Haiku--seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity--have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century. Today the form is practiced worldwide and is an established part of our common global heritage.

This beautifully bound volume presents new English translations of classic poetry by the four great masters of Japanese haiku: Matsuo Bash, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki. The haiku are accompanied by both the original Japanese and a phonetic transcription.