Haiku Poetry of Basho

Need some ideas for haiku of your own? Here are some beautiful examples of 
haiku poetry from the master poet—Basho.

10 Poems by Japanese Poet Basho

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Nature and poetry just seem to go together. The Japanese poet Basho is the undisputed master of Haiku poetry. Haiku is a short poetry form that often has nature as its theme. Basho’s poems are a good way to begin learning haiku and to enjoy nature poetry.

Basho (1644-1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo era in Japan. His poetry was admired for its simple and natural style. In Japan, many of his poems are inscribed on monuments, gardens, and temple sites. You may be inspired to write your own haiku poetry.

1.
An ancient pond 
A frog jumps in— 
The splash of water.

2. 
A field of cotton--
As if the moon

Had flowered.


3. 
Even a horse 
Arrests my eyes--
On this Snowy morrow.

4. 
Moonlight slanting 
Through the bamboo grove 
A cuckoo crying.

5. 
The she cat--
Grown thin

From love and barley.
6. 
Wrapping dumplings in 
Bamboo leaves, with one finger 
She tidies her hair.

7. 
Moonless night--
A powerful wind embraces

The ancient cedars.

8. 
Departing autumn

With hands spread open

Chestnut burs.

9. 
The sea darkens—

The voices of the wild ducks
 
Are faintly white.

10. 
Falling sick on a journey 
My dream goes wandering 
Over a field of dried grass.
(This is Basho’s final haiku before he died.)
Basho’s haiku poetry remains vibrant and well-loved centuries later. Poets still love to write in the haiku form. School children are taught to write in a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, but actually there is more variation than that. Want to try your hand at writing haiku? Read this Simple10s article, How to Write a Haiku Poem.

Read more about bringing the arts into your balanced life at Creative Arts.

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