Carpe Diem #73, Spearflower (manryoo)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I was very surprised as I read all of your new haiku on the Special by Buson. And I have read even new contributors, wonderful ... it makes me humble as I see that new contributors are posting on Carpe Diem's daily haiku meme. Really ... when I started this daily haiku meme I gave myself three months to the max, but as I see how this Carpe Diem daily haiku meme has evolved than I think I can go on in the coming year(s).

Let's go on to our next prompt. Today our prompt is 'Spearflower (manryoo)'. I didn't know this flower, so I had to search the Internet and I found this picture:

Credits: Spearflower (manryoo)

A bit scientific maybe, but I had to share some background on Spearflower :

The Ardisia Crispa is a shrub that will grow between 2 feet high and 2 feet in thickness. It is semi hardy plant quite suited to temperate climates. It is an evergreen plant and keeps its leaves during Winter. It will grow well in any location including shaded areas of the garden. Situated against a north wall would be a good place for it to . The plant can produce a beautiful scent in the evenings that evokes a certain exotic ambience. The scent of the plant is seems most present on humid evenings after a warm day.

Origins:

The Spear Flower (Ardisia) originates in China and Malaya and is very common in Japan.

Flowers:

It produces white flowers in Autumn followed by small red fruits. The flowering usually takes place from July through to September.

Credits: Spearflower flowers

The Spearflower is also know as Christmas Berry, that's why it's a kigo for winter. Well ... now we know a bit more about the Spearflower and maybe you can write a nice haiku on this Classical Japanese Kigo (seasonword).

Of course I love to share some haiku written by Haijin which I have found on the Internet. I am so glad that I also found a haiku written by Shiki (our next month haiku master for the Special) on spearflower.

a red berry
spilled on the white frost
of the garden

(c) Masaoka Shiki

And I also found a few 'modern' haiku on spearflower:

manryoo
its red berries, a lost bee
at the dawn window

(c) Narayanan (one of the hosts of Wonder Haiku Worlds )

And this one written by Masaaki Oka on a haiku meeting this year:

red berries of spear flower
adorning my room
right into the new year

(c) Masaaki Oka (2012)

All wonderfully composed. I love the one written by Shiki the most, but ... well ... Shiki is one of the four greatest haiku masters and of course one of my favorites.

OK ... let's do some haiku composing myself. This will not be an easy one I think, but ... well I have said that several times and always succeeded. 

deadly beauty
red berries covered with snow -
Christmas decoration

(The berries of the Spearflower are poisonous)

decorating my home
with the red berries of the spearflower
almost Christmas

almost Christmas
as I am sowing the seeds of Manryoo
in early Spring

spearflower berries
sparrows picking them from the snow
in my backyard 

Well ... do you like them? It was really a joy to write this episode of Carpe Diem. I hope to see and read wonderfully composed haiku on this prompt spearflower. 

Spearflower

This prompt will stay on 'till December 20th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new prompt fireplace (ro) later on today around 10.00 PM (CET).

Have fun, be inspired, be creative, be happy and share your creativity with Carpe Diem. Thank you all for your daily effort to write haiku for carpe Diem. You're all very appreciated.