盗人に取り残されし窓の月
nusubito ni torinokosareshi mado no tsuki

the thief
left it
the moon at my window
—Ryōkan

laspina.org/the-thief-an...

#haiku #shortpoems #japanesepoetry

永き日も囀り足らぬひばり哉
nagaki hi mo saezuri taranu hibari kana

all the long day—
but still not tired of singing,
the skylark
—Bashō

I give a more literal translation in the post and explore meaning, connecting it with a poem from the Man’yōshů.

laspina.org/the-skylarks...

#haiku #Bashō #japanesepoetry

いつまで旅することの爪をきる
itsu made tabi suru koto no tsume o kiru

how much longer
my traveling?
cutting my nails
—Santōka

laspina.org/santokas-hai...

#haiku

大猫よはやく行け行け妻が鳴く
ō neko yo hayaku ike ike tsuma ga naku

hey, big tomcat
get moving already!
the wife’s calling
—Issa

laspina.org/tomcat-your-...

#haiku #cats #spring

早き朝聞き入れたりや鳥の声
hayaki asa kikiiretari ya tori no koe

up early
listening to the birds
sing

laspina.org/up-early-listening…#haikuk#springng

白梅に明くる夜ばかりとなりにけり
shiraume ni akuru yo bakari to nari ni keri

among the plum blossoms
the darkness gives way
to dawn
—Buson

#haiku #buson #smallpoems

laspina.org/the-coming-d...

I wrote this a few weeks ago after a warm spell in the winter and then a return to cold.

静かな夜残る寒さやまだここに
shizuka na yoru nokoru samusa ya mada koko ni

quiet outside
and cold; winter is still
here

laspina.org/winter-remai...

#haiku #winter

座禅して沈黙の音大きくて
zazenshite chinmoku no oto ookikute

sitting in zazen
the silence—
so loud

laspina.org/zazen-and-silence-…#haikuk#shortpoeme#zazenen