Nine Senryu by Nine Japanese Women
Running down the giraffe's neck the orgasm
- Seino Chisato
Deeper deeper into the night OO atop the waves
- Ito Masajo
Savage love's what I want I say smokestacks
- Tokizane Shinko
Though hugging each other my back suddenly feels cold
- Mayumi Akiko
The snow's falling the snow's falling these two breasts
- Kuwano Akiko
Walking side by side the warmth on the side where you are
- Oishi Tsuruku
Having a lover unbutton me early summer
- Matsuda Kyomi
Love is when the peach quietly goes on ripening
- Hasegawa Hiroke
When vermilion peonies collapse I hug fire
- Onishi Yasuyo
Although senryu is a short poetry form similar to haiku, with three lines and less than seventeen syllables, the translator, Hiroaki Sato, chose to format each poem as one long line. Senryu focuses on people and is often humorous while haiku is usually about nature. Bareku is the term for erotic senryu.
The poems above are from Japanese Women Poets: An Anthology.
Running down the giraffe's neck the orgasm
- Seino Chisato
Deeper deeper into the night OO atop the waves
- Ito Masajo
Savage love's what I want I say smokestacks
- Tokizane Shinko
Though hugging each other my back suddenly feels cold
- Mayumi Akiko
The snow's falling the snow's falling these two breasts
- Kuwano Akiko
Walking side by side the warmth on the side where you are
- Oishi Tsuruku
Having a lover unbutton me early summer
- Matsuda Kyomi
Love is when the peach quietly goes on ripening
- Hasegawa Hiroke
When vermilion peonies collapse I hug fire
- Onishi Yasuyo
Although senryu is a short poetry form similar to haiku, with three lines and less than seventeen syllables, the translator, Hiroaki Sato, chose to format each poem as one long line. Senryu focuses on people and is often humorous while haiku is usually about nature. Bareku is the term for erotic senryu.
The poems above are from Japanese Women Poets: An Anthology.