Carpe Diem #1266 Koharu (Indian Summer)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are on a trip along memory-lane and today we are going back to November 2012, the last episode I posted then, was the first prompt for December 2012, so maybe I could have chosen another, but I like this theme as used today, because here in The Netherlands we have an Indian Summer or as we call it in Dutch "na-zomer".

Back in 2012 koharu was the first prompt at CDHK that was a classical kigo, or seasonword, a part of haiku that we cannot forget. In December 2012 all our prompts were classical kigo for winter and koharu (Indian Summer) was the first classical kigo I introduced. Why did I choose for those kigo then? I will try to explain that. As I started with CDHK I had a "silent" wish to share my knowledge about haiku, and the writing of haiku, with my visitors, you. So it was just a choice to introduce one of the classical rules of haiku ... the use of a kigo or seasonword.

Autumn Flowers (image found on Pinterest

A seasonword, as it already says, is a word that directs you to the season in which the haiku (or tanka) was written. Through those seasonwords you can relate easily to the scene described / painted in the haiku. Let me give you an example:

tulips bloom
in all kinds of colors
in the backyard

© Chèvrefeuille

In this haiku the kigo (seasonword) is tulips a kigo for spring, because tulips are flowers of spring.

Another one:

full moon
above the heath
points the way

© Chèvrefeuille

In this haiku, it is somewhat more difficult to "find" the season, but in the classical use of kigo moon is a kigo for autumn, because according to Japanese folklore, the moon of autumn is the most beautiful moon of the year.

Okay ... after this small piece of background I love to go on to our prompt of today, koharu (or Indian Summer). What is an Indian Summer? Let me give you a short explanation.

Indian Summer (credits)

Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. The US National Weather Service defines this as weather conditions that are sunny and clear with above normal temperatures, occurring late-September to mid-November. It is usually described as occurring after a killing frost. (source: Wikipedia)

Indian Summer
inbetween seasons
roses bloom again

© Chèvrefeuille

To read the prompt from our history you can click HERE.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until October 9th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, millionaire, later on. For now ... have fun!