Haiku of Japan #11–20 // Collection #2

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....


  1. Her Day Off


    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







  2. Autumn Crow


    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







  3. Faint Footprints


    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







  4. Alone on the Road


    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







  5. Autumn Begins


    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)





  6. Early Morning Moon-Viewing


    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)





  7. Mistaken for a Scarecrow


    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







  8. The Galactic River


    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







  9. The Love of Cats


    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.







  10. Autumn Waterfall


    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

Hi there! 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.
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