On Spring nights: at Hase.
春の夜や籠り人ゆかし堂の隅
| haru no yo ya komorido yukashi dō no sumi |
On this spring night A pilgrim draws me To a corner of the temple hall. |
(1688)
Category Archives: Hokku
hadaka ni wa
On the second month: on the 17th day of the Second Month, saying he was going out to Kamiji Mountain.
はだかにはまだ衣更着のあらし哉
| hadaka ni wa mada kisaragi no arashi kana |
I am naked, yet Still the Second Month’s Storms I feel. |
(1688)
konnyaku ni
On fresh herbs.
蒟蒻にけふは賣かつ若菜哉
| konnyaku ni kyô wa uri katsu wakana kana |
Rather than devil’s tongue Today you’ll sell more Fresh herbs, I think. |
(1688)
ta ga muko zo
On New Year foods.
誰が婿ぞ齒朶に餠おふ牛の年
| ta ga muko zo shida ni mochi ou ushi no toshi |
Whose son-in-law is it? Weighed down with rice-cake and fern is The ox he follows this year. |
(1685)
hōrai ni
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)
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
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. |