ek mendhak, bahar ki shaam aur ek gharib bachcha
mendhak ki chalaang
puranay chubachay main -
paani ki awaaz!
An old pond!
A frog jumps in-
The sound of water.
Koee na chalay
is raastay par lekin main
is bahar ki shaam
No one travels
Along this way but I,
This autumn evening.
ek gharib baccha
chawal ko kootay hooay
chaand ko dekhta hai
Poverty’s child -
he starts to grind the rice,
and gazes at the moon.
Note: English versions from
http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/#basho.
Translations from English by Ravi Kopra.