Classic Poem

" Visiting Fukagawa "
Broad bean flowers have bloomed alongside a wheat field
daytime, a clapper rail darts by in a rivulet
rain but not enough to come through the jacket
a furtive look inside, and they're carousing
no one's sleeping in the bedroom — the evening moon
with a thud a fence falls in the autumn wind
a cricket begins to chirp from under firewood
she makes plans for work during the night
her young sister was asked to be a bride by a good family
she first sends a letter to the priest
the wind is gentle and a daybreak crow flies by, calling
he goes to see the spot where a house was swept away by a flood
loach soup — he's better at it than young men
he puts on sale at a lower price the tea he bought
this spring, I'd say, flower-viewing was quiet
I feel sorry for the withered willow at this late date
the remains of snow peeled off, and the hazy moon
after rolling up the bedding she's lost in thought
" We've broken up with our insolent neighbor "
he lets in a beggar-monk
something that makes him weep secretly happened in his reed hut
he asks about the money he left
sleeping with his clothes on, stiffened, he perspires
seeing the guest off, he holds up the candlestick
while there's time he measures the thickness of snow
he was praised for having paid his taxes
" Grandpa's healthy, I should congratulate him on his gray hair "
" I can't stand this Tanabata sun "
" I want my yams to mature in time for the bright moon "
panting, he carries sweetfish that have just spawned
the traffic at this station has lately dwindled
the bell at the foot of the hill is almost inaudible
a gentle wind begins to blow on banners of clouds
above bleaching cloths skylarks sing
only women are out to view the blossoms
picking no plants but violets, dandelions