Japanese 5-7-5 haiku about love for English three line

Most of the themes of Japanese haiku are about nature or everyday life, but still there are excellent poems of love from Edo period to the present day.

Haiku poem’s definition, examples and format(Japanese and English)

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1.Ochi Etsujin(1656-?)

<Japanese>
うらやまし思ひ切る時猫の恋
Urayamashi/ Omoi-kiru toki/ Neko no koi
<English>

Four Cats In Different Poses by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

It’s enviable.
The gracefulness of
The cat’s love.
*It seems like a haiku stalled in love, but apparently it is a poem about lost love. It represents a man’s lingering mind…

2.Takahama Kyoshi(1874-1959)

<Japanese>
虹立ちて　忽ち君の　在る如し
Nizi tachite/ Tachimachi kimi no/ Aru gotoshi
<English>
The rainbow stands
In a moment
As if you are here.
*The feeling when the rainbow appears neaby, it resembles what the lover comes up.

3.Sugita Hisajo(1890-1946)

<Japanese>
枯野路に　影かさなりて　わかれけり
Karenoji ni/ Kage kasanarite/ Wakare keri
<English>
On the path in the desolate field,
The shadows overlapped and
Parted.
*It is a haiku poem of almost like a a scene out of movies.

4.Hashimoto Takako(1899-1963)

<Japanese>
雪はげし　抱かれて息の　つまりしこと
Yuki hageshi/ Dakarete iki no/ Tsumarishi koto
<English>
It snows violently,
I am hugged
And choked.
*The word of “violently” modifies not only “snows” but also haggued.

Zojoji Temple in Snow(1929)

Ukiyo-e by Kawase Hasui

5.Mitsuhashi Takajo(1899-1972)

<Japanese>
鞦韆は　漕ぐべし愛は　奪うべし
Shusen ha/ Kogubeshi ai ha/ Ubau beshi
<English>
You should swing
A swing, and you should
Steal love.
*shusen: The old Japanese word means for a swing. The Current poeple use “buranko”(ブランコ). In haiku, a swing is in the spring of the season words.

6.Suzuki Masajo(1906-2003)

<Japanese>
死なうかと　囁かれしは　蛍の夜
Shinouka to/ Sasayakareshi ha/ Hotaru no yo
<English>
“Shall we die?”
Wispered to me
At night of firefly.
*Firefly evoke us thought of an ephemeral life.

7.Katsura Nobuko(1914-2004)

<Japanese>
ゆるやかに　着て人と逢ふ　蛍の夜
Yuruyaka ni/ Kite hito to au/ Hotaru no yo
<English>
I wear loosely
And meet the man
At the night of firefly.

*The way of loose wearing kimono meant trust a man.

8.Takayanagi Shigenobu(1923-1983)

<Japanese>
きみ嫁けり　遠き一つの　訃に似たり
Kimi yukeri/ Tooki hitotsu no/ Fu ni nitari
<English>
You married.

It’ like a deth note
From far away.

9.Mayuzumi Madoka(1962-)

<Japanese>
会ひたくて　逢ひたくて踏む　薄氷
Aitakute/ Aitakute fumu/ Usugouri
<English>
I want to see
And to meet you
With stepping on the thin ice.
*”会ひ” and “逢う” are in same pronounced and a similar meaning. Furthermore, it is so excellent that the later “逢” means men and women ‘s tryst.

10.Otaka Sho(1977-)

<Japanese>
逢ふことも　過失のひとつ　薄暑光
Aukotomo/ Kashitsu no hitotsu/ Hakusho-kou
<English>
Meeting is
One of the accidents.
The sunshine at the beginning of the summer.
*Meeting, accidents, getting stronger sunshine. These are unavoidable to lift up the mual feelings for lovers.