Haiku/Haikai

"The wordless poem"

"A japanese haiku is a microcosm composed of seventeen syllables. Within this limited compass, haiku poets are able to express a great variety of feelings and thoughts, at times catching a glimpse of eternity through the evanescent, through the commonplace"
 (Miura Yuzuno) 
 

古い池や (ふるいいけや)
かわず 飛び込む (かわず とびこむ)
水の音 (みずのおと)
 
old pond...
a frog leaps in
water's sound
        (Matsuo Basho) 

 

You write;
the ink lessened
the sea increases
            (George Seferis)

 
雪は晴れたる (ゆき は はれたる)
子供の声に     (こどものこえ に)
日が当たる      (ひ が当たるあたる)
 
snow stopped
in the voices of children
the sun shines
 

 
渚振り返る   (なぎさ ふりかえる)
我が足跡もなく   (わが あしあと    もなく)
    
looking back at the beach
even my footprints are gone
                      (Ozaki Hosai)
 

 
wind:
the long hairs
on my neck
            (Larry Wiggin)
 

"the train was coming;
I had a kiss all ready:
the train left..."
               (Jean Baucomont-1920)

 
Pájaro muerto:
¡qué agonía de plumas
en el silencio!
 
Dead bird:
such an agony of feathers
in the silence!
             (Juan José Domenchina)

 

"El día abre la mano
Tres nubes
Y pocas palabras"
 
"The day opens its hands
Three clouds
And these few words."

 
"gentes, palabras, gentes.
Dudé un instante:
la luna arriba, sola."
 
"People, words, people.
I hesitated a moment:
the moon above, alone."
 
          (Octavio Paz)
 
"the blowing wind's
buddy...in the sky
a single moon"
 
             (Boncho-1714)  
 
"deep into this world
of Monet water lilies...
no sound."
      (Elizabeth Searle Lamb)

LIFE IN HAIKAIS

(by Daniele Nakashima)

flashlight;
behind a cloudy sky
shy moon

§

a cat-eye
high in the sky
blinked to me
             

§

Like an angel
you come and go
flying in my dreams
guiding my soul

§
 
strong wind blows away
the blue and pain:
spring in Japan

§
             
Warm as summer
confused as a drama
the jumping frogs

§
 
fresh breeze
on a yellow green grass:
summer murmur

§
 
 
rainy summer day
my conscious and I
at night it's better to lay

§
 
pouring rain
announcing the heat
of another summer beat

§
 
Standing bravely
On the other side
Mount Fuji and I

§

Cool wind
Multicolored Dragonflies
Autumn and its vibe

§
 
time to go
time to stay:
the clock says!

 

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