Haiku – Basho and Chiyo-Ni – July 3, 2014

This is a particulary interesting prompt posted on Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.  Here Chèvrefuelle tells us about the various meanings behind the words used in the haiku written by Basho in his conclusion of the haibun ‘Oku no Hosomichi’ ‘The Narrow Road to the Far North’.and how the varous single Japanese words used can be interpreted in so many ways!

Credits: Woodblock-print Futamigaura (”The Wedded Rocks”)

hamaguri no   futami ni wakare   yuku aki zo

a clam
torn from its shell
departing autumn

© Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

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peach skies of summer
following a flash of lightning
a thunder-clap
© G.s.k. ’14

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I had problems with my computer and was late submitting the homage to Basho … So I’m adding a second Carpe Diem prompt … dedicated to Chiyo-Ni:

“The Rouge flower (a kind of daylily) is a reddish-yellow flower it is cup-shaped and holds rain or dew in the same way as the Camellia. There is great ”virtue” in the expression tada no. If we translate it ”only” water, we got the feeling of disillusionment without the insight into the nature of things.
This haiku by Chiyo-Ni is one of my favorite haiku written by her and I think it will inspire you all to write new haiku. Maybe … in the same spirit as Chiyo-Ni … we will see. ” Chèvrefeulle

koborete wa tada no mizunari  beni no tsuyu

the dew of the rouge-flower,
when it is spilled
is simply water

© Chiyo-Ni

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honeysuckle flower
child sucking sweet nectar
like a bee

calla lily
perfumed golden goblet
empty of wine

©G.s.k. ’14

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Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai dedicated to Chiyo-Ni