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100. Farmers celebrating the autumn moonMatsuo Basho (1644-1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan, and the recognized master of the Haiku. He made a living as a teacher, but renounced the social and urban life of the literary circles, and wandered throughout the country to gain inspiration for his writing. His poems are influenced by his firsthand experience of the world around him, often catching the feelings of a scene in a few simple elements. Here Basho is leaning on his staff when he encounters two farmers celebrating the mid-autumn moon festival. The Haiku reads: "Since the crescent moon, I have been waiting for tonight." |