Bush Clover and the Moon

Renga With Basho #6 bush clover and the moon

cedar umbrellas, off
to Mount Yoshimo for
the cherry blossoms

young girls giggle
blushing with spring

the dragonfly
can’t quite land
on that blade of grass

life’s nuances
sometimes just out of reach

midfield,
attached to nothing,
the skylark singing

drinking in the cool air
refreshing my spirit

with every gust of wind,
the butterfly changes its place

on the willow
leaf mistaken for a satyrs
makes me laugh

staying at an inn
where prostitutes are also sleeping —
bush clover and the moon

slight breeze keeps the heat at bay
carries whispered voices

when the winter chrysanthemums go,
there’s nothing to write about
but radishes

it’s only spring
why lament the cold

Hokku (C) Matsuo Basho (Tr. Robert Hass)
Ageku (c) Dolores Fega