Wild Violets under a Bridge.

CHIYO-NI (1703-75), Edo Time Haiku Poetess.

# 1

On a summer evening
having sex is amazing
under a bridge.

# 2

A woman's desires
root deep into the earth
like wild violets.

# 3

Despite the cool breeze
I feel sad behind my wide sleeve,
until I fall asleep.

Behind my wide sleeve
I feel sad despite the cool breeze,
until I fall asleep.

# 4

A woman's heart
isn't hung like cloth
for midsummer airing.

No midsummer airing
of a woman's heart
it knows no rest.

# 5

To the hands
that crush a plum blossom
it gives them fragrance.

# 6

Dawn of the cherry blossoms,
even the shadows of the Moon
stand still for a while.

# 7

My release money paid,
alone I wake up from sleep
to the cold of night.

#8

Sleeping alone --
the frosty night wakes me up:
I feel really awake !!

# 9

I look at this world
then I look at the Moon
yours sincerely, I guess . . .


Thanks to http://tangorin.com/
and [MH:] http://www.michaelhaldane.com/HaikuNonJapanese.htm

_ _ _ _ _

NOTES:

# 1

natsu no yo no
chigiri osoroshi
hashi no shimo.


MH:[a summer's evening's
vow (having sex) is appalling (amazing, terrific);
frost (in summer? > under) on the bridge]

[の下 no shimo = under // 霜 shimo = frost.
chigiri = 1. vow; 2. having sex >
"vow" as in "between you and me"; 3. fate, karma.
osoroshi(-i) = terrible, but also: amazing.]
___

# 2

ne wo tsukete
onago no yoku ya
sumire-sō.


MH:[woman’s passion
taken root;
wild violets]
___

# 3

suzukaze ya
tamoto ni shimete
ne-iru made.


MH:[coolish breeze –
ensconced in my sleeves
until sleep]
___

# 4

kaketaranu
onna-gokoro ya
doyōboshi.


MH:[never enough
a woman’s heart;
(mid-)summer airing (of clothes)]

[kakeru - t - aru - nu = isn't-hanging/hung.]
___

# 5

ta-oraruru
hito ni kaoru ya
ume no hana,


MH:[fragrant
to the hand that breaks –
plum-blossom]

to person (hito ni) 's hand (ta=te) that breaks (oraruru=oru/oreru)
a plum blossom (ume no hana) it gives fragrance (kaoru).
___

# 6

tsukikage mo
tatazumu ya hana no
asaborake.


MH:[the moon’s shadow,
too, pauses – cherry-
blossom dawn]

>> cherry blossoms are prized over all other blossoms/flowers !!
___

# 7

mi-agari ni
hitori nezame no
yosamu kana.


MH:[her body-debt paid,
she wakes up alone –
ah, the cold of night]

mi-agari: the money paid to obtain a prostitute’s release.
mi = body, person. / agari = money from earnings. >> release money.
hitori ne-zame no yo-samu =
"the cold of night of waking up to from sleep alone"
___

# 8

hitorine no
samete shimoyo wo
satori keri.


MH:[sleeping alone
wakened by the chilling night
and aware]
___

# 9

tsuki mo mite
ware wa kono yo wo
kashiku kana.


MH:[and I saw the moon;
now to this world
farewell]

"Moon too seeing / I -- this world (acc.) / ~~ . . ."
_________