On Prose: The Haiku: Matsuo Basho

Spring is slowly giving way to summer and before that happens I would like to capture the essence of spring, present and passing, while welcoming the warm summer months. This being said, I am going to dedicate the month of May to the Haiku. Definition from The New Oxford American Dictionary:

haiku |ˈhīˌkoō; ˌhīˈkoō|

noun ( pl. same or -kus )a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world.• an English imitation of this.ORIGIN Japanese, contracted form of haikai no ku ‘light verse.’

Matsuo Basho, Autumn. Source:
http://montanawriter.com/2010/12/31/poetry-review-matsuo-basho/

I find the Haiku beautifully expresses nature in a concise and vivid form. Every couple of days during this month I will share a Haiku ranging from Matsuo Basho and his school to the late Tokugawa period or Edo period (1603-1867) in Japanese history. All of the works featured will be taken from my Anthology of Japanese Literature compiled and edited by Donald Keene. Since I have both the english translation and the romanized japanese words, I will be included both, the english and the japanese. The first is going to be by Matsuo Basho, one of the most famous and iconic Haiku masters.

A village where they ring Kane tsukanuno bells! –oh, what do they do mura wa nani wo kaat dusk in spring? haru no kure.–How very cool it feels: Hiya-hiya to taking a noonday nap, to have kabe wo fumaetethis wall against my heels. hirune kana.