On November 28, 1694, Matsuo Bashō became critically sick with a stomach illness and died peacefully, surrounded by his disciples.
He did not compose any formal death poem on his deathbed, but the following haiku he wrote four days before his death was recorded as the last poem during his final illness, which is generally accepted as his poem of farewell:
旅に病んで夢は枯野をかけ廻る
Stricken on a journey,
My dreams go wandering round
Withered fields.
– Translated by Donald Keene
In 1763, two haiku monuments in the photo below were erected on the 69th anniversary of the death of Matsuo Bashō in the back garden of Kammanji Temple in Kisakata, Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, Japan.
As you see, we are now giving the project of the World Haiku Series, celebrating the 331st anniversary of Bashō’s visit to Kisakata.
We sincerely hope that haiku poets, or haiku lovers in the world, will share and appreciate haiku with each other and that they will deepen mutual understanding through each other’s literary works on this website.
Guidelines
Title: World Haiku Series 2020
Aims: To share haiku with haiku friends in the world, and to appreciate each other’s haiku
Theme: Free
Haiku:
- 10 of your favorite English haiku are sent, but only the haiku written in 2020.
- Photo haiku are also OK.
- It is no problem whether published or unpublished.
- Haiku appear with their Japanese translation on the website of the Akita International Haiku Network.
- https://akitahaiku.com
Bio: Please add your brief bio, or your recent report, and your photo.
Photo: Please add your favorite photos of birds, flowers, or anything, if possible.
Deadline: November 30, 2020
Lastly, let me show you the front cover of a four-page haiku leaflet sent by Satoru Kanematsu, a Japanese veteran haiku poet.
He kindly and delightedly presented his haiku to the World Haiku Series 2020.
Akita International Haiku Network 
Dear sir,
Thanks for invitation for World Haiku Series 2020. I would like to participate in the series.
With best wishes and regards.
Jangid ML Principal (retired) India
On Mon, Nov 16, 2020, 3:31 AM Akita International Haiku Network wrote:
> Hiruta posted: “On November 28, 1694, Matsuo Bashō became sick with a > stomach illness and died peacefully, surrounded by his disciples. He did > not compose any formal death poem on his deathbed, but the following haiku > he wrote five days before his death was recorded a” >
Dear Mr. Jangid ML,
Nice to hear from you again. Thank you very much for everything.
We are looking forward to your nice submission.
Best wishes and regards.
Hidenori Hiruta