Carpe Diem Special Japanese Poetry In The Lowlands #3 Ria Giskes "six swans" (tanka)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It is with pleasure that I give you another CD Special about Japanese Poetry In The Lowlands in which I introduce haiku poets from The Netherlands. This time I have chosen to share a few tanka by Ria Giskes. Ria Giskes writes mostly haiku, but she also writes tanka. I hope that you will like the examples of her tanka followed hereafter.

This is what Ria Giskes says about her passion ... haiku:

The ideal haiku to me is a short suggestive poem which shows you nature and all things around us as if you see it for the very first time:

a sparrow
conspicuously inconspicuous
comes closer

© Ria Giskes

Ria Giskes

And here are a few tanka written by her to inspire you. I have tried to do them justice with my translation.

losgelaten -

ver van de boom drijven ze
op het water
waar de stroom ze meevoert
naar het onbekende

released -
far from the tree they float
on the water
where the stream carries them
into the unknown

© Ria Giske (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

Swans

zes zwanen

middenin een tapijt
van veren -
rondom de kappersstoel
mijn witte plukjes haar

six swans
in the middle of a carpet
feathers -
around the barber chair
my white tufts of hair

© Ria Giske (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

Well ... I hope I have inspired you with these beauties by one of my Dutch haiku colleagues. Have fun!

This CD Special is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until November 19th at 7.00 PM (CET).