High wind—tea
leaves whip against
the brushwood gate.
***
Orchid—breathing
incense into
butterfly's wings.
***
Loneliness—
caged cricket dangling
from the wall.
***
Samurai talk—
tang
of horse-radish.
***
Cuckoo's cry,
bouncing
on lake-waves.
***
Irises blooming
from my feet—
sandals laced in blue.
***
Old fan scribbled
with poems—
shredded by summer's end.
***
Dying cricket—
how full of
life, his song.
***
Shower of white
plum blossoms—
where are the cranes?
____________________
Today's poems are from On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho, translated from the Japanese with an introduction by Lucien Stryk, Penguin Books, 1985.
leaves whip against
the brushwood gate.
***
Orchid—breathing
incense into
butterfly's wings.
***
Loneliness—
caged cricket dangling
from the wall.
***
Samurai talk—
tang
of horse-radish.
***
Cuckoo's cry,
bouncing
on lake-waves.
***
Irises blooming
from my feet—
sandals laced in blue.
***
Old fan scribbled
with poems—
shredded by summer's end.
***
Dying cricket—
how full of
life, his song.
***
Shower of white
plum blossoms—
where are the cranes?
____________________
Today's poems are from On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho, translated from the Japanese with an introduction by Lucien Stryk, Penguin Books, 1985.
—Medusa
Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)