Carpe Diem #316, Strangers (provided by Patricia)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

"Strangers in the Night" came immediately in my mind as I was preparing our anniversary prompt-list of October 2013, so this song by Frank Sinatra is already for two months in my subconsciousness. It's a great song, but not to have it for almost two months in my head. I hope it will disappear after publishing this episode of Carpe Diem's daily haiku meme. Herafter I will share part of the songtext and a music video with this song.
First part of the lyrics:

Strangers in the night, two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment
When we said our first hello.
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away,
A warm embracing dance away and -

Ever since that night we've been together.
Lovers at first sight, in love forever.
It turned out so right,
For strangers in the night

I think this part is very meaning full for us all here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, because we were all strangers to eachother, but now ... a year later it feels like I know you all, and in a way there is love and safety in our Haiku Kai. So this song ... has meaning for us ... I think.

In our daily life we are surrounded by starngers passing. We watch them and they watch us. We try to formulate their lives without asking them. In the summer (or on another sunny day) I love to go downtown and sit on a terrace of a cafe, coffeeshop or restaurant, enjoying a cold drink and watch the people who are walking there. I like watching people while on a terrace. All those different people ... fascinating to watch them.
I recall a haiku by Matsuo Basho in which he sees a stranger disappearing in the mist, but in his haiku, the stranger becomes known. It's (in my opinion) a strong haiku. I love to share that haiku here.

chanting mantras
the shadow of a monk disappears
into the brume

(Tr. Chèvrefeuille, your host)

Basho saw a monk maybe with his portable altar or shrine bound on his back, as was very common behavior of monks in his time. The monk is on a journey to tell the world about his believes while he holds the praying beads in his hand he chants mantras. He is surrounded with the vague perfume of incense. The monk goes on with his journey, he's just a passer-by, like a stranger. The mist surrounds him and he becomes a shadow and then he disappears completely in the mist. Only his chanting is what remains, but soon he will be that far that his chant also disappears in the mist. Then there is only the mist and Basho's memory of an encounter with a stranger. It's very Zen-Buddhistic theme, but also a sad theme. Basho, on one of his journeys, is alone again and only his haiku shows us that he had an encounter with a stranger, who turned out to be a monk.

Monk with shrine on his back

Strangers, our prompt for today is provided by Patricia and I think it's a wonderful prompt to write haiku about. So enjoy, be inspired and share your haiku on strangers with Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

morning rushhour
buses packed with strangers -
spider in her web

And a cascading haiku trio:

strangers in the night
passing eachother in hurry -
shelter for the rain

shelter for the rain
clochards crowding together
in an old barn

in an old barn
not knowing eachother
strangers in the night

This prompt will stay on 'till October 8th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode provided by Bjorn Rudberg, Ivory, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET)
!! Strangers is now open for your submissions !!