Carpe Diem Utabukuro, the poem-bag #1 re-introduction "a single tulip"

!!! Open for your submissions next Sunday August 13th at 7:00 PM (CET) !!!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's my pleasure to re-introduce to you a feature we had here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This feature is based on a haiku by Basho which he wrote when he was around 22 years of age, it's one of his earliest known haiku according to Jane Reichhold. I called that new feature "Carpe Diem Utabukuro, which means "poem bag".

Flower bud

The logo above shows you a bag with a wonderful print of a Japanese woodblock and in the logo you can read the romaji translation of the haiku on which this new feature is based. I will give that haiku here again:

hana ni akanu
nageki ya kochi no
utabukuro

© Basho

And this is the translation by Jane Reichhold:

flower buds
sadly spring winds cannot open
a poem bag

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

In her compilation of all Basho's haiku "Basho, the complete haiku" she gives the following description of this haiku:

1667 - spring. Because Basho has used kochi instead of the conventional ware for "my", the verse has two distinct versions. The associative technique is the idea that the flowers are not yet opened and neither is Basho's bag of poems (Utabukuro). The unopened purse of poems is like the flower bud in its potential for beauty.

The goal of this CDHK feature is not difficult, because I just ask you to share a haiku or tanka which you admire. That haiku or tanka can be one of a classical or non-classical haiku poet or one by yourself. You can choose whatever you like, but it has to be a haiku or tanka. Maybe the haiku brings you sweet (or sad) memories or you just like it. Explain why you have chosen that haiku or tanka to share here "in" CDHK's Utabukuro, poem bag and ... that's the second task for this feature write/compose an all new haiku inspired on the one you have chosen.

Single Rose

I will give you an example:

As you all know I wrote my first English haiku several years ago (2005) and that started my international fame as a haiku poet. I love to share that haiku here again, by the way this haiku is slightly different with the original haiku on advice of Jane herself:

a single flower

my companion
for one night

© Chèvrefeuille (2005)

This haiku is a haiku which is always on my mind, because of the strong emotions in it and through the emotions that it was the start of my international career as a haiku poet. And there is another deeper meaning in it, not only a Zen meaning (loneliness, emptiness), but also the sorrow of losing my only brother in 1995. My brother and I were always together, as we say here "four hands on one belly", after his death I lost my companion for life and with this haiku I tried to bring that feeling into my poetry.

I explained the first task of this feature and I think you understand what I mean. Look at the second task of this feature ... write/compose an all new haiku inspired on the haiku or tanka of your choice. I think that's also easily understand. So I will do that also in this introduction to this new Carpe Diem Utabukuro feature:

a single tulip
covered with snow
arrival of spring

© Chèvrefeuille

Tulip(s) covered with snow

It is really a joy to let go the "strict" rule of giving a theme, so enjoy this feature. Find one of your most wonderful haiku or tanka, or written by someone else, to find your muse, your inspiration and share it with us all. Have a great weekend.

This episode is open for your submissions next Sunday August 13th at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until August 20th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, Mirror (Jaume Plensa), later on. Have a great weekend full of inspiration.