Middle Seasons Haikus

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I realized how much I love haiku... the focus on sense, season, wit.  

I thought that maybe each for the 36 middle seasons could have a "standing haiku" that is appropriate for each middle season. Here are some of my favorites, divided into the "normal" seasons, rather than middle seasons.

 

Spring

From all these trees,

In the salads, the soups, everywhere,

Cherry blossoms fall.    Basho Matsuo

 

Sitting quietly,

Doing Nothing,Spring Comes,

and the grass grows by itself.   Basho Matsuo

 

The snow is melting

and the village is flooded

with children.  Kobayashi Issa

 

In spring rain

a pretty girl

yawning.  Kobayashi Issa

 

An iris

Spattered with the droppings

Of a hawk. Yosa Buson

 

I must go there today --

Tomorrow the plum blossoms

Will scatter.

by Ryokan (Tr. John Stevens)

 

The moon is up:

Plum blossom shadows

Fall on my pillow
Natsume Soseki

"spring rain -- all things on earth become beautiful" Chiyo-ni

"What they are ー I don't know. But they're all blooming." Santoka

 "the last snow pile -- even the sparrows make fun of it" Issa Kobayashi 

"The snow of yesterday That fell like cherry blossoms Is water once again" Gozan  

"The thistles ― How vivid! After the morning rain." Santoka

Summer

The dragonfly

Can't quite land

On that blade of grass  Basho Matsuo

 

A bee

Staggers out

Of the peony  Basho Matsuo

 

It's not like anything

They compare it to --

The summer moon.  Basho Matsuo

"this world

is full of needles and thorns...

yet lotus blooms..."    

           ― Issa Kobayashi (tr. Gabi Greve)

Autumn

Deep into autumn

and this caterpillar

still not a butterfly  Basho Matsuo

 

A crow

Has settled on a bare branch--

Autumn evening.  Basho Matsuo

 

 

Winter

Even that old horse

is something to see this

snow-covered morning Basho Matsuo

 

Blow of an ax,

Pine scent

The winter woods  Yosa Buson

 

Over the wintry

forest, winds howl in rage

with no leaves to blow.
Natsume Soseki

 

A crow takes off, leaving

The winter tree shaking

In the evening sun. 
Natsume Soseki 

"The snow of yesterday That fell like cherry blossoms Is water once again" Gozan 

 

"only halfway forced isolation... my winter seclusion" Issa Kobayashi 

 

"the last snow pile -- even the sparrows make fun of it" Issa Kobayashi  

 

"Even in Kanazawa watching snow falling I long for Kanazawa"