Thursday, February 21, 2019

Carpe Diem #1612 Tan Renga Challenge Month 2019 (16) plumegrass


Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at this new episode of our wonderful Tan Renga Challenge Month 2019 here at CDHK, the place to be if you like to write and share Japanese poetry. Today I thought to do something else ... it did take me some time, but I have found the most ancient haiku ever. The haiku I have for you to work with is created somewhere in the 8th century (to be precise around 711).
In that time haiku wasn't the name of it, it was something like waka, but not as we know waka (5 lines), but as a three lined waka. It was a real joy to go on this quest and I am glad that I found it. It's a beauty written by O no Yasumaro (circa 711)

Plumegrass In The Mountains

Here is the haiku to work with:

While you decline to cry,
high on the mountainside
a single stalk of plumegrass wilts.

© Ō no Yasumaro (circa 711), (Tr. Michael R. Burch)

Isn't it a beauty? Almost 1000 years before Basho created the "modern haiku", haiku was already a poetry form. Awesome! Now it's up to you to add your 2nd stanza (two lines) and make the Tan Renga complete or continue the scene.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until February 28th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new weekend-meditation later on.


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