Quotes from Kobayashi Issa

Red morning sky - snail, are you glad of it?

HereI'm here-the snow falling.

Carrying a poppy he passes through the quarrel.

Not gifted with genius but honestly holding his experiences deep in his heart, he kept his simplicity and humanity.

Take a nap Making the mountain water Pound the rice.

All the time I pray to Buddha I keep on killing mosquitoes.

Never forget:we walk on hell, gazing at flowers.

Don't kill!... The fly is asking you To save his life By rubbing his hands together

In the city fields Contemplating cherry-trees... Strangers are like friends

There is no stranger under the cherry tree.

In the cherry blossom's shadethere's no such thingas a stranger.

In its eyethe far-off hills are mirrored—dragonfly!

What a strange thing! to be alive beneath cherry blossoms.

Summer night-- even the stars are whispering to each other.

Never forget: we walk on hell, gazing at flowers.

O snail Climb Mount Fuji But slowly, slowly!

Where there are humans, You'll find flies, And Buddhas.

In the cherry blossom's shade there's no such thing as a stranger.

Don't weep, insects -- Lovers, stars themselves, Must part.

Reflected in the dragonfly's eye -- mountains.

A world of grief and pain Flowers bloom Even then

All the time I pray to Buddha I keep on killing mosquitoes.

before the gate -- my walking stick's made a river of melting snow

This dewdrop world Is but a dewdrop world And yet —