Twice I climbed those stone steps…
to the clear waters of the mountain…
this to me is life
– – – Taizan
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at the bottom, the stones
are moving – look! –
under the clear, clear water!
– – – Soseki Natsuma
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…quiet… …
a chestnut leaf spirals down
into the clear, clear water…
– – – Shohaku
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A leaping trout: –
and way at the bottom there,
clouds are drifting…in the clear, clear water
– – – Onitsura
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The stone-cutter’s
flying sparks flow right away
in the clear, clear water
– – – Buson
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A stone-cutter’s
chisel is cooling
in the clear spring water
– – – Buson
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The arrowroot water, please…
…and it’s so, so far to the closest clear, cool water
…and that is such a bitter cup…
– – – Buson
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To run right past my cabin…
… how should I re-route this creek…
…and its clear, clear water!!!???…
– – – Buson
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Maruyama Ohkyo asked me to write an inscription for his painting of a diminuitive fresh-water tortoise: “…I’d rather drag my tail through mud than seek fame in government…”
…this tiny coin-offering turtle…
…Aoto the dropped-coin-retriever will not see it
in the mountain creek’s cold, clear water!
– – – Buson
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Rich men, and bears, too,
come, drink
at the clear, clear water – – –
– – – Shiki
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A mountain temple…
…and under a long side-porch:
moss and clear water…
– – – Kito
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Where tumbling mountain creeks meet
a place where there is no sound…
…the clear, clear water…
– – – Buson
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…clear water… …cold in the mouth…
fireflies…and their vanishing…
… …nothing else…
– – – Chiyo Ni
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…from the azaleas:
the azaleas’ pure
water…
– – – Issa
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This clear, clear water…
…where ura and omote…
…never are – – –
– – – Chiyo- Ni
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– – – a single mouthful…not quite enough…
…this clear water
so very, very precious!!!!
– – – Shiki