The Haiku and Poems of
Iio Sogi (1421 - 1502)

Its house abandoned,
the garden has become home
to butterflies.

-

yo ni furu mo
sara ni shigure no
yadori kana

Passing through the world
Indeed this is just
A shelter from the shower.

Life in this world
is brief as time spent sheltered
from winter showers

-

mono goto ni
oi wa kokoro no
ato mo nashi

Everything that was
Has vanished from my aged heart
Leaving not a trace

-

yuki nagara
yamamoto kasumu
yube kana

Snow yet remaining
The mountain slopes are misty --
An evening in spring

~

Both grasses and trees
waiting for the moon
dewy evening

sumeba nodokeki
hi no moto mo nashi

yet even in the sun’s own land
anyone who lives
will suffer

-

yama kawa mo
kimi ni yoru yo o
itsuka min

shall we ever see
the time your reign brings lasting peace
to all hills and streams

-

iyashiki mo
mi o osamuru wa
aritsubeshi

among the lowborn too
must be some who spend their time
in tranquillity

-

Despite some snow
the base of hills spreads with haze
the twilight scene

-

morokoshi mo
ame shita to ya
tsurakaran

Does not china also
lie beneath this selfsame sky
bound in misery