From ‘The Four Seasons. Japanese Haiku Second Series’ Translation by Peter Beilenson

Spring
A CHILDLESS HOUSEWIFE …
HOW TENDERLY
SHE TOUCHES
LITTLE DOLLS FOR SALE

- RANSETSU



OH YOU BAWDY BREEZE …
THATCHER BENDING
ON THE ROOF
I SEE THE BOTTOM

- ISSA



SPRING MORNING MARVEL …
LOVELY NAMELESS
LITTLE HILL
ON A SEA OF MIST

- BASHO



PAPER-WEIGHTS PROTECT
GAY PICTURE-BOOKS
IN THE SHOP …
INQUISITIVE BREEZE

- KITO



GOOD MORNING, SPARROW …
WRITING ON MY
CLEAN VERANDA
WITH YOUR DEWY FEET

- SHIKI


Summer
HANDS UPON THE GROUND
OLD ARISTOCRATIC FROG
RECITES HIS POEM

- SOKAN



SOFTLY FOLDED FAWN
SHIVERS, SHAKING OFF
THE BUTTERFLY …
AND SLEEPS AGAIN

- ISSA



RAINY AFTERNOON …
LITTLE DAUGHTER
YOU WILL NEVER
TEACH THAT CAT TO DANCE

- ISSA



EXPERIMENTING …
I HUNG THE MOON
ON VARIOUS
BRANCHES OF THE PINE

- HOKUSHI



THE DEVOTED CLERK …
NOT TO WASTE
A JOT OF BREEZE
NAPS ON A LEDGER PILLOW

- ISSA



I SCOOPED UP THE MOON
IN MY WATER
BUCKET … AND
SPILLED IT ON THE GRASS

- RYUHO


Autumn

NIGHTS ARE GETTING COLD …
NOT A SINGLE INSECT
NOW
ATTACKS THE CANDLE

- SHIKI


Winter

THE OLDDOG LIES INTENT
LISTENING …
DOES HE OVERHEAR
THE BURROWING MOLES?

- ISSA