One of my favourite haiku by the inimitable Basho. There are many translations, but I love this one best. I believe that it was most likely done by R.H. Blyth who had such a feel for haiku, knowing that the feeling evoked by words was more important than being terribly precise. Other translations I've come across include: On a withered branch, A crow is perched, In the autumn evening.

While this is very nice, to my mind it does not provide that sense of capturing a fleeting moment. Haiku should never be too wordy!

On a bare bough,

An old crow -

This autumn eve.

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