No Christian burial? Ah, he'll sleep as sound
As the old Jew who, by Beth-Peor, had
God for a sexton.

Qvægende sødt de klare Perler bæve,
Kiøligt de giennem mit luftige Legem gaae.
Let forfrisket jeg vil mig af Badet nu hæve
Med min husvalede Æther, blaa.

Before you lecture a thirsty person,

give them water.

      The single clenched fist lifted and ready,
     Or the open asking hand held out and waiting.
               Choose:
     For we meet by one or the other.

Clouds bring back to mind her dress, the flowers her face.
Winds of spring caress the rail where sparkling dew-drops cluster.
If you cannot see her by the jewelled mountain top,
Maybe on the moonlit Jasper Terrance you will meet her.

Chilling autumn rains
curtain Mount Fuji, then make it
more beautiful to see

Ady, the sun's light to our eyes is dear,
And fair the tranquil reaches of the sea,
And flowery earth in May, and bounding waters;
And so right many fair things I might praise;
Yet nothing is so radiant and so fair
As for souls childless, with desire sore-smitten,
To see the light of babes about the house.

Children imitating cormorants
are even more wonderful
than cormorants.


Translated by Robert Hass

Their smoke obstructed the October sun
and burnt our throats and brought tears to our eyes.
One time we went behind the backyard shed
to see who freed them, kites into our skies.
Some still aflame, some charred, some brownish dun,
they rose into a heaven made of lead.

The wind billowing out the seat of my britches,
My feet crackling splinters of glass and dried putty,
The half-grown chrysanthemums staring up like accusers,
Up through the streaked glass, flashing with sunlight,
A few white clouds all rushing eastward,
A line of elms plunging and tossing like horses,
And everyone, everyone pointing up and shouting!