Harbingers of Change – Haibun – September 4, 2016

 

A colourful leaf fell past my window this evening, bright harbinger of change, awakening me to other signs that I should have noticed.  The silence of the empty swallow’s nest, the chicks have long gone but when did they fly away? There, listen carefully, do you hear the honking of passing geese overhead?

Autumn is boldly approaching leaving behind it the suffocating heat of summer. The seasons tumble one into another, each day passing quickly, soon the blackbird will sing in spring again!

leaf and bird
in winter and summer
harbingers of change

© Gsk ’16

Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille August 31 2016 colorful leaves – Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie

Morning Haiku and Waka – September 16, 2015

Jisei thoughts at dawn

imagining that walk
through deserts, woods and towns
a last poem

this grey dawn
the cock crows thrice
not even a crow caws

walking a Silk Road
into a new adventure
through the desert

summer sunshine wans
in the woods – trees turn bright red
the sparrows are gone
as the fall rains begin
my thoughts turn to winter

© G.s.k. ‘15

I dedicate this post to Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille which heavily influence my morning thoughts.

a falling sound – June 19, 2015

From Gold to White

in the quiet dawn
a falling sound fell with rain
a lover’s passing

© G.s.k. ‘15

Not so long ago, at dawn, when I get most of my news from my family, I was told that my ex-husband had passed away.  For years we were the best of friends and I choose to remember those years rather than our parting of ways.

like old friends
walking in Africa
under the spring rains
we chose different paths
but a knot always remained

© G.s.k. ‘15

This week’s “Encore” haiku was written by Basho in spring 1666 short after the unexpected dead of his friend, Yoshitada. Basho was almost 22 years of age when he wrote this haiku. Jane says the following about this haiku:

[…] “What the Japanese call ume is most often translated as “plum” because of the Latin name Prunus mume, but the fruit more closely resembles the apricot. Because these fruits ripen during mid-June to mid-July, the rains of this time are called ume no ame (“plum rains”). Even ripe, the fruit is inedible until it has been preserved in a salty, sour liquid similar to olives”. […]

furu oto ya mimi mo su-naru ume no ame

a falling sound
that sours my ears
plum rain

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

For:

On The Trail With Basho Encore 5 a falling sound

Basho’s “first celebrate” – Choka – June 15, 2015

Giardino dell’Arena – Padua

confined in winter
are my heart’s withered blossoms
when once they were fresh
I celebrated life’s loves
time’s passing seasons
in this life never returns
once spring is gone
it’s only a memory
so celebrate now
the flowers of your young heart
be joyous in love
let not cold thoughts freeze you up
dance in the wind
give praise to the warm sun
so when winter comes
you can look back with a smile
remembering cherry blooms

© G.s.k. ‘15

mazu iwae ume o kokoro no fuyu-gomeri

first celebrate
the flowers in your heart
confined in winter

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

Written for:  Carpe Diem Time Glass #31, Basho’s “first celebrate”