Saturday, June 2, 2012

Basho's Frog Haiku

Furu ike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto

--Basho


Old dark sleepy pool
quick unexpected frog
goes plop! Watersplash.
(trans. by Peter Beilenson)



Listen! a frog
Jumping into the stillness
Of an ancient pond!
(trans. by Dorothy Britton)



old pond
a frog leaps in —
a moment after, silence
(trans. by Ross Figgins)



The old pond, yes, and
A frog-jumping-in-the-
Water’s noise!
(trans. by G. S. Fraser)