Festival of Souls.

A year before during the Festival of Souls Jutei, who, I presume, was
a good lady-friend of Bashô's and had lived nearby before moving into
his house after he had left on his trip to Iga, -- had died in his house:

Do not think one's life
has amounted to nothing
Festival of Souls.


[白狐]

[Matsuo Bashô # 978, autumn(??) > summer, 1694.]
kazu nara-nu / mi to na omoï so / tama matsuri.

"number(s) total/amount--not // oneself (quote) don't think thus //
Tama Matsuri = Bon Festival."

> Ôbon, comparable to All Souls, these days held on August 13 to 16.
In Kyôto on the 16th concluding Ôbon five big bonfires are lit --
followed by dances -- on the hills around the city.
_ _ _

Source: "Bashô - The Complete Haiku", translated by Jane Reichhold.