Carpe Diem Special #18, Shiki's 'The Peacock'

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This month's Haiku Master is Shiki (1867-1902) and so I have sought a new Special haiku written by him. He has wonderfully composed haiku and that makes it very difficult to choose a haiku. As I was preparing our episode of yesterday I hadn't found a nice haiku already, but than I ran into a wonderful haiku when I was reading R.H. Blyth's Haiku Vol. 2 Spring.

harukaze ni o wo hirogetaru kujaku kana

the peacock
spreading out his tail
in the Spring breeze

Credits: Peacock, tail open

Blyth's comment at this haiku was:

[...] To see the Spring breeze in the outstretched fan of a peacock's tail is no easier, and no more difficult, than to see a world in a grain of sand or heaven in a wild flower, but the emphasis is to be laid, not on 'breeze', but on 'Spring'. [...] (source: Haiku Vol. 2 Spring - R.H. Blyth)

I think this haiku by Shiki is one of his best. It paints an image in which you can see, feel, hear and touch Spring. The Peacock is just the trigger to place the reader in the right emotion.

king of the farm
spreads out his gorgeous tail -
feathers on a vase 

feathers on a vase
eyes looking deep into mine -
again in love

again in love -
the first day of Spring has come
listen to the breeze

Credits: Peacock, tail closed

Isn't it awesome ... the peacock king of the farm ... it's a wonderful bird.

Have fun, be creative and share your haiku inspired on the one by Shiki with us here on Carpe Diem.

This Special will stay on 'till January 24th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new prompt later on today around 10.00 PM (CET). Our new prompt will be: 'heath' provided by Bjorn Brudberg of Bjorn Brudberg's Writings