Carpe Diem #442, Ghost-Writer Ese

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I understand that it's somewhat confusing to see these 'ghost-writer'- posts not using the given prompt as mentioned in our prompt-list, but the "ghost-writer" is free to choose his / her own prompt to inspire our Haijin, visitors and travelers to write haiku and share them with us. Of course you may also use the given prompt if you wish too.  (Look for the 'Ghost-Writer'- item HERE.)
I hope this week inspires you all to write wonderful haiku and maybe this week will make you enthousiastic to be a Ghost-Writer yourself for Carpe Diem ... if you would like to be Ghost-Writer for May 2014 than let me know and I will see what I can do for you. As all is going well than I hope to do a new Ghost-Writer week in week 19 (May 5th - 11th).

Oke ... here it is the post of our Ghost Writer, Ese, of Ese's Voice. Enjoy the read and share your haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka or haibun with our haiku-family here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.
Because of the confusion you, my dear Haijin, visitors and travelers, are free to use the given prompt for today as mentioned in our prompt-list. For today that will be, Hazy Moon, or you can respond with your haiku on the inspirational post by Ese.

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Spring is the season when everything awakes - in nature as well as all of the human senses. It doesn' t mean we suddenly start to feel something unexpected and never experienced before, although that is also quite possible. Just with the first green leaves and blossoming trees bringing more colours to life, also our senses seem to be dusted off after the long hibernation.

Sensuality and haiku are a lovely fit. It is the art of indirection, where so much is suggested and left to imagination. Less is more, and the images created in haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka or haibun are only the beginning of the path our thoughts take. Even a hint is enough to provoke, like in the following haiku by Hashimoto Takako (1899-1963):

Star Festival-
with my hair still wet
i meet him

Star Festival

Sensual touch in haiku is not something new, on the contrary -  it has been present in the art of quite a few Japanese (among others) poets for ages. Almost like a geisha in a tea ceremony - where her presence is sensed and enjoyed but never becomes intrusive. A glimpse of her wrist while pouring tea, a silent smile, a touch that is so mysterious one can never be sure about really feeling or only imagining it. The connection blossoming between her and a guest...just like between a haiku and a reader. Awaking senses, which stay on the back of the mind, making it wonder and wander...

Buson (1716-1784):

how long it seems
when you undo a woman' s sash
while lying in bed

With time the sensual haiku have developed and become more direct. This month our Carpe Diem prompts are modern kigo, based on "A Dictionary of Haiku", compiled by the famous haiku poetess Jane Reichhold. Among all of her haiku there is also a collection of the ones pouring sensuality. 

spring rain
your body
in me

Must admit I have written several haiku of the same mood thus the theme for my Carpe Diem "ghost - post" came to me naturally. I enjoy letting thoughts flow, melt with senses and challenging myself to find the words to reflect them.

kimono slipping
fingertips discover silk road
ecstatic sigh

Credits: Geisha on Bench, woodblock

Most probably you have guessed by now the prompt I have chosen for today is Sensual. Be inspired and inspire - your haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka or haibun always do... It is lovely when words have the power to awake senses, isn' t it?

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until April 11th 11.59 AM (CET). I will post our next episode, Ghost-Writer 4: Belinda, later on today.