black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Sadly, I part from you; Like a clam torn from its shell, I go, and autumn too.

Matsuo Basho

Between our two lives there is also the life of the cherry blossom.
MATSUO BASHO

Live Nature Ourselves Tree
How much I desire! Inside my little satchel, the moon, and flowers.
MATSUO BASHO

Desire Flower Moon Myself
Old pond, leap-splash – a frog.
MATSUO BASHO

Frog Old
April’s air stirs in Willow-leaves, a butterfly Floats and balances.
MATSUO BASHO

Balance Butterfly Leaves
Nothing in the cry of cicadas suggests they are about to die.
MATSUO BASHO

Cry Death Flower
Seek not the paths of the ancients; Seek that which the ancients sought.
MATSUO BASHO

Journey Path Seek Wisdom
Go to the pine if you want to learn about the pine, or to the bamboo if you want to learn about the bamboo. And in doing so, you must leave your subjective preoccupation with yourself. Otherwise you impose yourself on the object and you do not learn.
MATSUO BASHO

Knowledge Learning Leaving Nature Wisdom Yourself
Felling a tree and gazing at the cut end – tonight’s moon.
MATSUO BASHO

Fall Moon Night Tree
First snow-falling-on the half-finished bridge.
MATSUO BASHO

Bridge Fall Snow
Plunge Deep enough in order to see something that is hidden and glimmering.
MATSUO BASHO

Enough Hide Order See
I felt quite at home, / As if it were mine sleeping lazily / In this house of fresh air.
MATSUO BASHO

Air Home Quite Sleep
Collecting all The rains of May The swift Mogami River.
MATSUO BASHO

Collection Rain River Water
How I long to see among dawn flowers, the face of God.
MATSUO BASHO

Face Flower God Myself See
The haiku that reveals seventy to eighty percent of its subject is good. Those that reveal fifty to sixty percent, we never tire of.
MATSUO BASHO

Goodness Hide Mystery Poem Reveal
No matter where your interest lies, you will not be able to accomplish anything unless you bring your deepest devotion to it.
MATSUO BASHO

Accomplishment Deep Devotion Interest Yourself
When composing a verse let there not be a hair’s breath separating your mind from what you write; composition of a poem must be done in an instant, like a woodcutter felling a huge tree or a swordsman leaping at a dangerous enemy.
MATSUO BASHO

Breathe Compose Dangerous Enemy Fall Hairs Mindset Tree Writing

Sadly, I part from you; Like a clam torn from its shell, I go, and autumn too.

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Sadly, I part from you; Like a clam torn from its shell, I go, and autumn too.

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Popular Authors

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