A First Attempt on a Photo Challenge (#19 "while you were sleeping") by Mindlovemisery's menagerie "seeking for relief"

Credits: Photo by Martin Stranka

Good day dear friends and followers,

Just a few minutes ago I ran into a wonderful Wordpress Weblog called Mindlovemiserys menagerie a wonderful WP-blog and this photo about which this photo challenge is ... asked my attention immediately. I asked myself "What does this photo say to me?" An I tried to answer that question ... A young guy stands on the edge of a canyon. He looks down, he is maybe sad or disappointed in life or in someone. As I looked closer I saw a 'wound' at his heart ... I think this guy has a broken heart, his girl- or boy-friend left him. Is he in an excistential crises? I think he suffers of his lost love and intends to step out of life. This photo gives me the shivers, and a feeling of strong sadness.

The goal of this challenge is to write a poem or a short story inspired on this photo ... so here I go ...

seeking for relief
aching of a broken heart -
love isn 't forever

© Chèvrefeuille

I am a Dutch haiku poet and I have a few weblogs about haiku. Haiku is my passion and it gives me the opportunity to give words to my feelings.

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

Buttercups

This haiku is written in response of the Carpe Diem Haiku Kai prompt ''buttercups''. Carpe Diem is a daily haiku-meme and I am hosting it. This month all the prompts are modern kigo (seasonwords) for summer and this month (June) was really a joyfull CDHK month with a lot of nice prompts and wonderful haiku contributed by the visitors and members of CDHK.
CDHK ... feel free to visit and participate. It's a warm and loving haiku-family ....

the day ends
buttercups share their golden light -
the moon rises

© Chèvrefeuille

Credits: Buttercup

Do you like to write and share haiku? Than feel free to visit one of my haiku memes at:

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, a daily haiku meme

or

Haiku Shuukan, a weekly haiku-meme (every Friday a new prompt)

You are welcome to visit and participate ... feel free ...

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 

The Flight of the Bumble Bee

Dear readers,

It's a little while ago that I posted here, but ... as you maybe know ... I have a few other weblogs on haiku and those weblogs have my attention because of the daily haiku-meme there. But ... I had to share a post for today's Carpe Diem Special. This month back at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai we have Jack Kerouac as featured haiku-poet for the Specials and today the haiku written by him for inspiration is the following:

early morning gentle rain,
two big bumblebees
humming at their work

© Jack Kerouac

As I was reading that CD-Special again I got an idea ... I thought of a composition by Rimsky Korsakov "The Flight of the Bumblebee" ... here is a video in which a young talented piano-player, Maksim Mrvica, plays this wonderful piece of music. (Video credits by: Philip Caruso)

What a wonderful music and what a piano-player .... awesome. This music inspired me to write the following haiku (I hope) in the same sense, tone and spirit as the one by Jack Kerouac.

Lavender flowers -
bumblebees collecting honey
in the backyard

© Chèvrefeuille

Wow! ... Sorry I like this haiku very much ... it's a strong one and I even think it's in the same tone, sense and spirit as the one by Jack Kerouac (how immodest).
I hope you enjoyed the read and the music ... see you again ....

Namaste,

Chèvrefeuille

Haiku Horizons "sand"

Good day dear friends,

This week's theme at Haiku Horizons is "sand", sand is not that easy to write a haiku about, but I have to try it of course.

footsteps in the sand
now little tiny puddles -
rainstorm of spring

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Waves on the beach

waves roll on the beach
taking sand and seaweed with it
and rolls back

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope you did like these haiku ... maybe I will see you again here or at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

Namaste

Shikoku Pilgrimage

Shikoku Island Japan

Good day dear friends,

As you maybe know I have a daily haiku meme at: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai and on that weblog we are now on a pilgrimage along the 88 temples of the Shikoku Temples Trail founded by Kobo Daishi (774-835). Today we are arriving at Temple 38, Kongofukuji, devoted to Senju Kannon the Boddhisatsva of the World, Mother of Humankind, and compassion.

Kongofukuji Temple

in silent prayer
pilgrims kneeling in front of Senju
Om Mani Padme Hum

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope you did like the read and maybe you will visit Carpe Diem Haiku Kai and be part of this pilgrimage yourself. You're welcome to visit and share.

Namaste

My New Weblog Is Launched!

Dear friends,

It's my pleasure to introduce to you my second Carpe Diem Haiku Kai weblog. As you maybe know I started a daily haiku meme in October 2012. At that weblog I give every day a prompt for your inspiration to write haiku, senryu, tanka or kyoka and share it with the world. I also started several Special items for inspiration. For example: "Tanka Shrine", a Special about Tanka or "Distillation" in which item I ask you to distil a haiku from a longer poem.
All those Specials, except the weekly Tan Renga Challenge and the Specials in which I share a haiku from another haiku-poet for your inspiration, I have brought to a new weblog.

That new weblog  titled "Carpe Diem Haiku Kai Special" is online now since January 6th 2014. I love to invite you all to visit that new weblog to read and be inspired to participate if you like haiku and other Japanese poetry forms.

You can find that new weblog at: http://carpediemhaikukaispecial.blogspot.com
and my first Carpe Diem Haiku Kai weblog you can find at: http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com

Feel free to visit and share, if you wish to, your haiku with these haiku-communities. You're welcome.

Namaste

Chèvrefeuille

HAIKU HEIGHTS 315 EXPECTATION

Inspired by the theme at

A long time ago I was a regular participant in this haiku meme of Leo at Haiku Heights, but as I started my own daily haiku meme I couldn't find the time to participate. So this is after a long time my contribution to this week theme "expactation".
Expectation ... a nice theme for sure in this time of the year, because we are closing into the end of 2013 and start almost with a whole new year 2014. 2014 Will be another great year I think, not at least because of the fact that I will become again a granddad, but also because of my daily haiku meme Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. I am looking forward to this new year and I hope that Carpe Diem Haiku Kai will grow further and that our haiku-family will grow too.

Here is my attempt to write a haiku with the theme Expectation

a whole new year
what will it bring to us?
what to expect?

Not a strong one, it's more like a quote or senryu, so another one more in the haiku-sphere:

cherry blossom buds
almost ready to open up
expecting brightness

Well ... I hope you did like the read ... and maybe see you somewhere else or maybe visit http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com

Sayonara

Carpe Diem 313 Circle

Dear friends,

As you maybe know I have a daily haiku meme at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai and today our prompt is "circle" provided by Lolly, one of the contributors to Carpe Diem. As I was preparing the episode on "circle" I wasn't inspired to write my own haiku on "circle", but I couldn't stay behind of course so I publish here my haiku on "circle".

perfect abstract art
no beginning and no end -
seasons come and go

lost in a dream
running around in circles -
finding Inner Self

bound together
until eternity will call us
rings of gold shared

(C) Ring of Fire by Remo Wormmeester

ring of fire
passionate eternal love
between you and me

(The last two are in honor of my beloved wife)

Circle ... at first I thought it wasn't possible to write haiku about it, but I think I have succeeded, not very clear haiku, but for sure haiku-like. (smiles). Well ... see you ...