Inspired by Basho

solitary crow
conspicuous in bare limbs
of an autumn tree

the caw of a crow
echoes hollow loneliness
in leafless seasons

© Kim M. Russell, 2016

lonely-crow

Image by David Russell

My response to Carpe Diem Universal Jane #7 Basho (the translations)

This Wednesday sees a new episode of Universal Jane, a weekly feature in which we honour Jane Reichhold, connoisseur of Basho translations. In her book The Complete Haiku of Basho, she published all Basho’s haiku. Chèvrefeuille has shared a few of Jane’s translations of Basho’s haiku to inspire us:

rabbit-ear iris
how much it looks like
its image in water

a morning of snow
only the onions in the garden
blaze the trail

during the night
the bamboo freezes
a morning of frost

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

 

10 thoughts on “Inspired by Basho”

  1. Kim…these are so beautiful. Il love Basho, and understand that Jane R. recently died. Right now I am looking at a dawn sky….blue and streaked with a beautiful peach red. How lovely and inspiring to poetry!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Sounds wonderful – it’s a sunny midday here and I have to put the cats in their carrier and basket to go to a lovely lady who looks after them for me when I’m away. Mojo the kitten will pine – she thinks I’m her mother! I#ll be switching the computer off and ducking off the radar for a couple of days. I’ll see you in cyberspsce when I get back!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.