Carpe Diem Summer Retreat 2016 (19) so fragile

Dear friends,

Here is my submissions for the Carpe Diem Summer Retreat of today. This haiku is inspired on a haiku by Basho, one of the four greatest haiku poets ever, which I love to share first here:

hatake utsu   oto ya arashi no   sakura asa

plowing a field
the sound of a violent storm
morning blossoms

© Basho (1644-1694)

With this haiku came a preface as was very common in those times:

Preface: 'On March 11, at the shrine of Shirahige in Araki village'. Usually in tanka the words 'arashi' (a violent storm) and 'sakura' (cherry blossoms) are combined in the fear that the blossoms will be blown down in a storm. So the 'wit' here is to combine these words with another (much more common) meaning. 

Plum Blossom

And this is my haiku:

so fragile
the white plum blossoms
in the evening sun

© Chèvrefeuille

See you tomorrow.

Carpe Diem Summer Retreat 2016 (6) a river breeze (Matsuo Basho)

Dear friends,

As you (maybe) know I am participating in the Carpe Diem Summer Retreat 2016, themed "one with nature" and I love it. However it isn't easy to create every day a new haiku for the Summer Retreat and today I am making it myself easy. By the way it's to hot her in The Netherlands to sit a while behind the PC. It's around 35 degrees Celsius, finally summer, but this heat ... well I will not complain, because until last weekend the Dutch summer was a disaster with a lot of rain and low temperatures.

As I said ... I have made it myself a little easy today. I love to share a haiku by my sensei, Matsuo Basho, and a haiku written by me inspired on that one by Basho.

Here is the haiku by Basho:

kawa kaze ya   usu gaki ki taru   yu suzumi

a river breeze
the one wearing a light persimmon robe
enjoying the coolness

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

Basho wrote a preface to this haiku: "Enjoying the cool breeze on the bank of Shijo, an observance is practiced from the beginning to the middle of June. A special floor is set up right on the river, and people enjoy drinking and eating all night. Women tie their sashes correctly tight, and men wear their formal long coats. I see even the apprentices of a cooper and the blacksmith. They seem to have too much leisure time, singing and making noise. This is probably a scene which can only be seen in the capital (Edo, now called Tokyo)".

Summer in Japan

And here is my response inspired on that beauty by Basho:

observing the crowd
having fun on the seashore
almost naked

© Chèvrefeuille

I love the full beaches in summer. Everyone has fun enjoying the warm summer and the coolness of the sea. Children laugh making sandcastles, grown ups reading, playing, drinking, eating and laughing. Summer is a wonderful season and I think ... everyone enjoys it.

Well ... that's my submission for today for the Carpe Diem Summer Retreat. Feel free to step in and participate, you are welcome.

See you ...

My Dreams Wander

Dear friends and followers,

As you all maybe know I am hosting a daily haiku-meme at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This almost gone month July we had all wonderful haiku written by the ''big-five'' (Basho, Chiyo-Ni, Buson, Issa and Shiki). Today (July 31st) I published the last episode of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai of July and that last episode was a haiku by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). It was his last poem ever, or also called, his death-poem. Here is Basho's death-poem:

ill on a journey
my dreams start to wander
across dessicated fields

© Matsuo Basho (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

It's very common in classical  times that poets wrote their death-poem, the last poem of their life. It's however not my intention to write my death-poem already, but I like that custom a lot ... maybe my death-poem will be once carved in my tombstone, but that's not up to me.
How would my death-poem sound? What would it say? I don't know ... it's not my time to pass away ...

My response, my inspired haiku based on Basho's death-poem is the following:

my dreams wander
along the path of my life ...
Honeysuckle blooms

Honeysuckle blooms
sharing her sweet perfume
I dream away

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope you did like this post .... see you next time ...

Namaste

Haiku Horizons "master"

 

Inspired by the prompt at

 

 

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

 

It's a little time ago that I posted here at Chèvrefeuille's Haiku-blog, my home-weblog, but I think it's time to make this weblog a little bit more active. So therefore I have chosen to write a post in response on Haiku Horizons prompt "master".

I wonder in what kind of sphere I have to place this prompt. Means "master" the teacher or does it mean that you have "mastered" something? Well ... both ways are possible I think, but I will go for the teacher and I am gonna tell you a little bit more about my haiku-master, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694).

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) was a haiku master and had several new ideas for writing haiku. One of his ideas was the Kanshicho-style in which he wrote haiku in a different way than we (all) know it.
As we (all) know haiku has three sentences with 5-7-5 syllables, but haiku written in Kanshicho-style were different. The three sentences could count, for example, 6-4-10 syllables or 3-11-5 syllables.
I embraced the Kanshicho-style when I wrote my first English haiku in 2005 and I started my first haiku weblog. The first English haiku I ever wrote was the next one:

 

a lonely flower
my companion
for one night

© Chèvrefeuille

 

Notice the syllable count 6-5-4. In that same year this haiku was translated into several languages, for example, Hindi, Tagalog and Scottish and also in Dutch (my maiden language). At that moment I realized that I could become a well-known International Haiku poet and remained writing my haiku in English.
The years following were with ups and downs, but I remained writing haiku in English, but mostly in Dutch. I also began to translate haiku of other haiku poets into Dutch, French, German and Spanish. As you all should have noticed Basho's my 'role-model' or let me say “Basho is my haiku-master”. Several fellow haiku poets have told me that my haiku are touched by Basho's Spirit. In other words my haiku according to fellow haiku poets, are in the same tone and sphere as Basho's. I am honoured and proud that my fellow haiku-poets compare me with Basho … it makes me just a humble haiku-poet.

Well ... that was the introduction to this Haiku Horizons prompt "master" and here is my haiku inspired on that prompt. I hope that you like it.

watching a snail
in the light of the full moon
just a silver trail

just a silver trail
points me to rhe right place
mountain monastery 

Credits: Snails in the moonlight

mountain monastery
finally becoming one
I bow to my master

I bow to my master
Matsuo Basho told me the way
to watch a snail

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope you did like this post on "master" and I am looking forward to your comments. Have a great week ... and 'til another time.

Namaste

More: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

         Haiku Shuukan 

Basho ... one of my heroes

For Carpe Diem's 'hero',

Basho is one of my heroes, next to e.g. Gandhi. Why is Basho my hero? I am a haiku poet and Basho was a haiku master which I adore. I even have a weblog about him. Basho is my inspiration for writing haiku.

Basho's 'Small Path to the Deep North'

Today Carpe Diem has hero for prompt and I love to try to write a or a few haiku about Basho.

small ways
leading to Enlightenment
just like Basho

croaking frogs
Basho's old pond haiku
revisited

Old Pond
Frog Jumps In
Sound of Water

the sound of water
resonates through my garden
I feel like Basho

Basho's original hand written haiku (and haiga) 'frog pond'

Isn't it a lovely triplet of haiku inspired on Carpe Diem's 'hero'? My hero ... Matsuo Basho (1644-1694).

Matsuo Basho, my hero

 Well ... this was my take on 'hero'. Who is your hero?

Behind the window

For Carpe Diem Special Prompt #5

Special Prompt #5

Today we have the last Special Prompt for Carpe Diem's October month. This month I shared haiku by Basho and the one for today is:

in one house
prostitutes lie down to sleep
bush clover and the moon

Basho wrote this when he was at an Inn along his Narrow Road to the Deep North. And a pair of nuns asked him and his companion Sora if they may travel with them for a while. Basho refushed that and wrote this haiku afterwards.

It's a very delicate theme he uses, but ... prostitution is of all times heh.

In Japan prostitution is forbidden, but the government looks the other way and tolerates it. To write another haiku inspired at the one by Basho and in the same spirit as Basho will not be easy.

late night walk
hookers behind windows -
Hunter's Moon

Hm ... I love this scenery. Is it in Basho's Spirit?

Another one:

behind the window
in the Red Light district
love for sale

Not bad either. Can I write another one? I will try ... maybe a classical one ... counted ...

love for money
sailors drunken as hell
giggling prostitutes

Not a totally counted verse, missing a few syllables, but I think this one is in the same spirit as the one by Basho.

Well ... so far our Carpe Diem Special Prompts by Basho. Next month the Special Prompts are haiku written by Kobayashi Issa.

Namaste

Tackle It Tuesday, back to basic

Also shared with: Poets United's Poetry Pantry

Dear Haijin,

A new week for Tackle It Tuesday. As you all could read in "Tackle It Tuesday, preview" of last Wednesday August 1th, this week we are going back to basic. Back to the classical form of haiku as initiated by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694).



For more on Basho visit Basho Revisited (one of my other blogs on Basho). Basho is a haiku master and he is my role model and I see him as my master. This week's theme of Tackle It Tuesday isn't easy to me, because I write in the Kanshicho-style (a haiku style that's more similar with the Western way of writing haiku).
As you all could read in the preview there are a few basic rules for writing haiku the classical way. I will give them here again:

• 5-7-5 syllable count
• a kigo (a so called season word)
• and a deeper meaning based on the philosophy of the haiku poet
• and of course ... haiku is a poem that's based on a short moment, short as e.g. the sound of a pebble thrown into water

The classical haiku originated from the Renga (a chain of poems) and is based on the first poem of such a chain called hokku. The name haiku was given to this hokku by Shiki (1867-1902). Shiki brought haiku into the 20th century. He also is, next to Basho, Buson and Issa, one of the four greatest haiku masters. Shiki was very strict in using the rules of the classical haiku, but Basho became the most known haiku master through his deep devotion as a Buddhist.

Let's go back to this episode of Tackle It Tuesday, back to basic. To me the classical way of writing haiku is very difficult as I mentioned earlier in this post, but ... well I have to try ...

For my inspiration I have used a picture of the rough landscape of the Island Rab in Croatia.

Of course you also may use this picture or another one for your inspiration.

the rough landscape
reaches to the deep blue sky
so impressive

Does this one follow the rules? Let's take a closer look.

The 5-7-5 syllable count? Yes
A kigo? Yes. The deep blue sky is a kigo for Summer
A deeper meaning based on my philosophy? Yes it does. I am a devotee to nature and in this haiku the deeper meaning lays in the word impressive. I am always impressed by the wonderful creation of or world. I caress  the strength of Mother Earth's nature. This haiku says: be careful with our beloved Earth it's a great wonder.

Well ... do you like this one? I surely do.

This episode of Tackle It Tuesday stays on 'till August 13th 11.59 PM. Please leave a comment after linking and if you have an idea for another theme for Tackle It Tuesday ... be so kind to share it with me.

Next weeks theme will be Aleph. Aleph is the title of a novel by Paulo Coelho, an author which I admire.
I will tell you more about Aleph in a new episode of Tackle It Tuesday Preview later on.

For this week's Tackle It Tuesday have fun ... be inspired.

Tackle It Tuesday Preview, back to basic

Dear haijin,

As promised ... a new Tackle It Tuesday Preview for next week's prompt/theme.
The upcoming week I love to go 'back to basic'. All the way back to the time of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694} in that time haiku was strict in it's rules. The first rule was the syllable count 5-7-5; second there had to be a kigo (a word that refers to the season);  third  a deeper meaning mostly based on the philosophy of the poet.
Basho was a Buddhist and therefore in his haiku we can find the deeper meaning of life as Buddhism learns.

Buddhist Jakhong Monastery in Lhasa Tibet

When we look at the following haiku by Basho we can see the mentioned rules. Let us take a closer look at this haiku:

morningglories -
in the daytime a lock
upon the gate

Morning Glory

Let us look closer to this haiku:

rule 1: 5-7-5 syllable-count yes that's OK (a "-" can be seen as a syllable)

rule 2: a kigo (or a season-word) yes that's OK (Morning Glory is a kigo for Summer)

rule 3: a deeper meaning yes that's also OK, the meaning of this haiku is that Basho took time for a retreat to think about his life. So he locked the gate of his house. 

The classical haiku has a lot of rules, but the three I mentioned are the most important ones. 

As I learned to write haiku I had always difficulties with these rules, than I discovered the Kanshicho-style, in which Basho wrote his haiku several years. It felt OK when I started to write in this Kanshicho-style and I still continue to write in the Kanshicho-style in which the rules are a bit different according to the syllable-count. The Kanshicho-style is more similar to the Western form of writing haiku in which the syllable-count isn't the most strict rule.

But back to next week's theme 'back to basic'. The classical way of writing haiku is (at least to me) not easy, but it's a challenge ... and that makes it a great way to write haiku.

The above haiku is one of Basho's which I used on my other weblog Basho Revisited. As inspired on that haiku I wrote a new haiku in the classical way.

guarding the fence

around my cottage -

the Honeysuckle

Credits: Honeysuckle

This classical haiku isn't easy to write, but ... well ... take on the challenge and be inspired.

Well ... see you all next week again when this new Tackle It Tuesday 'back to basic' is on ... have fun and maybe it's a bit easier to write a haiku with this given information.

Warm greetings,

Chèvrefeuille 

Just another haiku on "Summer Solstice"

Also shared on: Poets United's Poetry Pantry (#105)

Poets United's Poetry Pantry

Today was a nice day and I enjoyed it very much. I read some of my haiku and haiku from my fellow haiku poets. I also read a few haiku written by Basho (1644-1694). One of those haiku was the following:

departing spring
along with the people of Omi
missing it

It's about the "Summer Solstice" seen from the perspective of missing it ... Basho was on his way and maybe fell asleep and misses the Solstice of Summer. This haiku inspired me to write another one on "Summer Solstice".

at the seashore
wind of summer through my hair
the shortest night

In this haiku (similar to the one of Basho I think) it's not the longest day that's in my mind, but the shortest night ... the night which Basho missed I think. A night so short that you don't have to sleep at all (smiles).

Chinese Lanterns to Light the shortest night

This picture shows a Chinese Lantern ... it's made in Poznan (Poland) on the "Summer Solstice" or Kupala Night. Thousands of these Chinese lantern were used to set light in the shortest night.

Nice ... such festivals we don't have here, but ... we have Sunsation (*) a great festival full of music, dance, poetry and more. It's a great party and it culminates on the moment when the Summer Solstice happens.

(*) this site is in Dutch sorry

Tackle It Tuesday, # 3 "frog"

Dear Haijin, another week has gone by. A new "Tackle It Tuesday" is almost starting. For this week I was inspired by the famous "frog"- haiku of  Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

an old pond
a frog jumps in
sound of water

This is the most famous haiku of Basho. Even if you don't know haiku, you know this haiku. It's a very nice haiku with a wonderful story.

This poem was written on a spring day. He was sitting in his riverside house in Edo, bending his ears to the soft cooing of a pigeon in the quiet rain. There was a mild wind in the air, and one or two petals of cherry blossoms were falling gently to the ground. It was the kind of day you often have in late March - so perfect that you want it to last forever. Now and then in the garden was heard the sound of frogs jumping into the water.

Well ... the prompt for today is "frog" as you all will understand (smiles).

I am so glad that my haiku friends are so creative for "Tackle It Tuesday" and I hope that you all will be part of this new "Tackle It Tuesday". Have fun ...and enjoy.

THURDAY POETS RALLY week 58

Another week has gone by. A new Thursday Poets Rally has come. This last week was very busy. My wife had her birthday and all of our childeren and grandchilderen were at our home to celebrate it. It was a great day. We also decorated the Christmastree.
Inbetween these activities finding time to write haiku wasn't easy, but ... I was inspired and excited when I got the Thursday Poets Award for week 57. Another thing to celebrate.

I am honoured to have gotten this award for my haiku and I like to thank all of you who nominated me. Who am I to got this award which I humbly accept.
Well ... back to business. I am preparing a series of blog-items about Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), a haikumaster. I already published the first four parts of this new series, which I have given the title Basho Revisited (for example part one), earlier this week on my blog. In every part of Basho Revisited I am telling something about Basho's life and use a haiku written by him. Writing about Basho is easy, because I love his haiku and I am feeling a kind of bond with him. I also try to write a haiku in the same sense and tone of the haiku by Basho. I hope (and that's the challenge) that my haiku has a little of "Basho's Spirit".
According to fellow haiku poets, my haiku are in the same Spirit as the haiku by Basho. I can't say that of my own haiku, maybe you, my visitors, can tell me.

In part eight of Basho Revisited (not published yet) I used the following haiku by Basho which he wrote in 1676. It's a translation by Jane Reichhold and was published in "Old Pond: Basho's (almost) thousand haiku" also by Jane Reichhold.

essential to life
the little space under my hat
enjoying the coolness

This is a not so well known haiku of Basho. The Japanese hat in this haiku is the so called "kasa".

Credits: kasa

The "kasa" was an umbrella like hat. In some way through wearing this 'kasa' Basho always had his own shady place at hand.

The haiku I wrote in this part of Basho Revisited has the same tone, sense and humour I think.

such a hot day
my shadow needs to cool down
under the willow

Another one with the same theme:

hot summerday
the shadow of the willows
Ah! that coolness

Happy Rally!!

On A Withered Bough

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

Matsuo Basho, my haikumaster, wrote in is lifetime around 1000 haiku. Some of them, such as the well known 'Old Pond' haiku, are classical ones. Another:

autumn evening
a crow perched
on a withered bough

This is one of his well known haiku. I have written a haiku in almost the same sense.

heads in the wind
crows in the bare Planetree
departing autumn

Sincerely