Zagori Village, Zen Scenes, This Evening

"With monstrous head and sickening cry 

And ears like errant wings, 

The devil's walking parody 

On all four-footed things. 

The tattered outlaw of the earth, 

Of ancient crooked will; 

Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb, 

I keep my secret still. 

Fools! For I also had my hour; 

One far fierce hour and sweet: 

There was a shout about my ears, 

And palms before my feet." 

From “The Donkey”, G. K. Chesterton

"Butterflies flit

In a field of sunlight

That is all"

Basho

"The butterfly,
Even when pursued,
Never appears in a hurry"

Garaku, tr. R.H. Blyth

"Agitatedly

The swallow flies out

Of the golden chamber".

Buson, tr. R.H.Blyth

"The swallow
Turns a somersault;
What has it forgotten?"

Otsuyo, tr. R.H.Blyth

"The frog rises to the surface

By the strength 

Of its non-attachment"

Issa, tr. R.H.Blyth

"When it swims

The frog seems

Helpless"

Joso, tr. R.H. Blyth

"The old pond:

A frog jumps in-

The sound of  water".

Basho, tr. R.H.Blyth

Furu ike ya 

kawazu tobikomu 

mizu no oto

Matsuo Basho, Frog Haiku