(Mattaku kumo ga nai/ kasa wo nugi)
32. Drunk,
Found myself sleeping with crickets.
(Youte/ koorogi to/ nete itayo)
33. Sound of raindrops,
You're getting old, too.
(Amadare no oto mo/ toshi totta)
34. No more doors to beg,
Clouds o'er the mountains.
(Mono gou ie mo nakunari/ yama niwa kumo)
35. --Reminiscence--
My sedge-hat
Getting leaky at last.
(Kasa mo/ moridashita ka)
36. --Self-ridicule--
I'm leaving
With my backside wet
In late autumn rain.
Note: Another self of Santoka's is watching himself from behind with
self-scorn. He is dual-eyed, before and hind, like a frog
or a dragonfly.
(Ushiro sugata no/ shigurete yuku ka)
37. Into begging bowl of iron
Down came the hailstones.
(Teppachu no naka e mo arare)
38. My native town
Far, far away--
Burgeoning trees.
(Furusato wa/ tooku shite/ ki no me)
39. Getting out of a nice bath
Into lovely moonlight.
(Yoi yu kara/ yoi tsuki e deta)
40. Among budding trees
Birds are now singing.
(Haya mebuku ki de/ naite iru)
41. Something fell on my sedge-hat--
Camellia.
(Kasa e pottori/ tsubaki datta)
42. Eating fully enough with thanks,
I put down chopsticks;
All alone.
(Itadaite/ tarite hitori no/ hashi wo oku)
43. In autumn wind
I pick up a pebble.
(Akikaze no/ ishi wo hirou)
44. Alongside today's road
Dandelions in bloom.
(Kyo nomichi no/ tampopo saita)
--END OF BEGGING BOWL-- (44 ku /91 ku)
--Selected and translated by Takashi Nonin
Copyright <T.Nonin>
----------More will follow next time---------