Shikoku Island

Dear friends,

Maybe you know I am hosting a daily haiku meme at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai (link on the right). At Haiku Kai I have a seasonly feature the so called "season-retreat". At the moment the Summer Retreat 2018 is on and the theme is "finding the way". So I have to create haiku (or tanka) themed "finding the way".

I have created a haiku inspired on this theme about the once in a lifetime pilgrimage of Buddhists along the 88 temples on the Island Shikoku. At Carpe Diem Haiku Kai we did this pilgrimage virtually back in 2014.

Pilgrim on Shikoku Island

Shikoku Island
walking the path of Kobo Daishi –
Lotus from the deep

(C) Chèvrefeuille

I hope to do this pilgrimage once in my lifetime too.

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2018 Peace Within (3)

Dear friends,

At Carpe Diem Haiku Kai our 2018 Winter Retreat is on. A period of 30 days to write haiku or tanka every day on a theme. This year's theme is "Peace Within" and I love to share a haiku here with you inspired on this theme:

one heartbeat
breathtaking views in the Himalayans
only me

© Chèvrefeuille

I love this haiku ... I can see the Himalayans in front of me, I feel the mountain breeze and the silence around me, makes my mind still ... in peace again ... peace within.

See you

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2017 "Life is Beautiful" - lotus flowers

Dear friends,

As you know I am hosting a daily haiku meme at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai and every season I start a so called "retreat", a period of 30 days in which the goal is to create haiku or tanka on a daily base with a theme. At the moment the 2017 Winter Retreat is running and the theme I have chosen is "Life is Beautiful".

So I thought to create a few poems with "Life is Beautiful" as theme, these poems are all themed "Life is Beautiful", but it's not always a poem in winter sphere.

reaching for the sun
lotus flowers blooms from the mud
old pond changes

deep silence
even deeper as the nightingale starts to sing
beautiful life

snow falls gently
covers up the autumn fields
faraway sounds

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Imagination Without Limits

Dear friends,

Welcome at a new post at Chèvrefeuille's Haiku blog. It has been a while, but I had my reasons for that. As you (maybe) know I am the owner and host of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, a daily haiku-meme also here at Blogger.

At Carpe Diem Haiku Kai we are busy with a new month full of beautiful CD Imagination episodes and today I shared an image of Lake Como (by Jonathan Reid) for inspiration. This month I am also experimenting with the haiku form. Say ... trying to create haiku like Santoka Taneda did. Taneda wrote haiku without using the "known" rules of haiku writing. I liked how he "played" with this wonderfull Japanese poetry form.

Let me share the CD Imagination image here with you too:

Wisteria Blues by Jonathan Reid

The above image was shot at Lake Como (Italy). It's a beautiful scene. Look at all those blueish colors and that magic light from the windows. A wonderful scene ...

passion
blue colors
sparkle

© Chèvrefeuille

This is what I call an experimental haiku in the same spirit as Santoka Taneda.

Do you like to write and share haiku than you are invited to visit (and maybe participate) Carpe Diem Haiku Kai at: https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com

Have a great day.

Carpe Diem Autumn Retreat 2017 (9) leaving home

Dear friends,

Maybe you have noticed it, but the Carpe Diem Autumn Retreat 2017 is running. This Retreat the theme is "departure" and I think it is a wonderful theme for autumn, but ... and that you will have seen also ... I am not a regular publisher in this Retreat, but I love to change that.

So here is a new "impromptu" verse themed departure:

leaving home
in a hurry
grandfather again

© Chèvrefeuille

No ... I have not become a granddad again, it is a haiku I wrote, because two (2) of my grandchildren had birthday last month. And two (2) other grandchildren this month ...

See you ...

Spring Retreat 2017 (5) praying hands

For the CDHK Spring Retreat 2017 "fragile beauty":

praying hands
in front of Buddha
sweet incense
© Chèvrefeuille

Carpe Diem Spring Retreat 2017 fragile beauty (3) young leaves

Dear friends,

As you maybe know I am hosting a daily haiku meme Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This month we are on our way to Santiago de Compostela following that ancient pilgrimage route, but we also are busy with the Spring Retreat 2017 themed "fragile beauty", 30 days of writing at least one haiku a day to celebrate spring.

Feel free to visit and be part of this 30 days of writing haiku.

such sadness
to see tears on young leaves
the bright sunlight

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Spring Retreat 2017 "fragile beauty" 1 diamonds

Dear friends,

Maybe you have read it somewhere, but else I love to tell you. Every year I organize a seasonly "retreat" and on January 15th I started with the Spring Retreat "fragile beauty". The "retreat" means 30 days of writing (at least) one haiku or tanka themed "fragile beauty".

So here is my first "Spring Retreat" submission:

fresh fallen snow
fragily beauty covers the garden
blanket of diamonds

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "Find The Silence" #20 the sound of rain

Dear friends,

The Winter Retreat of Carpe Diem is almost over. It runs until December 15th at 10.00 PM (CET), so just a few days to respond. This Winter Retreat was a joy, but also a challenge. Trying to write a haiku or tanka on a daily base wasn't easy, but as I see how many responded than it was for sure a success.

the sound of rain
on the tin roof of the cabin
deepens the silence

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ....

PS. If you would like to participate .... than feel free to visit Carpe Diem Haiku Kai by clicking on the above (fat) link.

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 find the silence #16 awakening

Dear friends,

Another submissions for the Winter Retreat at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This Winter Retreat is a period of 30 days in which the challenge is to create a haiku or tanka every day themed "find the silence".

in deep silence
thoughts tumbling through my mind
awakening

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 Find The Silence #15 hidden glory

Dear friends,

It has been a while that i posted for the CD Winter Retreat, but time isn't at my side. I am a busy guy with a lot to do ...

hidden glory
revealed as the mist evaporates
broken bell

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" #14 walk through the forest

Dear friends,

I has been a few days ago that I posted here at my personal weblog. I am (to) busy with my daily haiku meme Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. Yesterday I started with the new month of Carpe Diem. This month I hope to inspire my visitors with classical music of all times and from all over the globe. Therefore for this Winter Retreat I have tried to bring the two things together.

The above music video gives you Ernesto Cortazar playing Beethoven’s Silence.

This music piece inspired me to create the following haiku:

walk through the forest
only the sound of nature to enjoy
ah! that silence

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

PS.: video created by: Erikson Nunes

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 #13 twister

Dear friends,

Well I was on a role I think because I have another nice submission for the Winter Retreat of Carpe Diem:

through the river
twister takes the fastest path -
birds remain silent

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ....

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 #10

Dear friends,

Another nice haiku for the Winter Retreat, but not in the setting of winter, but in the setting of summer.

the babbling brook
makes me drowsy and happy -
a late summer night

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" #9

Dear friends,

During lack of time it wasn't possible to publish every day lately, so my excuses for that. As you all know at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai the Winter Retreat is running. 30 Days writing every day a haiku or tanka themed "find the silence".

Here is my new submission for the Winter Retreat 2016:

rustling leaves
telling stories from all over the world
the silence deepens

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" #7 a cicada's song

Dear friends,

The Carpe Diem Winter Retreat is almost a week running and I have already read wonderful haiku and tanka inspired on the theme "find the silence". I am grateful that so many of you have found the way to the Winter Retreat ... thank you.

silence found
the colorful sky at sunset -
cicadas sing

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" 6 breathing silence

Dear friends,

Another day to create a haiku or tanka for the Winter Retreat of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. For this Winter Retreat, the theme is "find the silence" ... and as you maybe know I have written a lot of haiku themed "silence", it is one of my favorite themes for my haiku (or tanka).

Here is my new haiku for the Winter Retreat:

alone on the beach
only the cries of seaguls -
breathing silence

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ...

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" 5 awakening

Dear friends,

Carpe Diem's Winter Retreat has started and it is really a joy to read all those wonderful submissions themed "find the silence". And what a joy it is to create haiku (or tanka) themed "find the silence" on my personal weblog.

Here is my new entree for the Winter Retreat:

in deep silence
thoughts tumbling through my mind
awakening

© Chèvrefeuille

Awakening

See you ...

 

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 Find The Silence #4 mesmerizing

Dear friends,

What a challenge this is ... an every day haiku or tanka themed "find the silence" and today I have tried to create another haiku. Maybe you know Santoka Taneda, he was a so called "free-style" haiku poet and he never used the 5-7-5 count or a kigo. I am a fan of his style so I thought I do a "free-style" haiku this time, or as I called it myself ... a haiku in the Kanshicho-style (in the way of the Chinese poem).

the waterfall
ah! that sound ...
mesmerizing

© Chèvrefeuille

See you ....

Carpe Diem Winter Retreat 2016 "find the silence" #3 old temple

Dear friends,

Here is my third haiku for the Winter Retreat of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. A period of 30 days in which I will (try to) write a haiku or tanka every day themed "find the silence". If you like to participate in this Winter Retreat than visit: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

an old temple
shelter for the night -
a Nightingale sings


© Chèvrefeuille

The above haiku isn't a recent one it is part of a haibun I wrote inspired on Basho's "Narrow Road Into The Deep North". That haibun was titled "My Narrow Road". Tomorrow I will be back again with another haiku or tanka for the Winter Retreat.

See you ...