Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,
Another day is rising at the Eastern horizon here in The Netherlands. I am at work, in the nightshift, and am preparing our new episode of Carpe Diem. Today I love to tell you a little story.
A while ago I had the idea to walk from my home, in the middle of The Netherlands, to Santiago di Compostela in Spain, a wonderful pilgrimage through The Netherlands, Belgium, France and ofcourse Spain, right through the Pyrenees. I started with this pilgrimage on my own, on an early day in June. I had my notebook and pencils with me so I could write haiku on my way to Compostela.
I had the time of my life as I walked along the ways and paths and encountered other pilgrims. Sometimes we walked a while with eachother, but mostly I walked alone and enjoyed it. Until the Pyrenees I walked mostly alone, but as I entered the Pyrenees I found a companion to walk with. A nice guy, a bit older than me, but also (fate?) a haiku-poet. It was really a joy to be with him. He wrote haiku since the early seventies, so a bit longer then the time I write haiku. So I could learn a lot of him. And he, as he said several times, could learn from me.
As we entered the last phase of our pilgrimage after we left the Pyrenees we started a renga titled "companions in haiku". The starting verse (or hokku) of this renga I had written a little while ago:
a lonely flower
my companion
for one night
He, my companion, was surprised and asked me why I had chosen this specific haiku to start the renga with. I told him the little story as I did above ... that I loved walking alone, and write haiku on my way, but that I loved walking along with him to share haiku and the joy to have succeeded in my goal to walk the pigrimage to Santiago di Compostela.
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| Credits: The Path to Compostella (dutch website) |
devotees walk
praying in their hearts the route
to Compostella
to Compostella
together with an unknown friend
writing renga
writing renga
along the pilgrims route to Compostella
our spiritual path
our spiritual path
caught in chained haiku -
saying our prayers
saying our prayers
my companion and I
devotees walk
An awesome cascading haiku. It was a joy to write this post for you all, my dear Haijin, visitors and travelers, and write haiku along the pilgrims route to Santiago di Compostella.
This prompt will stay on 'til July 11th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our second Carpe Diem Special written by Jane Reichhold later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). Hereafter I will give you already the inspirational haiku by Jane Reichhold. !!! Submissions on "companions" are possible at 8.00 PM (CET) !!
forgotten brook
running the centuries down
locked in rock
(c) Jane Reichhold
Namaste
I adore your "a lonely flower" haiku. Have you shared it before?
ReplyDeleteI have shared it in last April for one of the Specials. It's the first haiku ever which I wrote in English. With this haiku I became a internationally known haiku poet. It became one of the haiku which were published in a worldwide anthology for Japanese poetry.
DeleteThat's pretty impressive. Your first English haiku puts you in an anthology. Well done!
DeleteHow wonderful to do this pilgrimage and to have met a companion in haiku too! They say the spiritual journey to Compostella changes one forever. There's something about that walk that gets you closer to the higher self.
ReplyDeleteYour poem seems to have the cadence of a steady walking pace! I loved the fourth stanza and the complexity of the phrase 'caught in chained haiku' Very nice!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful travel tale! Learning from each other is the best kind of companionship.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story Kristjaan, it sound like a dream to wander like that.
ReplyDeleteYour lonely flower is exquisite... and your cadence suits so well the pilgrimage exactly as wabi says.
I love footwalking but usually it takes me to the for north.. Tonight I will once again be a little bit behind on commenting. Tonight I tend the bat at dVerse. But I keep track and will return and comment on all entries as usual.
simply delightful.... even more so b/c it is a cascading form... love those... the best part of companions is reading jane's haiku.... who knew a rock and river speak...
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beautiful haiku. And beautiful story! How long did the walk take? When did you do this? It must have been such an interesting experience. And what luck, or coincidence, to meet another poet. This made me smile, thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. I'd like to walk along that pilgrimage trail one day. What a coincidence that you met another haiku poet. Fated... as you suggest. Wonderful haikus. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if my other comment disappeared into spam. I'll log in with name/url instead. In case it got lost I said - what a great story. And what a coincidence that you met another haiku poet. I'd like to do that walk one day. Thanks for the inspiring post and the wonderful haiku!
ReplyDeleteAnother beautiful set, Kristjaan. A wonderful journey with a companion..
ReplyDelete:-)
Ah, there's "my only companion" line. I do love that haiku too. There is a movie called The Way with US star Martin Sheen taking a trek (known as The Way of St. James) from I think France. He too is a loner but comes along a few companions. Wonderful movie and I'm sure life changing for whomever takes it. Sounds wonderful and love that your one companion was a haiku poet. Thank you for sharing that with us!
ReplyDeleteChev, what an impressive pilgrimage! Beautiful haiku.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy to read these comments on this post. I am overwhelmed ... and proud that I have touch all of your hearts. I bow to you ...
ReplyDeleteNamaste
Beautifully crafted, as always. It is a joy to read these.
ReplyDeleteVery spiritual haiku ~ and well penned ~ Excellent and informative posts you are doing ~ Happy Day to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting ^_^
Lovely story, Chev. Mine is at: http://purplepeninportland.wordpress.com/2013/07/12/my-yard-buddies/
ReplyDelete