Carpe Diem #777 kingyo (goldfish)

Dear Haijin, visitors, and travelers,

This is Paloma from Blog It or Lose It, helping Chèvrefeuille for the weekend. 

Our prompt for today is “kingyo” – or, goldfish. 

Wikimedia

    引越しのたびに大きくなる金魚 

     hikkoshi no tabi ni ookiku naru kingyo

     every time we move
     the goldfish
     grows bigger 

     Hoshino Tsunehiko

In researching for this prompt I discovered very few haiku about goldfish!  At first I was puzzled – especially in finding that kingyo / goldfish is a kigo for “all summer”.    And not just “goldfish” – many members of the goldfish family:  wakin, ranchuu, ryuukin, maruo, gingyo – and on and on - they are all seasonal kigo. 

     五月雨に金魚銀魚のきげん哉

     samidare ni kingyo ginyo no kigen kana

     in Fifth Month rain –
     feeling like silver
     or goldfish

     Issa

Ohara Buson.  Carp and Bee, 1910. WikiArt.

It turns out that “carp” and “koi” are also kigo for “all summer”, which led me to these haiku written by our host in 2013:

     along the canal
     gazing at the mirror-like water
     my first catch

     my first catch
     the line almost breaks
     a gold carp

     a gold carp
     hooked at my fishing line -
     mouth watering

     Chevrefeuille (2013)

If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you’ll be happy to note that “carp in the cold” is a kigo for late winter.

Here is a fun haiku from Gabi Greve: 

     鯉さんも 恋煩いあるか 夜熱し

     koi san mo     koi wazurai aru ka      yoru atsushi

     can a carp
     get love-sick?
     hot summer night

     Gabi Greve (2007)

This haiku is chock-full of word play – as “koi” can be “koi, the carp 鯉”or “koi, the love 恋”. 

Hokusai. Carp in a Cascade. WikiArt.

Here is my lighthearted offering – because sometimes it is good for haiku to be a bit playful, don’t you think?

     an orange flash
     and then – only green –
     was that a koi?

     Paloma

So for today I give you your choice – you may write about koi, carp, or goldfish – wherever the muses lead you. 

*

Before you link up today, I have a request – as a student and a fellow haijin. 

Since discovering Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, I’ve grown as a writer and have enjoyed being a member of this family.

Our host deserves our immense respect.   Not only does he provide food for inspiration on a daily basis – he writes thoughtful haiku to go along with his posts.  In the comments today, please leave a note to thank our host Chevrefeuille for his hard work, time, and dedication to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until July 19th at noon (CET).