1807
.はつ霜や何を願ひのきりぎりす
hatsu shimo ya naniwo negai no kirigirisu
first frost--
what are you praying for
katydid?
In a later version of this haiku (1809), Issa begins with "first snowfall" (hatsu yuki).
A katydid (kirigirisu) is a green or light brown insect, a cousin of crickets and grasshoppers. The males possess special organs on the wings with which they produce shrill calls. Although katydid is the closest English equivalent, many translators (such as R. H. Blyth) use the more familiar "grasshopper" and "cricket." See Haiku (Tokyo: Hokuseido, 1949-1952; rpt. 1981-1982/reset paperback edition) 4.1068-69.