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My Favourite Haikus

By Taneda Santōka (種田山頭火) (1882-1940):
Translations by R.H. Blythe

しとどに濡れてこれは道しるべの石
This is the stone,
Drenched with rain,
That marks the way.

鉄鉢の中へも霰
Into the iron bowl also,
Hailstones.

By Fukuda Chiyo-ni (福田千代尼) (1703-1775, Edo period):

蜻蛉釣り今日はどこまで行ったやら
Dragonfly catcher,
How far have you gone today
In your wandering?

Her (the poet's) son passed away at a young age...

By Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶) (1763-1828):
Issa is one of the great four Haiku poets of Japan.

世の中や鳴虫にさい上づ下手 (? possibly incorrect)
Even with insects—
some can sing,
some can’t.

露の世は露の世ながらさりながら
This dewdrop world --
Is a dewdrop world,
And yet, and yet . . .