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1811

春雨に大欠する美人哉

harusame ni ôakubi suru bijin kana

in the spring rain
a big yawn...
pretty woman

1819

鶏の抱かれて見たるぼたん哉

niwatori no dakarete mitaru botan kana

sitting on her eggs
the chicken admires
the peony

1812

ひとつ蚊の咽へとび込むさわぎ哉

hitotsu ka no nodo e tobikomu sawagi kana

one mosquito
flies down my throat
buzzing

1824

古雛やがらくた店の日向ぼこ

furu hina ya garakuta tana no hinata-boko

the old doll
in the junk store window
sunning herself

1818

ばか猫や縛れながら恋を鳴く

baka neko ya shibarare nagara koi wo naku

foolish cat, tied up
still crying
for love

1810

むさい家との給ふやうな雛哉

musai ya to no tamau yôna hiina kana

looking like she's enduring
my crappy house...
the doll

1820

長閑や鼠のなめる角田川

nodokasa ya nezumi no nameru sumida-gawa

spring peace--
a mouse licking up
Sumida River

1811

寒月や喰つきさうな鬼瓦

kangetsu ya kui tsuki sôna onigawara

like he's biting
the cold moon...
gargoyle

1804

山風を踏こたへたりみそさざい

yama kaze wo fumi kotaetari misosazai

fighting the mountain wind
on foot...
a wren

Haiku of Kobayashi Issa read by Keiko Higuchi-Vayman