Carpe Diem Tan Renga Wednesday #17

 

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at CDHK's Tan Renga Wednesday. First I have to apologize for not publishing. It's still busy with Covid here at work and with the "cleaning out" of my Mom's home, so I hadn't time to publish ... ofcourse that makes me sad, but ... well I can't help it.

I promised back in July that I would publish our Tan Renga Wednesday as an extra feature, so today I have a wonderful haiku for you to work with. The goal is to add the 2nd stanza of the Tan Renga that has two lines of approx. 7-7 syllabes. 

At the moment we have a heat wave here in The Netherlands with temperatures rising to 35 degrees Celsius and a very moist air, so it's really hot here. So for this Tan Renga Wedensday I have chosen a haiku themed "heat wave". Here is the haiku to work with:

such a hot day
my shadow needs to cool down
under the willow

© Kyoshi Takahama (1874-1958)

A wonderful haiku to work with I think. Have fun!

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until August 17th at 10:00 PM (CEST). You can add your submission through the linking widget below (our CDHK logo).

Carpe Diem's Quest for a (new) masterpiece #4 autumn leaves

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I had what spare time so I will give you a new episode of our special "(new) masterpiece" feature. During the ages there were haiku poets both classical and non-classical, and as all of us hope, they wrote masterpieces of haiku (and tanka). There are several "masterpieces" to find. Here are a few masterpieces I found while on a journey on the Internet. (I don't know the name of the translator, so if you are the translator or you know the translator, please let me know)

The light snow.
The ice without any trace
On the lake.

© Kawahigashi Hekigoto (1873-1937)

In the bamboo grove
The yellow spring sunlight,
I look up at it.

© Takahama Kyoshi (1874-1959)

Woodblock print

The sound of rain.
The clouds on right-side are
With the summer moon.

© Hasegawa Kanajo (1887-1969)

Grasses in summer.
The warriors’ dreams
All that left.

© Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

Four wonderful haiku masterpieces I think and I dare to say that you, my dear haijin, visitors and travelers, can create such masterpieces too. For this "quest for a (new) masterpiece" episode I love to challenge you to create your masterpiece inspired on "autumn leaves".

Maybe you can remember our first introductory episode of this new feature in which I gave my idea about what makes a haiku a masterpiece! 

What makes a haiku (or tanka) a masterpiece? Well ... I will give it a try to tell you what a haiku (or tanka) makes a masterpiece in my opinion.

First: It has to describe a moment that got your attention.

Second: You have to use the right words. Words that describe the moment in its true way.

Third: Maybe ... use the classical way of creating haiku (or tanka) (as mentioned in CDHK Lecture One above in the menu).

Fourth: It has been written right from the heart or soul not the mind.

Fifth: It's (maybe) in the sense and tone of the classical haiku (tanka) poets.

Sixth: It has to be ... how shall I say it ... be your child, your creation ... in a masterpiece we can read, between the lines, the poet who created it.

the sound of water
refreshes my overflowing mind
balance again

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... the above haiku, freshly from my mind, isn't inspired on the theme "autumn leaves", but I think it's in a way connected to the theme, autumn leaves are falling in a wonderful dance, for dancing you need balance. 

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until October 13th at noon (CEST). Share your (new) masterpiece with us all and as you all know I have planned to create a new exclusive CDHK E-book with your (new) masterpieces.

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #39 Troiku Challenge "a distant mountain"

!!! Open for your submissions next Sunday July 1st at 7:00 PM (CEST) !!!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new weekend meditation here at our wonderful Haiku Kai, the place to be if you like to write and share Japanese poetry. Every weekend I have a wonderful challenge for you. You can respond on Sunday July 1st at 7:00 PM (CEST), so you have time to meditate and contemplate on the given challenge before responding.

This weekend I love to challenge you again with a Troiku Challenge. In this Troiku Challenge you have to create first a so called "fusion"-haiku and than you have to create a Troiku (more on Troiku you can find in the menu above) with your "fusion"-haiku.

Paulownia Tree

For this Troiku Challenge I have chosen two haiku by Takahama Kyoshi (1874–1959) to work with. Kyoshi is not a renown haiku poet, but he has written wonderful haiku. (You can find more of his haiku HERE).

a distant mountain
seen in the sunlight:
a desolate field

a leaf of a paulownia tree
has fallen
in the sunlight

© Takahama Kyoshi (Tr. Katsuya Hiromoto)

Two nice haiku. Not easy to work with I think, but ... I think you can do it. Create a "fusion"-haiku from these two haiku and than create a Troiku with your "fusion"-haiku.

Have a great weekend and remember ... this episode is open for your submissions next Sunday July 1st at 7:00 PM (CEST) and will remain open until July 8th at noon (CEST). Have a great weekend.

Carpe Diem Romancing Haiku #3 first love

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Well ... haiku as a love poem ... it's not a renown way of writing haiku as a love poem, but I believe that haiku is one of the best poetry forms for love poems. That's the goal of this special feature ... creating love-haiku ... as once was tanka (or waka).

Let me give you a few examples of "love-haiku" written by classical and modern haiku poets:

the rainbow stands
in a moment
as if you are here.

© Takahama Kyoshi(1874-1959)

I want to see
and to meet you
with stepping on the thin ice.

© Mayuzumi Madoka(1962-)

wear loosely*
and meet the man
at the night of firefly.

© Katsura Nobuko(1914-2004)

*The way of loose wearing kimono meant trust a man.

As we have read above ... haiku can be used as a love poem ... and that's a real challenge. Have fun!

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 9th at noon (CEST). Have fun ... take up the challenge to create a love haiku.

Carpe Diem Special #39, Kyoshi Takahama's 'shutting my eyes'

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

After a journey through the Divine Tarot we are now welcoming the last Carpe Diem Special written by Kyoshi Takahama for this month. After this day we have still two days to go which will be in some way connected with the Tarot, but first this nice haiku written by Kyoshi for your inspiration.


me tsumureba wakaki ware ari haru no yoi

shutting my eyes
I find a young me found
in the Spring evening


A wonderful haiku, full of Zen I think. We all do this once or more in our lives ... looking back, e.g. as I did back in April's Carpe Diem month. I think everyone has sometimes the need for looking back and ... there's nothing wrong with.

Credits: Kyoshi Takahama (woodblock by Jun-Ichiro Sekino)

Kyoshi sees himself as a youngster, maybe he was lost that Spring evening and his parents were seeking him. Finally they found him ... what a joy his parents have found him. Feels like the parable of the Lost Son.
His parents were glad that they found him back and celebrated it.


in my dreams
I see myself in classic Japan
clothed like Basho

clothed like Basho
I go on a trip to the Far North
in my dreams


Well ... I hope this haiku by Kyoshi will inspire you all to write haiku in the same tone, sense and Spirit as the one by Kyoshi. Have fun and share.

This Special will stay on 'til May 30th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Divination, later on today around 10.00 PM (CET).

Carpe Diem Specisl #38, Kyoshi Takahama's 'a gold bug'.

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I am so glad that I can publish a new Special haiku by Kyoshi Takahama, our haiku-master of this month, instead of preparing a new episode in our Tarot-journey. No research, no seeking for words, no struggle to get it online, but just sharing a nice haiku written by Kyoshi.


kogane-mushi nageutsu yami no fukasa kana

a gold bug -
I hurl into the darkness
and feeling the depth of night


A nice haiku of Kyoshi for your inspiration. Be inspired and share your haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit as the one by Kyoshi. Have fun!

Credits; Firefly

My haiku inspired on the one by Kyoshi is:


firefly party
their fragile light caresses me -
no lonely night


This Special will stay on 'til May 24th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will draw our next card in our Tarot-journey, The Star (XVII), later on today around 10.00 PM (CET).

Carpe Diem Special #37, Kyoshi Takahama's 'the night of Spring'

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

No Tarot today, but a new Special haiku written by Kyoshi Takahama, our haiku-master of May. Kyoshi isn't a well known haiku poet, but he has written wonderful haiku. This month I introduced him to you and shared a few haiku already.

Todays haiku by Kyoshi is written at the end of Spring and in this haiku he said that very nice and calls it 'the night of Spring'. I think that's a wonderful imagery for the departure of Spring. Well ... let us look at that Special haiku:

haru no yo ya tsukue no ue no hiji-makura

the night of Spring -
an elbow-pillow
on the desk

Makura (elbow-pillow)

Isn't this a nice haiku? I hope it will inspire you to write a new haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit as the one by Kyoshi. Have fun, be inspired and share.


This haiku by Kyoshi inspired me to write:

last moon of Spring
leaning on the windowsill
watching her beauty



This prompt will stay on 'til May 18th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, our next Tarot-card, The Hanged Man (XII), later on today around 10.00 PM (CET).

Carpe Diem Special #36, Kyoshi Takahama's 'Spring Breeze!'

Dear haijin, visitors and travelers,

I am glad that I can share a new episode of our Carpe Diem Special with you all. This month is very tough with all those Tarot-Card prompts. So I am glad that I don't have to think about Tarot today, but only at a new haiku by our Special haiku-poet Kyoshi Takahama.
Kyoshi isn't a wellknown haiku-poet, but he has written wonderful haiku as we will see in this episode of Carpe Diem Special.

Kyoshi (Takahama Kiyoshi, 1874-1959) was born in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. Kyoshi's father was a samurai, a master of Japanese fencing, and was also versed in Nohgaku(traditional stage drama). His mother had profound knowledge of Japanese classical literature. When Meiji New Government was established in 1868, Kyoshi's father was dismissed and moved to Nishinoge in Kazahaya to become a farmer, where Kyoshi spent his early days. Such environment influenced his interest in literature and his ability to appreciate the beauty of nature and to feel affinity with nature. In school days in Matsuyama, Kyoshi asked Hekigoto, his classmate, to hand a letter of introduction of himself to Shiki, who was a great innovator of haiku. Later, Kyoshi and Hekigoto became two prominent pupils of Shiki.

 

In 1898 Kyoshi became a publisher and editor of Hototogisu with the help of Shiki. After Shiki's death, Kyoshi was devoting himself to writing novels, leaving Hekigototo teach haiku. Meanwhile Hekigoto began his new trend haiku (Shinkeiko Haiku), which did not follow the rules of 17 syllables and the seasonal words. When Kyoshi realized that the new trend haiku gained great popularity over the country, he determined to return to his roots as a haiku poet.

 

Today's haiku by Kyoshi:

Spring breeze !

on the hill I firmly stand

with the great resolve


I hope this haiku inspires you to write and share a new haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit of this one by Kyoshi.


This is my new haiku inspired on the one by Kyoshi:


rustling bamboo -
song of a Nightingale fades away
a new day rises

a new day rises
in the mystery of the dawn
the sound of rain


Well ... it was a joy to prepare this Special episode for you all my dear friends and I hope that it will bring you all joy and inspiration. This prompt will stay on 'til May 12th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, also not one about the Tarot, Mothers Day, later on today around 10.00 PM (CET). So have fun, be inspired and creative and share your haiku with Carpe Diem, THE haiku community on the www (smiles).

Carpe Diem Special #35, Kyoshi Takahama's 'dead chrysanthemum'.

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today our first Special for this month. This month the Special haiku are written by Kyoshi Takahama (1874-1958). See for more information on Kyoshi our Carpe Diem May 2013 page The first haiku which I love to share with you is the following (I couldn't find the Romaji-translation):


a dead chrysanthemum
and yet - isn't there still something
remaining in it?


I think this one has a deeper layer based on Zen-Buddhism's idea of 'Emptiness', but maybe you all think something else. Please share your thoughts on this haiku and write a new haiku inspired on the one by Kyoshi. Have fun, be inspired and share.

This prompt will stay on 'till May 6th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, another step in our journey through the Tarot, The Empress (III), later on today around 10.00 PM (CET).