Carpe Diem #59, Withering wind (kogarashi)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are on our way in our third month of Carpe Diem's daily haiku meme and I am so glad that I can host it for another month. When I started this weblog I wasn't aware of the work it will gave me and if it would be a success. As I look back than I only can say 'awesome it is so nice to host this daily haiku meme'. I feel happy that Carpe Diem has found the way to your hearts and creativity and it makes me proud ... I think Carpe Diem will stay on a long time ... I even have started to gather new prompts for January next year. January will be another challenge I think, but ... that's not for today.

Today we have withering wind (kogarashi) for prompt. It's a kigo (seasonword) for early winter in the classical Japanese lunar calender.
Withering wind is one of the first really cold winds, when the last leaves are swept from the trees. Literally it means 'tree-witherer'. In the Edo-period, kogarashi was used either for Autumn or Winter. It's the cold and strong North or West wind in October or November, which withers leaves and blows them off the trees. However, it seems that the emphasis is more on the strength of the wind than on its coldness.

Credits: Last Leaf

An example written by Natsume Soseki:

kogarashi ya umi ni yuhi o fuki-otosu

withering wind
blows the setting sun
down to the sea

Another one by Toshiaki:

kogarashi ga iki o hisomeru iki no fuchi

the withering wind
hides its breath
in the pond's depths

It's a beautiful kigo and I think we can write nice haiku on this one ... let's go composing haiku on kogarashi ....

the icy wind scatters
through the street tearing of
the last leaves 

last leaves
torn apart by the icy wind
winter has come

Hm ... not bad I think (how immodest). These classical kigo are even to me not easy to use, but I think that they are wonderful to use.

withering wind
chases the clouds across the sky
torn apart fantasy

Withering Wind

Awesome ... this is really a fun kigo to write haiku with ...

Enjoy the fun, be inspired and creative and share your masterpieces with Carpe Diem.

This prompt will stay on 'till December 3rd 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post or new prompt 'winter shower (shigure)' later on today around 10.00 PM (CET)