New Year’s morning— 
everything is in blossom! 
 I feel about average. 
 A huge frog and I 
staring at each other, 
 neither of us moves. 
 This moth saw brightness 
in a woman’s chamber— 
 burned to a crisp. 
 Asked how old he was 
the boy in the new kimono 
 stretched out all five fingers. 
 Blossoms at night, 
like people 
 moved by music 
 Napped half the day; 
no one 
 punished me! 
Fiftieth birthday:
 From now on, 
It’s all clear profit, 
 every sky. 
 Don’t worry, spiders, 
I keep house 
 casually. 
 These sea slugs, 
they just don’t seem 
 Japanese. 
Hell:
 Bright autumn moon; 
pond snails crying 
 in the saucepan.


 



