Old masters of haiku.

These are in no particular order. These are by no means the most significant poems by each prominent poet: although these are the major figures in the history of haiku, the poems are merely the ones I found enjoyable. Alas! Not all people have the same taste. (Remember: you're unique, just like everybody else.) Therefore, your favorite poems by Basho may be different from my favorite poems by Basho. I'm just trying to give you a good sample, savvy? I have also tried to use poetry that doesn't involve specific places or myths, so that the poems don't need a whole host of explanations. Let's carry on.

Matsuo Basho

Basho is perhaps the most famous(est) of hobbits haiku poets. He wrote what may be the most well-known haiku:

Old pond--
and a frog-jump-in
water-sound. (1686)

[Furu-ike / ya / kawazu / tobi-komu / muzu-no-oto]
[Old-pond / : / frog / jump-in / water-sound]

Notice how I used it for the layout. d00d. Also take note of the word ya - a "cut-word"! This one is used like a colon.

Other poems I enjoy by Basho:

To bird and butterfly
unknown, a flower blooms:
the autumn sky. (date unknown)

[Cho / tori-no / shiranu / hana / ari / aki-no-sora]
[Butterfly / bird's / not-known / flower / there-is / autumn-sky]

Not even a hat--
and cold rain falling on me?
Tut-tut! Think of that! (date unknown)

[Kasa / mo / naki / ware / wo / shigururu ka / nanto-nanto]
[Hat / even / not / me / (on) / get-cold-rain? / what-not]

Here on the mountain pass,
somehow they draw one's heart so--
violets in the grass. (1685)

[Yama-ji / kite / naniyara / yukashi / sumire-gusa]
[Mountain-path / coming / in-some-wondrous-way / be-attractive / violet]

A lightning gleam:
into darkness travels
a night heron's scream. (1694)

[Inazuma / ya / yami-no-kata-yuku / goi-no / koe]
[Lightning / : / darkness-direction-go / night-heron's / voice]

Basho's pupils

Now this year goes away:
I've kept it hidden from my parents
that my hair is grey. (Etsujin, 1656-1739)

[Yukutoshi / ya / oya-ni / shiraga / wo / kakushi-keri]
[Departing-year / : / parents-from / white-hair / (accusative) / have-kept-hidden]

Up the barley rows,
stitching, stitching them together,
a butterfly goes. (Sora, 1648-1710)

[Kurikaeshi / mugi-no-une / nuu / kocho / kana]
[Again-and-again / barley-rows / stitching / butterfly / (end)]

This last one is an example in which I enjoy reading the literal translation more than the poetic translation:

Blooms on the plum,
redder and redder and still
redder they come! (Izen, 1646-1711)

[Ume-no-hana / akai / wa / akai / wa / akai / kana]
[Plum-blossoms / red / as-for / red / as-for / red / (end)]

Notice the two haiku above used kana, a very common ending "cut-word".

Other early 18th century poets

This poem is a simple exclamation of joy:

Cherry blossoms, more
and more now! Birds have two legs!
Oh, horses have four! (Onitsura, 1660-1738)

[Sakura / saku / koro / tori / ashi / ni / hon / ma / shi / hon]
[Cherries / bloom / time / birds / legs / two / piece / horses / four / piece]

They blossom, and then
we gaze, and then the blooms
scatter, and then-- (Onitsura)

[Saku / kara-ni / miru / kara-ni / hana-no / chiru / kara-ni]
[Blossom / after-at / look / after-at / blossom's / fall / after-at]

All round the rope a morning-glory clings;
How can I break it's beauty's dainty spell?
I beg for water from a neighbor's well. (Chiyo, 1703-1775)

[Asagao / ni / tsurube / torarete / morai / -mizu]
[Morning-glories / by / well-bucket / being-captured / ask-for-and-get / water]

Where the stream bed lies,
only there is darkness flowing:
fireflies! (Chiyo)

[Kawa / bakari / yami / wa / nagarete / hataru / kana]
[River / only / darkness / as-for / flowing / fireflies / (end)]

Taniguchi Buson (1715-83)

Not to be confused with bison, who were not very good poets At All.

On the temple bell
has settled, and is fast asleep,
a butterfly.

[Tsurigane-ni / tomarite / nemuru / kocho / kana]
[Temple-bell-on / settling / sleep / butterfly / (end)]

Scattered petals lie
on rice-seedling waters:
bright is the starlit sky.

[Sakura / chiru / nawa-shiro / mizu / ya / hoshi-zuki / yo]
[Cherries / scatter / rice-seedling / water / : / star-moon / night]

Short the night has been:
close beside my pillow
stands a silver screen.

[Mijika / yo / ya / makura / ni / chikaki / gin-byobu]
[Short / night / : / pillow / to / near / silver-screen]

Issa (1762-1826)

An extremely well-loved poet for the open style in which he wrote.

This dewdrop world--
a dewdrop world it is, and still,
although it is...

[Tsuyu-no-yo / wa / tsuyu-no-yo / nagara / sari / nagara]
[Dew-world / as-for / dew-world / while-it-is / so-be / while-it-is]

What a red moon!
And whose is it,
children?

[Akai / tsuki / kore / wa / taga-no / ja / kodomotachi]
[Red / moon / this / as-for / whose / is-it / children]

A little child starts to crawl,
then stops, and laughs--the shades
of autumn fall.

[Osanago / ya / warau / ni / tsukete / aki-no-kure]
[Little-child / : / laughter / by / taken / autumn-nightfall]

A lovely thing to see:
through the paper window's hole,
Heaven's river.

[Utsukushi / ya / shoji-no / ana-no / Ama-no-gawa]
[Lovely / : / sliding-door's / hole's / Heavenly-River]

Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)

Shiki was the first real master of the art of haiku for a long while after Issa died. I have only found two haiku of his which I particularly enjoy:

Spring moor:
for what do people go, for what
do they return?

[Haru-no-no / ya / nani-ni / hito / yuku / hito / kaeru]
[Spring-moor / : / what-for / people / go / people / return]

Night; and once again,
the while I wait for you, cold wind
turns into rain.

[Kimi / matsu / yo / mata / kogarashi-no / ame / ni / naru]
[You / await / night / again / cold-wind's / rain / to / becoming]

That's all, folks! If you got this far, good for you. Check out the newer forms of haiku (the ones that I don't have to give the Japanese for).