Monday, March 4, 2013

Carpe Diem #137, Usurai (thin ice)



Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are on our way, on an adventure, to explore classical Japanese kigo (seasonwords) and I am enjoying it very much, unless my every day struggle to write these posts. This month is all about classical Japanese kigo for Spring and I have divided this month in three parts. The first 10 days is about kigo for Early Spring, the second part is about Mid-Spring and the last 10 days are all kigo about Late-Spring. And of course there is our haiku master for this month Onitsura of whom I will share a haiku tomorrow in our first Carpe Diem Special for this month. I hope you all enjoy this month of classical Japanese kigo.

Today we share haiku on Usurai (thin ice). Even in early Spring sometimes it's freezing, not strong but still it's freezing. Those thin ice layers are wonderful. You can see the tiny waves of the water in it and ducks and other water birds can walk on it, but we as humans cannot. It's wonderful to see how the sun is shining on this thin ice and makes the water look like a mirror. Really awesome.
Usurai is a rather thinclear ice, usually sparkling and finely crystallized. It forms on cold spring nights and is gone when the sun comes out warmly during the day.
Shiki placed this kigo in early sping.
Before him, the reading was "hakuhyoo" and used in winter.





I ran into another wonderful 'name for thin ice' ... semigoori which means 'like cicadas wings' and that's a very thin kind of ice.

on thin ice
seeking close warmth
mallard ducks

mallard ducks
close to each other -
cicadas wings


Cicadas wings
It's a wonder ... ducks walking on Usurai as thin as cicadas wings, how strong they are those wings (smiles).
Have fun and be creative.

This prompt will stay on 'till March 6th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our first Carpe Diem Special of Onitsura later on today around 10.00 PM (CET). Here after you can read already the haiku which I have chosen for our first Carpe Diem Special by Onitsura.


tokitaru kane no ayumi ya haru kasumi

the bell from far away -
how it moves along in its coming
through the Spring haze





11 comments:

  1. Well that was another beautiful, fascinating read. Your haiku trick in their simplicity. I defy anyone to attempt the fragile style. Hey! I will try!

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  2. Wonderful kigo, and cikadas wings sounds a little thin, but the expression is lovely. Your haiku are fantastic.

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  3. I enjoyed.playing with this one, thanks

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  4. I saw a blue heron walking on ice one day in late winter. He was ice skating!

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  5. I like your haiku about the ducks :)

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  6. Sorry. Please delete #21. I have given a wrong title link..
    #22, is the correct link.
    Thank you,
    Panchali

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  7. I love the image of the cicada wings. I felt spring coming forth even with the thin ice.
    Love the" bell from far away" it has a wistful hopeful ring
    Thanks for the inspiration

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  8. Enjoyed it very much. I've just finished a meeting with colleagues from the Netherlands.

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  9. Day behind here is USA ~ this is for thin ice ~ Great post as always ~ ^_^

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  10. Enjoyed this set and its direction!!

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  11. Interesting subject to do...
    Eliz

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