Haiku Passion.

Matsuo Bashô #659/657/655/668/672/681.

Tôko, the young medicine seller, with whom Bashô stayed in Kyôto,
asked him for admission into his school: he deemed Tôko not ready
to leave the secular life: both enjoy haïkaï, but to live it is something else:

Don't be like me --
haiku passion a melon
split into two halves.

Wees niet zoals ik
haiku-passie een meloen
in twee gespleten.


[白狐]

[MB659, summer, 1690.]
ware ni niru na / futatsu ni ware-shi / ma-kuwa-uri.

to me be-similar don't // into two split //
ma- = zhên = true, real, genuine;
kuwa- = sâng = mulberry;
uri = guâ = melon >> kind of a melon.
_ _ _

kaki = Japanese persimmon.

Wind from the river
I wear the light kaki-red
ah, evening coolness.


[白狐]

[MB657, summer, 1690.]
kawa kaze ya / usu-gaki ki-ta-ru / yuu suzumi.

kawa = river / kaze = wind / --
usu- = light, thin, weak. + persimmon fruit is in this case: red-orange.
ki-ta-ru = literally: (I) have put on > I wear.
yuu = evening.
suzu-mi = "cool + taste" > cooling oneself; enjoying the cool air.
_ _ _

Night viewing of fireflies on the river:

Firefly viewing --
the beastly boatman is drunk
unreliable.

Firefly viewing --
the beastly boatman is drunk
unsteady the boat.


[白狐]

[MB655, summer, 1690.]
hotaru mi ya / sen-dou youte / obotsukana.

firefly(-ies) viewing and/-- // boat + counter-for-large-beasts drunk //
unsteady/unreliable/uncertain/doubtful/&c.
_ _ _

Tsukími (Moon viewing parties) and
hanámi (blossom viewing parties)
good excuses for the obvious:

Moon viewing party
among the people there not
one beautiful face.


[白狐]

[MB668, autumn, 1690.]
tsukimi suru / za ni utsukushiki / kao mo nashi.

Moon-viewing-party hold // in- gathering/group/seat/place
beautiful/handsome // face not-one-there-is.
_ _ _

Kyôto was the official capital (up to 1868).
The Tokugawa Shôgunate resided in Edo (Tôkyô),
until it was overthrown in 1868.

To hear the wild geese
the palace city's autumn
I want to set out for.

Voor 't ganzengekwaak
wil ik mij begeven naar
de herfst der hoofdstad.


[白狐]

[MB672, autumn, 1690.]
kari kiki ni / miyako no aki ni / omomuka-n.

wild-goose/-geese listen/hear for(-reason) //
of- [都 miyako / 京 (Chinese) jîng = capital of a country >>
宮 miya/kyû = Shintô shrine; palace; princess; constellations.]
to-autumn // "incline"-(I-)want-to.
_ _ _

On a portrait by Priest Unchiku a face looking the other way:

Turn this way
I too feel lonely
autumn's end.


[白狐]

[MB681, autumn, 1690, at his Abode of Illusion.]
kochira muke / ware mo sabishiki / aki no kure.

this-way/in-my-direction turn (imp.) // I too lonely // autumn's end.
_ _ _

Source: "Bashô - The Complete Haiku", translated by Jane Reichhold.

And many thanks to: http://tangorin.com/