It's our favorite free-verse haiku poet, the drunk wandering monk, Santōka. Virtually unknown during and many years after his life, he has really become quite popular in Japan these past several years. I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: by his own words, the only two things in life he was passionate about were haiku and saké. He wasn't happy about his drinking problem, very often berating himself very harshly in his diaries for it, but he also wasn't shy about the same problem, often featuring it in his haiku, such as this one. In this haiku we can really feel the strength of his addiction.

Let this be a lesson to you: next time you see a beer commercial and get thirsty for having one yourself, write a haiku about that urge before going to the fridge to get one.

	David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.

1. That is, me! If you like this translation, feel free to use it. Just credit me. Also link here or to my profile. ↩