On the Road, by BASHO

Tired,

looking for a place to stay;

hanging wisteria.

The jars of octopus--

brief dreams

under the summer moon.

Exciting at first,

then sad,

watching the cormorant-fishing.

Blowing stones

along the road on Mount Asama,

the autumn wind.

Seeing people off,

being seen off--

autumn in Kiso.

It’s not like anything

they compare it to--

the summer moon.

From “The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson and Issa” edited by Robert Haas. (The Ecco Press: $25.) 1994 Reprinted by permission.