Kane kiete
Hana no ka \va tsuku
Yube kana.
—Basho
Temple bells die out.
The fragrant blossoms remain.
A perfect evening!
Note how marvelously the poet in seventeen syllables has caught
the beauty and serenity of a late spring evening at a mountain
temple. One can almost hear the deep toll of the huge bell, see
the white and pink blossoms of the cherry trees, and smell their
delicate fragrance. In Japanese literature, whenever blossoms or
flowers are mentioned, with no others designation, the reader is
given to understand that cherry blossoms are meant. At the close
of day in rural areas temple bells often strike the hour.