muddy clogs
beside each gate;
Spring is here.
"don't swat!"
the fly rubs its hands,
then rubs its feet.
autumn rain,
a small sumo wrestler
pushes through.
sleeping in a row,
the Shinano mountains:
under snow blanket.
In Japanese:
門門の下駄の泥より春立ちぬ
やれ打つな蠅が手を摺り足をする
秋の雨小さき角力通りけり
寝ならぶやしなのの山も夜の雪
From: Wilson, William Scott. 2023. A Beginners Guide to Japanese Haiku. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 224pp.
autumn grasses sway to a different rhythm than in summer's youth.
in Summer grass, resides the remnants of warrior dreams.
Japanese: 夏草や兵共がゆめの跡; natsugusa ya // tsuwamonodomo ga // yume no ato
sitting on a rock, feet dangling in the stream, thwarting summer heat.
such light green leaves
for the end of summer:
doesn’t that tree know?
it’s cool & rainy,
but the canopy is green:
last days of summer.
spheres of fluff hold strong against a breeze... until they don't.
summer sun so bright
the sunflowers take a break,
& turn backs to light.
cool, idyllic day:
summer rallies a last stand,
before the Fall.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 