade for soybeans

 

庵寺の / 縁に筵を / 打ち敷きて

はかりてわたす / 薬代のまめ

 

Andera no / en ni mushiro wo / uchi shikite

Hakarite watasu / yaku kawari no mame

 

Bold stanzas signed by Basho yet scholars have doubts author that he actually wrote them.

 

 

While crossing this river                         11: 73
I meet my deceiver
From the Deep North
can a thousand men pull
the rock his heart
Who shall pick up love 11: 74
I now throw away?

 

此川越えは /うき人に逢う

みちのくの/ 千引の石も /こころあれ

かく捨てし世を / 誰ひろう恋

 

Kono kawa goe wa / uki hito ni au

Michinoku no / chibiki no ishi mo / kokoro are

Kaku suteshi yo o / taga hirou koi

 

 

Battle lost,                                                  11: 91
the heroes retreat
and go home
Once again night falls
and day breaks in fog

 

負軍 /功者に引て / かえる也

ふたたび暮るる /霧の明方

 

Makeikusa / kousha ni hikite / kaeru nari

futatabi kururu / kiri no akegata

 

 

Watching by lantern
at entrance to town
Taking a wife                                              11: 94
rice merchant pretends
to be young

 

てうちん見ゆる / 町の入口

女房よぶ /米屋の亭主 / 若やぎて

 

Chouchin miyuru / machi no iriguchi

Nyobou yobu / komeya no teishu / wakayagite

 

 

Steadily growing taller                                11: 97
older and younger brothers
Just one time
to see the Big City,
our small business
Purifying self with water                              11: 98
before the holy shrine

 

ずんずとのびる /男兄弟

一度は / 江戸を見たがる /小あきない

みたらし汲んで /神の門前

 

Zunzu to nobiru / otoko kyoudai

Ichido wa / Edo o mitagaru / ko akinai

Mitarashi kunde / kami no mon mae

 

Tsukeku found in Akabane’s “Treasured Words of Basho” (芭蕉遺語集) in the Gakumoto Basho Zenshu.

 

 

Floating grasses
tied in a bundle, pillow
firm and stable
Child of an ama diver                                    Gaku: 287
breastfeeds on the boat

 

うき草を / つかねて枕 / さだめけり

あまの子なれば / 舟に乳をのむ

 

Uki kusa o / tsukanete makura / sadamekeri

Ama no ko nareba / fune ni chi o nomu

 

Lilies of the field Gaku:                                          371
in crescent moon shadow
line up in bloom
To my dear children Gaku                                     371
what can compare?

 

三日月の / かげに笹百合 /さきならい

お子様がたを / 何にたとえむ

 

Mikazuki no / kage ni sasa / yuri sakinarai

o-kosama gata wo / nani ni tatoemu

 

 

Basho’s several hundred poems about women, children, friendship, love, and compassion are,

I believe, the most pro-female, child-centered, and life-affirming works in world literature.

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 Tsukeku Section 9 (K-09) (K-11) Verses Only: Tsukeku Section 1 >>


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