“Split Melon” by Bashō

Japanese poet Bashō gave the following haiku to Emoto Tōko, a young merchant who wanted to become the master’s student.

Don’t just mirror me
as if we were both two halves
of the same melon.

—Translated by David Bowles, March 2015


Original Japanese

ware ni niru na
futatsu ni ware shi
makuwauri

我に似るなふたつに割れし真桑瓜

(われににるなふたつにわれしまくはうり)

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