Haiku

Kobayashi issa
Translated by Geoffrey Bownas

Melting snow:
And on the village
Fall the children.

*After a long winter, spring came and all of the children in the village come out and play.

Beautiful, seen through holes
Made in a paper screen:
The milky way.

*As the look through the holes of their windows/doors/walls, beautiful scenery of paradise they see, the sky, could, the running water, trees and the sunlight.

Far-off mountain peaks
Reflected on its eyes:
The dragonfly.

*Far away from the highest mountain a bird flying up high is what she/he saw.

A world of dew:
Yet within the dewdrops
Quarrel.

*After a long winter, spring came where the droplets of water are racing to fall.

Viewing the cherry-blossoms
Even as they walk:
Grumbling.

*As they have walked and passed looking at the cherry-blossoms they feel delightful moment and rejoice in their eyes.

With bland serenity
Gazing at the far hills:
A tiny frog.

*A gentle-calmness feeling he/she feels as he/she saw a tiny frog(animal) or a human at the far hills.