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Poets/Matsuo Basho/Fleas, lice

Fleas, lice

A poem by Matsuo Basho

Translated by
Robert Hass
Collection
The Essential Haiku
Year
1994
Discussion
4 comments
Portrait of Matsuo Basho
Matsuo Basho 1644–1694

The poem

Fleas, lice, a horse peeing near my pillow.

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Reader discussion 4 comments

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Readers
4
Longest reading
Billy41 words
  1. Randall United States

    This poem is more than you will ever understand.

  2. Billy United Kingdom

    the parasites view the man as a meal to be dined on. The horse says to the man either lie in my urine or move.

    The moral being, no matter how great you think you are, others may view things differently

  3. Ash United States

    This is deeper than what most people will get, but I understand it.

  4. Ranma Saotome Japan

    I think this poem gets you to think how good your life is compared to a farmer's.

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