“After the Gentle Poet Kobayashi Issa” by Robert Hass

New Year’s morning—

everything is in blossom!

   I feel about average.

xxxx

   A huge frog and I

staring at each other,

   neither of us moves.

xxxx

   This moth saw brightness

in a woman’s chamber—

   burned to a crisp.

xxxx

   Asked how old he was

the boy in the new kimono

   stretched out all five fingers.

xxxx

   Blossoms at night,

like people

   moved by music

xxxx

   Napped half the day;

no one

   punished me!

xxxx

Fiftieth birthday:

   From now on,

It’s all clear profit,

   every sky.

xxxx

   Don’t worry, spiders,

I keep house

   casually.

xxxx

   These sea slugs,

they just don’t seem

   Japanese.

xxxx

Hell:

   Bright autumn moon;

pond snails crying

   in the saucepan.

xxxx

Robert Hass, “After the Gentle Poet Kobayashi Issa” from Field Guide. Copyright © 1973 by Robert Hass.