Carpe Diem #260, Caravanserai

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I am excited ... today we have our first episode of Carpe Diem in August and as you all know all our prompts are musical videos with music of Karunesh . Today we have Caravanserai it's of his latest album "Colors of the East"

'Colors of the East' is a musical celebration of the wonders of India. And that's the Far East in which haiku has his roots, so I think this first episode will be awesome.

What's the goal of this month's prompts? Just listen to this wonderful music and let it inspire you to write new haiku, without a given prompt, just enjoy the music and let your creativity flow ... go with the flow, be one with the music and let it inspire you.

I hope you like the music and the video. This prompt will stay on 'till August 2nd 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Dervish Dream, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) !! Caravanserai is now open for submissions !!

Carpe Diem #259, Miracles

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today we have our last episode of Carpe Diem for the month July. This month was really a joy to make for you all. We had wonderful prompts "harvested" from "Manuscript found in Accra", the latest novel by Paulo Coelho and we had those wonderful haiku written by Jane Reichhold, a wellknown modern haiku poetess, which we could use with her permission. They were all stunning and you all were inspired by those haiku of Jane.
It's a bit sad to write the last episode for this month, but I am already preparing the first episodes of our new month August in which we will have wonderful music composed and performed by Karunesh a new-age artist who has composed really stunning music. I discovered his music several years ago and since then I am a big fan of his music. I have even created a weblog on the Dutch social network hyves with his permission of course. By the way I have permission to use his music as you can read in the CD News section.
It's a miracle that I have entrance to all those internationally known artists. And that brings me to our prompt for today Miracles. Miracles happen everywhere around us sometimes we can't see that immediately and sometimes we know it just. Miracles are part of our life, but we have to see them. In those little things as a new born or the song of the birds. Or those wonderful flowers and trees. Just little miracles we take for granted, but aren't common all time.
I found a wonderful music video about 'Miracles', maybe it helps you to become inspired and share your haiku with us all.

Miracles ... I belief in miracles, I see that every day around me and it gives me so much joy, and new energy.
Look around you and see those little wonders, those little miracles. It will bring you so much joy and happiness.

it's a miracle
on the old old tree trunk
new life sprouts'

new life sprouts'
after the dark winter time
the first narcissus

the first narcissus
a joy to see it grow
it's a miracle

I hope you enjoyed the read and the video and I hope that it will inspire you all to write wonderful haiku on miracles. Have fun!
This prompt will stay on 'till August 1st 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our first episode of August, Caravanserai, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) I hope that I will be on time. !! Miracles is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Namaste

Carpe Diem #258, Euphoria

Dear haijin, visitors and travelers,

Almost the last prompt of this month and then we will enter a whole new month full of wonderful music written and played by Karunesh. Today we share haiku on Euphoria and euphoria is just my feeling right now as I am preparing the first episodes of our new month. Karunesh has composed such wonderful, almost heavenly, music. OK ... that's for later days. Let's go back to our prompt for today.

Euphoria means extreme happiness. Synonyms are e.g. joy, exaltation, jubilation or relaxation.

For your inspiration this music video. Have fun, be inspired and share your haiku with us all. By the way I am very late with posting this episode because of lack of time. So I will give more time to share. This prompt will stay open 'til August 1st 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our last episode of July later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) I hope. !! Euphoria is now open for submissions !!

Carpe Diem Special #49, Jane Reichhold's "Winter Solstice"

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today is a bit sad, because today we have our last Special haiku by Jane Reichhold. I have chosen two wonderful haiku written by her, both are of winter and if you like you may use them both for your inspiration, feel free ...

It was really a joy to share haiku of Jane Reichhold with you all and it was fun to prepare these Special episodes. If you would like to read more haiku written by Jane Reichhold then you can visit her website at: AHA-poetry a rich source for inspiration and knowledge about haiku and tanka. For sure worth a visit. As Jane has granted me permission to use all of her haiku, maybe I will prepare a few Special Haiku episodes with haiku of her hand.

I wish to thank Jane Reichhold for her love and will dedicate this episode to her. She is a wonderful haiku poetess and I am thankful for all her wonderful haiku which I have shared with you all here on Carpe Diem.
Thank you Jane for your love and the opportunity to use your haiku with my haiku community here on Carpe Diem.

Jane Reichhold

OK ... we will go on with the haiku which I already shared in our yesterday post.

winter solstice
warmth of friends
return the sun

(c) Jane Reichhold

deep snow
the horse walks the paths
of summer

(c) Jane Reichhold

A nice set I think, wonderful haiku written by Jane and I think these two can be inspiring. So I invite you to share your haiku in the same sense and tone as the ones by Jane. Have fun, be inspired and share your haiku with our haiku-community.

I love to share here my attempt to write a new haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit as Jane Reichhold's.

waiting for the light
a mid winter evening -
the full moon rises

snow is falling
covers the bare meadows -
waiting for young shoots

Well ... with this attempt to write in Jane's sense, tone and Spirit I end the Carpe Diem Specials of July. In our next month I will introduce haiku written by Takarai Kikaku (1661-1707, also known as Enomoto Kikaku) one of Basho's leading disciples.

This Special episode will stay on 'till July 30th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Euphoria, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). PS. I am because of circumstances a bit behind with commenting on all your wonderful posts. Forgive me please I hope to catch up.

!! This Special episode is now open for submissions !!

Carpe Diem #257, Liberation

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another day has gone by. We have celebrated the 5th birthday of my youngest grandson with the whole family, a big party full of joy and laughter. It was just a great day and we have enjoyed eachoter's company. However ... this has nothing to do with our prompt for today. Today we share haiku on Liberation, freedom of speech, freedom of will and liberty in general. I think Liberation has no need for further description so let's go on with this episode and do some haiku composing.
As you maybe know all our prompts of this month are 'harvested' from the latest novel written by Paulo Coelho, "Manuscript found in Accra". I am a big fan of his novels and I have almost read them all. As I was preparing this episode I recalled a scene from one of his older novels. Maybe you know The Zahir another novel by Paulo Coelho which he wrote in 2005. In that scene the main character of the novel is being released from prison and the police-officer told him about freedom. He started with the sentence "You are free". The main character asks him in return "What is freedom?" That question is the lead of The Zahir at the end of the novel he gets his answer. "Freedom is living out of unconditional love and out of the box thinking".
This brings me to another idea which came in mind while preparing this episode. Maybe you can remember our Zodiac-days. In those days we had Aquarius for prompt and in that episode I referred to the movie Hair, a movie also about Liberation, free will and free mind. Hair is the ultimate movie on Liberation and I enjoyed that movie very well.

This video-clip from Hair says it all I think. I hope you are inspired to write haiku on Liberation and I am looking forward to all of your wonderful posts and haiku.

living in freedom
like the birds in the sky
rejoicing the Creator

make love, no war
look around you in wonder
living in freedom

This wonderful prompt will stay on 'till July 29th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode (hopefully) later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). Our next episode will be the last Carpe Diem Special by Jane Reichhold the haiku for your inspiration will be a winter-haiku. I will give that haiku already here:

winter solstice
warmth of friends
return the sun

OK ... another one by Jane Reichhold, also a winter-haiku, feel free to choose from both or use both ... it's up to you ... practice Liberation (smiles)

deep snow
the horse walks the paths
of summer

Namaste

!! Liberation is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #256, Confrontation

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another nice day in Carpe Diem's haiku paradise has started. Today we share haiku on Confrontation, not an easy prompt I think. This prompt can be taken positive or negative. Confrontation with something as bad as a terminal illness of being confrontated with the deeper knowledge of your Higher Self. If the confrontation is positive or negative it always has impact on your life and the lives of the ones around you.

A video of a song from Les Miserables in which the Confrontation collides between the revolting people. A wonderful song, this man sings awesome ... I like that deep brown sound of his voice.

confrontation near

enemies collide in battle -
bloodstained earth

bloodstained earth

silent witness of a crime
a mouse was eaten

a mouse was eaten

after thrown out of the kitchen -
screaming housekeeper

Well ... what do you think? I have tried to bring a little bit humor in this series of haiku on confrontation and I think I have succeeded. But that's not up to me to decide.

This prompt will stay on 'til July 28th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Liberation later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) !! Confrontation is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

By the way: I have gained permission of Karunesh and Oreade Music to use his music next month. I was excited when I got that permission. So next month will be a marvelous month with all day wonderful musical pieces by Karunesh  (The permission email you can find at the News page).

Carpe Diem's Kamishibai #3

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's a little while ago that I introduced to you our Carpe Diem's Kamishibai, or in other words, Carpe Diem's Storyteller, because that's what Kamishibai do. As you can see in this logo of this feature it's someone who tells stories and uses picture to tell the stories. So that's what the goal is of this Carpe Diem's Kamishibai to write a haibun inspired on a given photo or as in this episode a haiku by Jane Reichhold and a photo:


smooth sand
chasing children down the beach
their foot prints

(c) Jane Reichhold

Credits: footprints on the beach

This episode I love to challenge you all to write a haibun inspired on the haiku by Jane and/or the photo of the footprints with a maximum of 200 words including the haiku which belongs to the haibun.

I think you all can do this, but it's not an easy challenge I think, but ... well make it happen and have fun with writing. Just enjoy the challenge, feel free ...

This Kamishibai-episode will stay on 'til August 15th 11.59 AM (CET). Have fun, be inspired and share your haibun with Carpe Diem.

Carpe Diem #255, Intuition

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I hope that you liked the new 'Little Ones' feature which I published earlier today and that it maybe is worth to prepare a new 'Little Ones' episode already. It's still very warm (hot) here in The Netherlands and the dryness grows further and further. As I started preparing this episode of Carpe Diem I was at work. I am in the nightshift and it's a quiet shift, my colleague and I have done all the things we have to do in the nightshift and now we had some time to go surfing on the Internet.

Today we share haiku on Intuition, but what is intuition? I have sought the Internet and found the following definition of intuition:
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference and/or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri' which is usually translated as 'to look inside' or 'to contemplate'. Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot justify in every case. For this reason, it has been the subject of study in psychology, as well as a topic of interest in the supernatural. The "right brain" is popularly associated with intuitive processes such as aesthetic abilities. Some scientists have contended that intuition is associated with innovation in scientific discovery. Intuition is also a common subject of New Age writings.



This videoclip is (C) by sourcevibrations.com look for more of this wonderful kind of music on their website by clicking on the link.

This is a nice piece of music in which the Intuition can be growing, at least that's the purpose of this music and I think it works very well. This music makes you stronger in mind and more aware of you secret abilities as e.g. intuition and healing.

Well ... intuition ... it's a mysterious 'thing', but if you can used it well then it helps you to understand the world around you.

she just sits there
looking into nowhere land
getting Insight

getting Insight
strong internal energy builds
intuition gained

Not a strong set, but I think it will not be easy to write haiku, senryu, tanka of kyoka on Intuition. Another attempt.

cherry blossom blooms
following her intuition
she shares her fruit

I like this haiku ... it's more in the tradition of the classical poets and this haiku I like very much. It's a joy to host Carpe Diem for you all and it's even a greater joy to share haiku with you all.
This episode of Carpe Diem will be open for submissions 'till July27th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, Confrontation, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) !! Intuition is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem's Imagination #5

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's already a long time ago that I had an episode of Carpe Diem's Imagination, so I think it's time again to serve you all a new episode of this feature. The goal is to write a haiku inspired on the picture I gave. In other words ... "Carpe Diem's Imagination is painting with words", so paint with your words. Have fun and be inspired. This CD's Imagination episode will stay on 'till the end of July.




Chinese Rose (photo by Chèvrefeuille)

chinese roses
just one ultimate day they bloom
life departing

sweet scent of roses
enters my bedroom silently
she seduces me


Have fun, be inspired and share your haiku for this Carpe Diem's Imagination with us all.




Carpe Diem's Little Ones #1

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I recieved a question of Maggie Grace and she asked me if it was possible to make a new feature on Carpe Diem about one liners and other shorter verses then haiku. So I love to introduce a new feature ... (drum-roll) I give you ... CARPE DIEM LITTLE ONES ... As the name says it's all about little ones ... shorter forms of haiku. E.g Pi-ku, One-Line haiku (Monoku) or the Modern way of haiku.

What's a Pi-ku?

Pi-ku is a haiku form based on the mathematical number Pi, it's value is 3,14 this value is seen in the three lines: 1st = 3 syllables; 2nd = 1 syllable and 3rd = 4 syllables. I will give an example:

the sun rises
the heat
already tangible

Several days ago I published a Carpe Diem Freestyle episode in which I shared another Pi-ku. Bjorn of Rudberg's Writings stated in a comment on that episode "maybe it's possible to use more digits of the Pi number".
First I thought ... that isn't possible, but I think it's worth a try. So I sought on the Internet for all the digits of Pi and I came with the next (short) value: 3,14159 26535 89793 23846 ... and the digits go on and on, everlasting ...

Let us try to make a Pi-ku with the above digits in red (3,14159) the lines of the Pi-ku and the syllables-count would become the following:

1st line 3 syllables; 2nd line 1 syllable; 3rd line 4 syllables; 4th line 1 syllable; 5th line 5 syllables and the 6th line would be 9 syllables. To me this sounds great and will be for sure a challenge. So let me try to make my Pi-ku longer with those new lines and their syllables-count:

the sun rises
the heat
already tangible
mist
spirals above the stream
another day starts in mysterious ways

I like this way of making the Pi-ku a longer poem, maybe you, my dear friends, can make an even longer Pi-ku ... just have to try it.

Modern haiku?

Modern haiku are not so different from the haiku, but the syllables count isn't important in that modern form and the lay-out of a verse looks sometimes different, more playfull. For example this one by (c) Bill Pauly :

divorce -
        she
            nueters her dog

Or e.g. this one by (c) Emily Romano :

cowboyyellonghornery

Another example of a modern haiku:

gonggoinggone   in

(c) Peter Yovu

Not really my style, but it is very funny to play with haiku and the form. For the One-Line haiku you can read the Carpe Diem Lecture .

Of course there will be other forms of haiku, maybe you know another one, well ... share it with us all here on Carpe Diem. There are so much other ways to write haiku. As you all know I am a big fan of Basho's Kanshicho-style in which the syllables count isn't anymore a rule. That style is more in the line of the Western haiku form.

This new feature is bi-weekly online and this is our first episode. This episode will be online 'til August 8th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode of 'Little Ones' later on that day around 8.00 PM (CET).
Well ... have fun with this new feature and I am looking forward to all of your wonderful posts.

Namaste

Carpe Diem #254, Enthousiasm

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are almost at the end of this Carpe Diem month and I am longing to start with our new month August in which we will share haiku on the inspirational music of Karunesh I hope to get permission to use his music for this month of Carpe Diem.

OK ... back to our prompt for today. Today we share haiku, senryu, tanka or kyoka, on Enthousiasm. This word speaks for it's own and doesn't need explanation I think. So this episode will be a short one. Maybe a nice video for your inspiration.

 



For sure Liberace was an enthousiastic artist as you can see and hear in this "you tube" video. Maybe it inspires you all to write haiku on Enthousiasm.

every day again
I love to share my haiku
with Carpe Diem

with Carpe Diem
a dream came true for this haikuist
every day again

This prompt will stay on 'til July 26th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, Intuition, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) !! Enthousiasme is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #253, Reflection

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another hot day here, but it seems that we will have thunderstorms tonight ... well we will see. Today we share haiku on Reflection a wonderful prompt I think. Reflecting water, mirrors, but also reflecting spiritual and personal. Looking inside your own heart, mind and body. So I think this prompt will inspire you to write wonderful haiku.

Reflection

inner beauty
revealed in the mirror -
smiling Narcissus

smiling Narcissus
'you're a beauty Lotus', he says
'but I am gorgeous'

in front of the mirror
I open my young eyes -
an old grey man

unconditional
love is the strongest power
reflecting Self


Well ... I hope you liked the read. This prompt will stay on 'til July 25th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will (try to) post our next episode later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). That will be Enthousiasm. !! Reflection is now open for submissions !!

Carpe Diem Special #48, Jane Reichhold's "riversong"

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Suffering from a heatwave here, but I have to post another episode on our haiku-community. Today another nice haiku by Jane Reichhold for our 4th Carpe Diem Special of July. I have used 'til now haiku by Jane for New Year, Spring and Summer so now Autumn is at hand. Our Special haiku today is the next one:

riversong

wind blown from autumn trees
a stream of gold

The goal of the Specials is to try to write a new haiku inspired on the given one and in the same sense, tone and Spirit of the given haiku.

As I read this haiku I first thought of Flatley's 'Riverdance', so I love to share a You Tube video of "Riverdance".

I hope you enjoyed this video and I hope that it inspires you all to write a new haiku in the same Spirit as the one by Jane Reichhold. Have fun and be inspired.

My attempt:

golden leaves
dance through the village
on Autumn's wind

on Autumn's wind
accompanied by heavy rain
golden leaves dance

This Special will stay on 'til July 24th 11.59 AM (CET) and I hope to post our new episode of Carpe Diem, Reflection, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). !! "riversong" is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Challenge #7, "red tear-stained eyes"

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another Tan Renga Challenge I have to share with you, but first this ... I had asked one or two of you if I could use a haiku of them for this Tan Renga Challenge, but (shamefully) I don't know whom I asked ... so for this Tan Renga Challenge I have chosen one haiku written by myself.

decomposed flowers

silent witness of a relative

red tear-stained eyes

(c) Chèvrefeuille

The goal of this Tan Renga Challenge is to write the second stanza (7-7) inspired on the first stanza (5-7-5) and make the Tan Renga complete.

Credits: red tear-stained eyes

decomposed flowers

silent witness of a relative

red tear-stained eyes                                        (Chèvrefeuille)

????????????????????
????????????????????

Well ... have fun, be inpsired and share your completed Tan Renga with us all. To make your Tan Renga complete, you have to copy and paste the first stanza into your post and enclose your second stanza..
This Tan Renga Challenge will stay on 'till July 29 11.59 AM (CET) around that date I will publish a new Tan Renga Challenge.

Carpe Diem #252, Ecstasy

Dear Haijin,visitors and travelers,

Another hot (very hot) day in the Lowlands of The Netherlands, today we suffer from heat, a first day of a heat wave, with more then 30th degrees Celsius. Really hot and so it isn't easy for me to sleep on the day. I am in the nightshift and so I have to sleep on the day.
The coming days I hope to be on time with publishing, but I can't garantee that. As today I am a bit late and I hope that I can share haiku written by myself in reaction on the prompts. Today our prompt is Ecstasy. Ecstasy means e.g. bliss, euphoria, joy or paradise. And today no big piece just a wonderful picture for your inspiration on ecstasy.

Credits: Ecstasy

Ecstasy is also a chemical partydrug, but I don't know anything of that kind of ecstasy. I hope this short post can be helpfull for your inspiration. have fun and be inspired. This prompt will stay on 'til July 23th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, another nice haiku by Jane Reichhold, later on today around (I hope) 8.00 PM (CET). !! Ecstasy is now open for submissions !!

The haiku by Jane for our next episode will be the following:

riversong
wind blown from autumn trees
a stream of gold

Carpe Diem #251, Mystical

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

What a day ... we have celebrated our 250th prompt and I am already busy with our next months. September will be another month full of classical Japanese kigo and in October we have another celebration, because in that month we will celebrate our first anniversary. That will be a great month I think in which I will only use the prompt suggestions you all have given me in our prompt suggestion section. If you have suggestions? Please share them and maybe I will use them in October.

Credits: Mystical

This picture is from a wonderful website about The Zen Spirit a website with content which empathizes with Zen-Buddhism, one of the pillars of haiku. Today we share haiku on Mystical and I think you all can write haiku for this prompt. It's a prompt perfectly fitting Carpe Diem, because of the roots of haiku. So I am looking forward to all of your wonderful inspired haiku.


dreaming eyes
looking towards the horizon -
mystical and mysterious

mystical and mysterious
I feel the love through Carpe Diem
with haijin everywhere

with haijin everywhere
mysticism will grow further
dreaming eyes


A nice cascading haiku I think (how immodest). It was really a joy to prepare this episode for you all my dear Haijin, visitors and travelers. This prompt will be open 'til July 22th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode of Carpe Diem, ecstasy, later on today (7/21) around 8.00 PM (CET). !! Mystical is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #250, Credibility

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today is a joyful day ... today we have reached a new milestone ... this is our 250th prompt of Carpe Diem. I am proud, very proud, because as I started this daily haiku meme I couldn't have dreamed that I would reach a 250th episode, but we did. And you all, my dear haijin, visitors and travelers, I have to thank there fore, because without you I hadn't reached this new milestone.
As I was preparing our prompt list for July I wasn't aware of this new milestone ... if I had been aware of it I had chosen another prompt for today, but ... well maybe Credibility can also be a festive prompt.
Today I had my grandsons to visit at our home, because we had to baby-sit. With the oldest boys I made a tour on the bike and we sat down at the seashore to wacht the boats passing. It was a clear day and very hot, so at the horizon you could already see that there would be a thunderstorm. As I realized that I had to write a haiku ...


at the horizon
a thunderstorm is rising -
hot summer day


This of course has nothing to do with credibility, but I loved sharing it with you all. I was really a wonderful day here in The Netherlands ... a real summer's day. I had to share this (c) video by Cheryl Crow, it's one of her songs, titled 'Summerday'.

Because I am not so familiar with this word credibility I have sought for the meaning. The meaning is believeableness and I found a few synonyms e.g. chance, likelihood and reliability. I hope I can write a new haiku with this prompt.


'look granddad', he said
with his hands width open
'I caught a fish'.

'I caught a fish!'
my grandson laughs and shows me
a gold carp


Not a strong set on credibility, but in a way I had to share this with you. Well ... I hope that this prompt will bring you all enough inspiration to write and share your haiku with Carpe Diem (CD). This prompt will stay on 'til July 21th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, Mystical, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET) (I hope). By the Way: I have published our new prompt-list for August. !! credibility is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #249, compassion

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers.\,

First I have to say "I am sorry", because I am hopelessly behind with commenting on all your posts, but I hope to catch up next Saturday. I have read already several entries, without commenting, and what I have read is wonderful.
Today our prompt is Compassion, with compassion the first thing which I think about is Buddha. I see his eyes in front of me and I feel how his compassionate eyes are touching me deep. Compassion ... a wonderful emotion, which we see to less in the world of today. Maybe ... maybe there will be a time, far in the future, that every living thing on Earth will be compassionate. I hope ... this will become true.

Credits: Buddha

full of compassion
the Buddha looks into the world
with sad eyes

with sad eyes
I look around in my world
dreaming of better times


This prompt will stay on 'til July 20th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Credibility, later on around 8.00 PM (CET) !! compassion is now open for submissions !!

Carpe Diem #248, Inner Beauty

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Sorry guys ... I am very late with publishing this post, this new episode of Carpe Diem. I was at work and I had a very busy evening, so I couldn't prepare our episode for today. Today our prompt is Inner Beauty a nice prompt I think.
No ... big post today just the prompt and my attempt to write a haiku about Inner Beauty.


smiling geisha
hides her beauty behind a fan
and her white face

her white face
the rule for her class of beauty -
no Inner Beauty

This prompt will stay on 'til July 19th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Compassion, later on (I hope) around 8.00 PM (CET). Have fun be inspired abnd share your haiku with us.

Carpe Diem Special #47, Jane Reichhold's "sweeping the porch"

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Our third Carpe Diem Special by Jane Reichhold is today's prompt. For this Special I have chosen a haiku of Summer. I think this haiku will give you enough inspiration to write your own haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit as the one by Jane.

sweeping the porch

bright prints of raindrops

followed by splashes

I can see this in front of me ... you have just swept the porch and then a rainstorm breaks loose. A rainstorm after a long hot summer day ... how refreshing. Here in The Netherlands today we have such a day and I hope that we will get a rainstorm.
As I am preparing this episode of Carpe Diem I am at my work and I hope that I can visit all of your post. I am a little bit behind and I hope to catch up ...

Jane Reichhold

My attempt to write a haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit as Jane Reichhold:

sweeping the garden
a last leaf falls ... I hold in the broom -
departing Autumn

Well ... what do you think? Is this a haiku in the Spirit of Jane? I think so, but that's not up to me to decide, but yours. This Special prompt will stay on 'til July 18th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, Inner beauty, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). !! "Sweeping the porch" is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Namaste,

Carpe Diem #247, Willpower

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's a sunny day here in the Lowlands of The Netherlands, almost 25 degrees Celsius and a little breeze. We (my wife and I) are busy in the backyard. After a year or ten we finally decided what to do with it. We now have a garden full of blossoming flowers and to pieces of grass fields. Of course a Buddha in it too, because I am a bit of a Buddhist and I would like to have one in my garden. So several days ago my wife gave me one as a present.
Buddha to me is the fullfillment of Willpower Siddhartha being a prince choose to be one with his people and through Willpower, our prompt for today, he succeeded in his goal to become enlightend. He is for sure Enlightened and mybe we all, including myself, will once be Enlightened being to.

Credits: Mountain Buddha

Look at his face ... the Mountain Buddha full of compassion became a god through willpower. We also can be gods by Willpower. Seek deep in your heart and find the peace and silence which is so common for Buddha. We all have a part of Buddha deep inside us ... through Willpower we can become Enlightened.


full of compassion
he sought for the deeper truth
through willpower

through willpower
we all can be enlightened beings
full of compassion


Sorry as this looks like a sermon. That wasn't my goal for this episode. Siddhartha Gauthama, the Buddha, came in mind at first as I was preparing this episode. I admire him, because he, a prince, became one with his people through the power of his will. He was really a strong Spirit and nowadays we can feel, see, hear, smell and touch him everywhere around us.

What a nice piece of Meditative Music, I hope you enjoyed it. This prompt will stay on 'til July 17 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next Special episode by Jane Reichhold later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). I will give her inspirational haiku for our next Special hereafter. !! Willpower will be open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!


sweeping the porch
bright prints of raindrops
followed by splashes

Carpe Diem #246, Inspiration

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

What is your source of Inspiration? Go deep inside yourself and seek the inspiration well of your poetry and other art. Be one with this prompt for today. My inspiration? I love nature, I love my work, I love my poetry and I love music. All are sources of inspiration for me. As I look around me I see so much, feel, hear, smell and touch so much and it's all inspiration. My inspiration source? You all my dear haijin, visitors and travelers. You all are my inspiration ... for you I started Carpe Diem, because I love haiku and I love sharing them with the world. It's a joy and a inspiration to read all of your posts.

A wonderful inspirational music video by Oliver Wakeman - 'Even in a breeze'. Let the music be your inspiration, or the title of it. Just enjoy sit back and relax. Let the inspiration come from deep out of your heart.


even in a breeze
one can find inspiration -
one with nature

one with nature
caressing her wonderful clothes
the sweet smell of grass

the sweet smell of grass
makes me slumberous
even in a breeze


Awesome! (How immodest) This prompt will (I hope) bring you all a lot of inspiration. Have fun, be inspired and share your inspiration with Carpe Diem. This prompt will stay on 'till July 16th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode of Carpe Diem, Willpower, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). !! Inspiration is open for submissions at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #245, Listening

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another day in haiku paradise Carpe Diem. Today we share haiku on Listening and I think that speaks for itself. So no big post, just a nice video to listen at and maybe be inspired by.

A wonderful music video by Karunesh. In our next month of Carpe Diem all the prompts are musical videos by Karunesh. So a different way to write and share haiku with Carpe Diem.


sweet silence -
listen to the sound of rain
on bamboo leaves


I hope you like the music and I hope that by listening to this video you're inspired to share your haiku. This prompt will stay on 'til July 15th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, Inspiration, later on today around 8.00 PM (CET). !! Listening ... is open for submission at 8.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem Freestyle #2

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another episode of Carpe Diem's Freestyle. Feel free to share your haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka, sedoka and all other forms of Japanese poetry here. No prompt ... just freedom to share your haiku or other Japanese kind of poetry here. So another way to share your inspiration.

My freestyling verse this time is a Pi-ku, which I once have written:

The Thinker
alone
no more thoughts

A Pi-ku is in a way somewhat artificial haiku and it follows the number 'PI' which is 3,14. The syllables count for a Pi-ku is:

first line: three syllables
second line: one syllable
third line: four syllables

I learned about this poetry-form last year February and I thought "this is a challenge".

This Carpe Diem's Freestule episode will be open 'till July 20th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next 'freestyle' episode later on that day.

Have fun, share your freestyling with us. Freestyle can be all other forms of Japanese poetry (including haiku of course).