Staying at an Inn
haiku
Staying at an Inn - form Summary
Compressed Juxtaposition in Haiku
Written as a haiku, this poem compresses a single nocturnal scene into a sharp, suggestive moment. The concise form pairs a concrete human detail—the inn shared with sleeping prostitutes—with natural images. The bush clover functions as a seasonal marker (autumn), while the moon adds remoteness and quiet. Together the haiku's brevity and juxtaposition highlight ordinary, transient life against the recurring rhythms of nature.
Read Complete AnalysesStaying at an inn where prostitutes are also sleeping-- bush clover and the moon.
Translated by Robert Hass
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