At a roadside shrine,
before the stony buddha
a firefly burns
-Buson
With a woman friend,
bowing at the Great Palace--
a pale, hazy moon
-Buson
With no underrobes,
bare butt suddenly exposed--
a gust of spring wind
-Buson
Clinging to the bell
he dozes so peacefully,
this new butterfly
-Buson
Here in Shinano
are famous moons, and buddhas,
and our good noodles
-Issa
A flowering plum
and a nightingale's love song--
he remains alone
-Issa
The distant mountains
are reflected in the eye
of the dragonfly
-Issa
Those falling blossoms
all return to the branch when
I watch butterflies
-Moritake
Over the long road
the flower-bringer follows:
plentiful moonlight
-Kikaku
A single leaf falls,
then suddenly another,
stolen by the breeze
-Ransetsu
On the old plum tree,
one blossom by one blossom,
the spring thaw is born
-Ransetsu
"Don't touch!" my host cried,
then broke off and presented
a flowering plum
-Taigi
Since morning glories
hold my well-bucket hostage,
I beg for water
-Chiyo
Divine mystery
in these autumn leaves that fall
on stony buddhas
-Sogetsuni
In the poor man's house,
crossing the tatami mats,
a cold autumn wind
-Teiga
How very noble!
One who finds no satori
in the lightning-flash
-Basho
How reluctantly
the bee emerges from deep
within the peony
-Basho
Prompt: The Taste of Cheese
Aged wheel of delight,
Creamy whispers on my tongue,
Moonlight on the plate.