When travelers stayed in a temple, they were expected to perform some work like sweeping out their rooms and or sweeping up the garden or make a payment in some kind. Basho was now alone, because Sora had traveled on ahead of him. When Basho went to leave the temple, some monks stopped him by asking for the payment of at least a poem. Sora had stayed the night before in the same temple and had left the following verse for Basho.
yomosugara aki kaze kiku ya ura no yama
all night long
hearing autumn winds
in the mountain behind
One wonders if 'the mountain behind' was Basho, and if he 'autumn winds' were Basho's cold feelings. It is easy to see, how on a journey of this length (2400 km) two friends could get very tired of each other.
The following haiku by Basho, he wrote as a payment for his stay at the temple.
niwa hou te ide baya tera ni chiru yanagi
to sweep the garden
before I leave
falling willow leaves
A wonderful haiku I think. I love this verse and I have written the next one. I hope that my haiku will be in the same tone and sense as Basho's.
tears in my eyes
I give Honeysuckle blossom
when I leave
In 'My Narrow Road' I have used some of the traditions as they were used in ancient Japan. This verse I wrote for friends as payment for staying at their home.
It's for sure in Chevrefeuille's Spirit and I think ... also in the Spirit of Basho.
Another one also from 'My Narrow Road'.
a bound verse (*)
farewell gift for my host
and blossom petals
(*) a renga was also called a 'bound verse'.
This one I wrote for the host of a bed & breakfast in Nikko.
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| Sora and Basho |
Sincerely,
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