Welcome to the second collection of haiku from my Haiku of Japan series. This collection reprints no 11–20 of the series. As with the recent Beautiful Japan collection, Steemit isn't set up to allow me to change the numbers, so let's just pretend 1-10 is really 11-20.
I am giving the haiku themselves, along with a photo, usually a woodblock print. If you want commentary on the poem, click the poem title to visit my post on that specific haiku. All translations are mine unless otherwise stated.
Without further ado, here we go....
身あがりに独ねざめの夜寒哉
miagari ni hitori
nezame no
yosamu kana
—Chiyo-ni
on her day off
the prostitute wakes up alone
ah, the cold of night
枯朶に烏のとまりけり秋の暮
kareeda ni
karasu no tomari keri
aki no kure
—Basho
on a withered branch
sits a crow
autumn nightfall
みじか夜や足跡浅き由比ヶ浜
Mijika yo ya
Ashiato asaki
Yui-ga-hama
—Buson
short summer night
Faint footprints on the sand
Yui-ga-hama
この道や行く人なしに秋のくれ
Kono michi ya
yuku hito nashini
aki no kure
—Basho
on this road
goes no one
autumn evening
星既に秋の眼をひらきけり
Hoshi sude ni
aki no manako wo
hirakikeri
—Ozaki Koyo
The stars have already
opened
their autumn eyes
(Tr. Janine Beichman)
あさむつや月見の旅の明け離れ
Asamutsu ya
tsukimi no tabi no
ake-banare
—Basho
six in the morning—
my trip for moon-viewing
ends at dawn
(Tr. Gabi Greve)
うかと来て我をかがしの替哉
uka to kite
ore wo kagashi no
kawari kana
—Issa
absent-minded
I'm the scarecrow's
replacement
うすうすとしかもさだかに天の川
usu-usu to
shika mo sadaka ni
amanogawa
—Kiyozaki Toshio
slightly faint
yet clear
the milky way
うらやまし思ひ切る時猫の恋
Urayamashi
omoi-kiru toki
neko no koi
—Etsijin
It’s enviable.
The gracefulness of
The cat’s love.
大瀑布秋の声を添ふ
daibakufu
hitosuji aki no
koe o sou
—Shinoda Teijiro
big waterfall
joining its constant roar
autumn's voice
And there we go. Hope you enjoyed. Remember, you can click on the title of each haiku to go to the original post on that haiku where I give some commentary on the poem and perhaps some insight.
Feel free to use any of these translations anywhere you want, but if you do, please credit me (or the proper translator). I ask that not so much because of my ego, but as a haiku reader myself I always want to know who did the translation so I can find more from them if I like it, so I'm always slightly annoyed when a web site or book doesn't provide that info.
Needless to say, if you enjoyed any of these, follow me for more. I try to post one a day. Sometimes I miss a day if work or family gets in the way, but I do try to keep up.
Which one was your favorite?
BTW, if you enjoyed this, check out the first haiku collection here
❦
David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. |