Yamaguchi Seishi haiku translations

Yamaguchi Seishi haiku translations

Grasses wilt:
the braking locomotive
grinds to a halt.
― Yamaguchi Seishi, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Ceaseless chaos―
ice floes clash
in the Soya straits.
― Yamaguchi Seishi, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Once they’ve crossed the sea,
winter winds can never return.
― Yamaguchi Seishi, loose translation by Michael R. Burch
(Written in October 1944 as Kamikaze pilots were flying out to sea.)

Banish the snow
for the human torpedo
now lies exploded.
―Yamaguchi Seishi (1901-1994), loose translation by Michael R. Burch

The sky hangs low
over Karafuto,
as white as the spawning herring.
―Yamaguchi Seishi (1901-1994), loose translation by Michael R. Burch