First, I find that, while playing words with friends with my poet pal David, I have the letters for "Basho" in my hand, to counter his opening play of "Zen". Next, I find the poem I've been looking for, which I had originally seen a few years ago in a book by Clark Strand: "Seeds from a birch tree". I loaned the book to Jim, he claimed to have returned it, end of story. Anyway, the Golden Notebook didn't have it, but they sent me to the Woodstock Library, which did. So. Here's the wwf board and there's the haiku. Turns out it's by Masaoka Shiki. Thanks to all of you for this little adventure. I'm happy to have the poem again after all these 7 or 8 years.
