Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Carpe Diem Crossroads #8 The First Snow (Kanajo)


Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new episode of our special CDHK feature "Crossroads" in which I challenge you to create a new (fusion) haiku from two given haiku. This week I have chosen for a not so well known female haiku poet, Hasegawa Kanajo(1887-1969). She was a contemporary of Shiki and her husband was one of the editors of Shiki's magazine Hototogisu.

Hasegawa Kanajo
Let me give you a brief biography of her:

She was born near Nihonbashi, in the center of Tokyo. She entered the Mitsui Family in 1903 to learn about proper housekeeping and the virtues of a good wife, but could not continue due to a heart disease. In 1909 she married her private English teacher, the haiku poet, who later was known as Hasegawa Rsishi (1888 - 1928), who was a member of Hototogisu.

She begun to write haiku herself and on request of Takahama Kyoshi joined a Woman's Haiku Group.
Shortly after the death of her husband in 1928 her home in Shinjuku burned down and she moved outside to Urawa town, Saitama, where she died of lung infection at the age of 81.

And here are the two haiku to work with. I think her haiku have wonderful and beautiful fragility:

the first snow
on the Mt. Fuji and the round
cloud flows from there

the sound of rain
the clouds on right-side are
with the summer moon

© Hasegawa Kanajo(1887-1969)

the first snow on Mount Fuji (woodblock print)
clouds move away
first snow on Mount Fuji
reflects moon light

© Chèvrefeuille

Hm ... not a strong "fusion", but I like this haiku inspired on the both haiku by Kanajo. Now it is up to you.

This "Crossroads" episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 9th at noon (CEST). Have fun!


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