An ancient pond...

by Matsuo Basho

Translated by William George Aston and published in A History of Japanese Literature, Chapter IV (1899). An ancient pond... was written by Matsuo Basho in 1681. Basho was considered the master of the haiku poetry form.

An ancient pond!
With a sound from the water
Of the frog as it plunges in.

Japanese: （ふるいけやかはずとびこむみずのおと） furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto

This poem is featured in our selection of 100 Great Poems.

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