Carpe Diem #299, Kakashi (scarecrow)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

What a day I have today, I am busy tearing of the wallpaper of one of the sleeping rooms. We are going to renovate it and change it in a room for our grandkids where they can play, chill and can sleep. It's a strong piece of labour and as I looked at the mirror my hair, clothes and feet were all covered with pieces of wallpaper. So I looked like a scarecrow (smiles).

Kakashi (Scarecrow)

Today our prompt is Kakashi (scarecrow) and I can recall another episode of Carpe Diem in which I used a scarecrow for prompt. I think it was somewhere in March, in another month of classical kigo, but that I don't know for sure.
Let us look at Kakashi sometimes referred to as "little people". With all the crows and sparrows around, we need these useful "little people" in our fields. They come in many forms nowadays, usually made from sticks, straw and old cloths. A scary face is often painted on a white sack. Some villages have scarecrow festival and competitions,

In the Edo period, this word was pronounced "kagashi", meaning something that smells hideously, because the farmers used to hang up rotten fish or hides from animals. In several area, sometimes they hang up dead crows or even small wild boars to let them rot .. and smell.

As I sought the Internet for a few examples of haiku about Kakashi I ran into a few wonderful haiku by Issa, it's said that he wrote the best Scarecrow-haiku. So I love to share a few of his haiku about Kakashi here with you all.

oi no mi ya kagashi no mae mo hazukashiki

my old age--
even facing a scarecrow
ashamed

sukumo-bi ya kagashi no hate mo yû keburi

bonfire--
a scarecrow also ends up
in evening's smoke

Credits: Scarecrow

kagashi tatte mochi naki ie wa nakari keri

scarecrows standing--
a house without rice cakes
can't be found

waga hô e mukete shigururu kagashi kana

facing my way
in the cold rain...
a scarecrow

Aren't they wonderful? I also found a few Kakashi-haiku written by Basho:

scarecrow in the hillock
paddy field --
how unaware!  How useful!

karite nemu kakashi no sode ya yowa no shimo

I would sleep,
borrowing the sleeve of the scarecrow --
midnight frost

Credits: Enchanting scarecrow

All wonderful haiku by our classical haiku masters so let us do our own scarecrow haiku for this episode of Carpe Diem. Here I go ...

harvest time is near
the scarecrows secure the fields --
the cry of a crow

the cry of a crow
resonates through the mountains --
scarecrow tumbles down

Not a strong set, but waht a joy to write scarecrow haiku ... I hope you like this episode of Carpe Diem and I am looking forward to all of your wonderful haiku inspired on this prompt. This prompt will stay on 'till September 18th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will try to publish our next episode, Matsu yoi (waiting evening), later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). By the way .. I am behind with commenting on all of your posts, I hope to catch up soon. Sorry!. !! Scarecrow is open for your submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!