Matsuo Basho

What Fish Feel

haiku

What Fish Feel - form Summary

Haiku's Compressed Shift

This three-line haiku uses extreme brevity to compress a question about what fish and birds feel into a late-year moment. By stating human uncertainty in the brief span and finishing with a seasonal reference to the year's end, the poem converts curiosity into a quiet reflective pause. The haiku's compact structure and sudden turn leave feeling unresolved, inviting readers to linger in the open space.

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What fish feel, birds feel, I don't know-- the year ending.

Translated by Robert Hass
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