On New Year foods.
蓬莱に聞かばや伊勢の初便
| hōrai ni kikaba ya ise no hatsu tayori |
The feast is prepared, but What I would hear is Ise’s First missive. |
(1694)
Category Archives: Bashō
ōtsu e no
On taking up one’s brush: for the first three days [of the New Year] he kept his mouth shut [and composed no poetry], producing this on the fourth.
大津繪の筆のはじめは何佛
| ōtsu e no fude no hajime wa nani hotoke |
For an Ōtsu icon, The first stroke of the brush should draw Which Buddha? |
(1691)
ganjitsu wa
On New Year’s Day.
元日は田ごとの日こそ戀しけれ
| ganjitsu wa tagoto no hi koso koishikere |
On New Year’s Day, In every rice paddy the sun is more Dear. |
(1689)
ganjitsu ya
On New Year’s Day.
元日やおもへばさびし秋の暮
| ganjitsu ya omoeba sabishi aki no kure |
On New Year’s Day, Now I think of it, how sad is An autumn evening. |
(1683)
komo o kite
On the beginning of spring.
こもおきてたれ人ゐます花のはる
| komo o kite tarebito imasu hana no haru |
Wrapped in a straw mat Who can that be? In a spring full of flowers. |
(1690)
utagau na
On the beginning of spring: in praise of the sight of the beach at Futami.
うたがふな潮の花も浦の春
| utagau na ushio no hana mo ura no haru |
Be in no doubt: Tideflowers too, bring Spring to the shore. |
hokku nari
On the beginning of spring.
發句なり芭蕉桃靑宿の春
| hokku nari Bashô tôsei yado no haru |
There are verses! At Bashō Tōsei’s House it is springtime. |
(ca. 1686)
kabitan mo
tenbin ya
On the beginning of spring.
天びんや京江戸かけて千代の春
| tenbin ya kyô edo kakete chiyo no haru |
A balance: For the Capital and Edo both A thousand year’s of spring. |
(1675-76)
haru tatsu ya
On the new year.
春立や新年ふるき米五升
| haru tatsu ya shinnen furuki kome go shô |
Here comes spring! A new year, with old Rice-just enough! |
(ca 1684)