Carpe Diem #1275 nakedness

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new episode in our celebration month October 2017. Today I have a nice episode for you I think. Back in the summer of 2014 we had all modern kigo extracted from Jane Reichhold's "A Dictionary of Haiku". All the modern kigo were for summer and we have seen several wonderful modern kigo than. (That episode you can find HERE)

One of those modern kigo was "nakedness" as is our prompt for today. Nakedness is maybe somewhat controversial here at CDHK, but let me give you my idea about "nakedness". We were all born naked, but as we grow up we learned that one cannot go naked through the streets. Nakedness is private, so if you love to be naked, than you have to that in your own home, maybe your garden, but not on the streets. In my opinion "nakedness" is part of nature, there are no living creatures, except us humans, that use clothing to cover their nakedness. So if we are part of nature, as we surely do, why not going naked?
I love being naked, but of course only in my home or my garden. Or on specific places outside as e.g. the nude beach. Why do we feel ashamed as we walk naked through our own home, not for or loved ones around us, but maybe for those who walk outside your window, they maybe see your nakedness.

Let us take a small peek into nature itself ... than nakedness is very common and very specific in the "world" of naked snails. I like those small creatures and I once created a haiga about it.

Haiga Snail (2014)

 Nakedness ... common in nature, but in the life of humans not that common ... well it has to be so I think.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until October 18th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, tranquil, later on. For now .... have fun!

Carpe Diem #1224 dunes

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend and I hope I have inspired you with our "weekend-meditation". Today we will go on with our Summertime month full of classical and non-classical kigo (seasonwords).
There are a lot of classical and non-classical kigo for summer and today I love to share another nice one, a modern one this time extracted from Jane's "A Dictionary of Haiku". Today I love to challenge you with dunes.

the cry of a seagull
resonates through the dunes
waves pounding the beach

© Chèvrefeuille

As I was preparing this episode the first thing which came in mind had nothing to do with summer. I thought of the novel series by Frank Herbert, Dune. I remember that I read this complete series (6 volumes) as a teenager and I loved it, loved it dearly. It inspired me to write my own novel several years later.

Dune (part 1) Frank Herbert cover

Let me tell you a little bit more about this beautiful series of novels by Frank Herbert:

Dune is a 1965 epic science fiction novel by American author Frank Herbert, originally published as two separate serials in Analog magazine. It tied with Roger Zelazny's This Immortal for the Hugo Award in 1966, and it won the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. It is the first installment of the Dune saga, and in 2003 was cited as the world's best-selling science fiction novel.

Set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which noble houses, in control of individual planets, owe allegiance to the Padishah Emperor, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides, whose noble family accepts the stewardship of the desert planet Arrakis. As this planet is the only source of the "spice" melange, the most important and valuable substance in the universe, control of Arrakis is a coveted—and dangerous—undertaking. The story explores the multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as the forces of the empire confront each other in a struggle for the control of Arrakis and its "spice".

Herbert wrote five sequels: Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. In 1984 Dune The Movie was created. A great movie which followed (in my opinion) the novels in an awesome way.

Virginia Beach Dune

Okay ... back to our prompt for today, dunes, a modern summer kigo. Here are a few haiku by Jane Reichhold (1937-2016) to inspire you.

rain-wet dunes
scraped with yellow light
of sunset showers

noon shadows
following the contours
of desert dunes

living in desert dunes
the ups and downs
of curved sand

© Jane Reichhold

Three beauties ... Jane was really a great haiku poetess. Here is another one by her. I think this one is one of her best on dunes:

the shape of wind
writing in dunes
loneliness

© Jane Reichhold

It will not be an easy task to create haiku or tanka in the same brightness and beauty as the ones shared here by Jane, but  ... I had to try.

hot summer day
seeking for relief and shadow
between the dunes
exchanging body fluids with the one I love
while seagulls cry

© Chèvrefeuille

Hmm ... nice tanka I think. What is your opinion on this tanka?

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until July 28th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, cool, cool evening, cool wind (Suzushi,Ryofu), later on. For now .... have fun!

 

 

Carpe Diem #1220 Twilight

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I hope you all have had a nice weekend and that you have been inspired to create haiku or tanka "triggered" by our "weekend-meditation". I am looking forward to your responses. Than this ... our Carpe Diem Haiku Kai Autumn Retreat 2017 "departure" has started too. So you can create haiku or tanka themed "departure" for 30 days every day one (or several) haiku or tanka a day.

Today our Summertime-month is going on with its regular prompts, all kigo for summer and today I have chosen Twilight for prompt. It has been extracted from Jane Reichhold's "A Dictionary of Haiku" and its therefore a modern kigo (seasonword) for summer.

White Zen

Here is the haiku by Jane Reichhold to inspire you:

twilight
some of the light underwater
in a white stone

© Jane Reichhold (1937-2016)

What a wonderful haiku Jane has written on this modern kigo. The scene described is awesome and gives me a feeling of being rich. Isn't it beautiful to see the light of twilight in the white stones on the bottom of the brook?

As I re-read this haiku a haiku I once wrote came in mind:

deep silence
sunbeams breaking through the water -
the silence deepens

© Chèvrefeuille

Or this one, also from my archives:

the creek ripples
water circles grow
a pebble

© Chèvrefeuille

All haiku that share a beautiful scene with us, in which we only can bow our heads in admiration and praise ... Mother Nature is beautiful.

Twilight

And to conclude this episode I have gathered a few haiku, also from my archives, themed twilight:

in the twilight
only the song of cicadas -
my love's breathing

in the twilight
mist creeps over the fields -
stars twinkle 

in the twilight
as stars twinkle bright and clear
Honeysuckle perfume

© Chèvrefeuille

Maybe it's an idea to start your inspired haiku, tanka or other Japanese poetry form with the following first line:

in the twilight

You may choose of course if you use this first line or not.

I just had to create an all new poem inspired on this post ... so here is my newly created haiku:

in the twilight
silence deepens into mystery
last beam of light

© Chèvrefeuille

Well .. I hope I have inspired you with this new episode of our Haiku Kai, the place to be if you liuke to write and share Japanese poetry.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until July 21st at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, Cockroach (Gokiburi), later on. For now just have fun!

Carpe Diem #763 outdoor concerts

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today I have two different episodes for you all. First there is this regular episode outdoor concerts and second we have another episode of Carpe Diem Time Machine, the feature in which we dive into the rich history of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai Indian Summer (Koharu). This is our regular episode.

"Outdoor concerts" are really something for summer. Here in The Netherlands we have that kind of concerts very often and not only in summer, we have them also in spring and autumn of course if the weather is good.

One of the most known outdoor concerts is Woodstock back in the late sixties and I love to share a video of this outdoor concert hereafter.

It just brings memories back ... sweet memories and a lot of joy. I wasn't there of course, but as became a teenager I enjoyed the music of Woodstock very much.

Here are the haiku which Jane uses as examples for this modern kigo of summer:

after the concert
my souvenir is the tune
I can hum

call of the flute
answer of drums
among redwoods

flute concert
in the surf sea stones
move at sunset

flute concert
speaking Japanese fluently
the shakuhachi

island fishermen
singing with foreigners
learning to clap

shakuhachi
calling through the trees
with two notes

© Jane Reichhold

All wonderful haiku inspired on the theme "outdoor concerts". To close this episode I love to share a piece of shakuhachi music:

Awesome ... I love the sound of the Shakuhachi to me this is really Japanese culture, next to haiku of course. I think this kind of music can inspire to write new haiku too. So here I go ....

sultry summer night
the sound of the shakuhachi
deepens the silence

(C) Chèvrefeuille

I can see the above picture, the scene, in front of me .... I hope we will have such summer nights this summer ...

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 29th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, stones, later on.

Carpe Diem #762 lagoon

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

As I started to prepare this new episode, lagoon, the first thing which came in mind was the motion picture "The Blue Lagoon", with Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins in 1980. I remember that there was a lot to do around this motion picture, because of the nudity scenes in this movie. As a teenager, in 1980 I was 17 yrs, I remember that I was excited, because nudity in such an American movie wasn't done until than.

The above video was the official trailer of this movie. As I watched it it brought back a few sweet memories of me being a teenager.

Our prompt for today is lagoon and here are a few haiku which Jane has used in her saijiki "A Dictionary of Haiku".

bridge
at the edge of the lagoon
the wind stops

lagoon
the name makes kayaks wiggle
with laughter

© Jane Reichhold

Not a long episode this time and also no haiku by my self ... lack of time and inspiration ... I hope this episode will inspire you however.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 27th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, the last CD Special by Rallentanda, later on.

Carpe Diem 760 stargazing

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I like to gaze at the stars, not only in summer, but through the whole year, but especially in summer stargazing, as is our prompt for today, is a great activity. Together with the one you love for example, or just with friends, No clouds at the night sky, the sultry summer night, the sweet perfume of trees, flowers and bushes. Just an awesome feeling ... surly worth doing sometimes (or more than sometimes).

On Shamrock Haiku I found a wonderful haiku written by Konstantin Kedrov about stargazing:

tired of stargazing,
I look down –
puddle full of stars

© Konstantin Kedrov

And I remember a beautiful tanka by Greg Wolford, one of our CDHK family members, which he wrote in response on our first episode of "On The Trail With Basho Encore":

upon bale of hay
stars twinkle in the distance
memories flash by
times filled with our hopes and dreams
and innocence reigned supreme

© Greg Wolford

Stargazing it looks like everyone likes it and so do I as I told you above. There is no night for me without gazing to the stars. I love to point my children and grandchildren to the constellations and the individual stars like e.g. Venus.

Of course the classical haiku poets like Basho, Buson, Issa and Chiyo-Ni for example wrote haiku about stargazing especially around the Tanabata Festival (a traditional Japanese stargazing festival) on July 7th for example this one by Issa:

kakurega mo hoshi machi-gao no yo nari keri

at the hermit's hut, too--
an upturned face awaits
the stars

© Kobayashi Issa (Tr. David G. Lanoue)

And I just had to share a haiku by Basho, which he wrote while gazing at the stars on Tanabata:

sazo na hoshi   hiji kimono ni wa   shika no kawa

surely star-lovers
using as a rug
a deer skin

© Basho

full of stars

Well ... we are still discovering the beauty of the modern kigo as gatered by Jane Reichhold in her saijiki "A Dictionary of Haiku" and today our prompt is stargazing and these are her examples:

coming inside
after star gazing
my glow

our galaxy
in a folding chair
a star gazer

© Jane Reichhold

Awesome to read all those wonderful examples of haiku on stargazing ... all those different styles ... thoughts and ideas behind it .... just awesome.

I had to share a haiku by myself, but I wasn't inspired enough, so I have an "oldie" for you all which I wrote in response on a haiku by Kala Ramesh (one of our featured haiku-poets):

late summer night
wind chime resonates through the night -
stars shine bright

© Chèvrefeuille

And now it's up to you my dear friends. I hope this post will inspire you all to write an all new haiku or tanka.
This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and it will remain open until June 24th at noon (CET). I will (try to) publish our new episode, pines, later on.

!! PS. There will be no Time Glass episode this Sunday (06/21) because I haven't time !!

Carpe Diem #759, long day/summer solstice

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

nagaki hi mo saezuri taranu hibari kana

even a long day
is not enough for the singing
of a skylark

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

The above verse says it all ... Today our prompt is long day/summer solstice and it points to the beginning of summer (on the Northern hemisphere). Today it's June 21st and that's the real start of summer. At last ... summer has come ... after a long period of cold and semi-cold weather .... summer is here.

I am busy with preparing our list of haiku which are submitted for the second CDHK kukai "summertime" and I hope to mail it to the participants this week, but during lack of time and being in the nightshift, I can not guarantee that. I have read wonderful haiku submitted for this kukai and I am looking forward to your judging.

Ok ... back to our prompt for today long day/summer solstice ... Jane shares the following haiku for this modern summer kigo (seasonword):

longer days
I love to go to sleep
with sky in my eyes

long day
the reading lamp stays
unplugged

© Jane Reichhold

And these she shares on summer solstice:

a bluish shadow
our shortest night
in Norway

solstice splits
between the peach halves
a red stone sun

summer solstice
the gypsy wagon bright
with music

© Jane Reichhold

All wonderful haiku as I may say so ... it will not be an easy task to write/compose an all new haiku inspired on these beauties. So, forgive me, I have ran through my archives ... and I found this one:

Summer Solstice
the longest day of the year
welcomed with music

© Chèvrefeuille (You can find the whole story at Chèvrefeuille's Haiku on WP)

Observatory Robert Morris, near my home-town

celebrating
and welcoming Ra -
summer solstice

© Chèvrefeuille

*) Ra is the Egyptian Sun God

I hope you did like this short episode and that it inspires you to write/compose all new haiku and share them here with us at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 23rd at noon (CET). I will (try to) publish our new episode, star gazing, later on. For now have fun!

Carpe Diem 758 day dreaming

Dear Haijin,visitors and travelers,

Do you sometimes day dream? I certainly do day dream on a regular bases. For example ... a few days ago I day dreamed how it will be to have a special CDHK-day to meet each other in real life. Through the Internet we are connected with each other almost every day. What a joy it would be to meet each other, but I know that will never happen, but  we can meet each other in another way. For example how would it be to once in a say quarter of a year speak each other through Skype or another way through a chat or podcast. These are just a few examples of my day dreams. Do you day fream?

Today our 'summertime' month is halfway and today our prompt is day dreaming. I don't think it's especially something you do in summer, but in a way I can understand why Jane has brought this into her saijiki 'A Dictionary of Haiku', which we use this month to explore modern kigo (seasonwords) for summer. In summer we live most of the time outside and we have, for sure, lazy days and moments in which we are day dreaming. E.g look at the clouds. sometimes they look like mysterious landscapes and than our mind goes on a 'flight'. We are adventurers who are discovering new countries, new forms of life and so on. 

mysterious landscapes

rise and unfold before my eyes

worlds of clouds

© Chèvrefeuille

Ah those mysterious and magical worlds unfolding before your eyes in blue sky speckled with clouds. Clouds like landscapes in which mountain-peeks reach for the sun. Fantasy worlds with strange rivers, trees and animals ... all fantastic images. Maybe this is not really day dreaming, but it certainly feels like that.

Credits: Day Dreaming (to inspire others)

In her saijiki Jane gives a few examples of haiku themed 'day dreming' . And here are a few of her example-haiku for this modern kigo:

as if alive

the surf rolls a log

on the beach

a trail

to the sea horizon

her vision

© Jane Reichhold

Two beauties as I may say so. Especially the 2nd haiku I like very much. That last 'her vision' is really awesome. It points directly to day dreaming and I like that scene which Jane paints with her words. It will not be easy to 'catch' day dreaming into an all new haiku therefore I have chosen to write my haiku in the 'baransu' style starting with the first line of the above haiku by myself.

mysterious landscapes

hidden behind the thin mist

a rooster crows

© Chèvrefeuille

Do you see my day dream? Isn't it wonderful?

Another one:

eyes wide open

my mind takes a flight with my imagination

a gathering of poets

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope this episode inspires you. Let the day dreaming begin and bring you the visions you dream of. Have fun!

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 21st at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode later on. For now ... have fun, be inspired and share your inspired haiku with us all here at our Haiku Kai.

Carpe Diem #757 desert

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I have another nice modern summer kigo for you and maybe I have done that earlier somewhere in our rich CDHK history, but that I don't know for sure. It's again a prompt which will inspire MMT the most I think, because she is living in the desert. You will understand that our prompt for today is desert and these are the haiku which Jane Reichhold uses as an example for this modern summer kigo:

desert
awakened by silence
filled with dark

stars
in the sand
desert gift

your voice
tying me to the desert
toast pops up

© Jane Reichhold

Aren't they gorgeous? I especially like the second haiku shared here, because of the nice "free style" way of composing it. Through this free style this haiku is very strong and intense.

Credits: desert

my own desert
re-decorating the garden
in bright sunlight

© Chèvrefeuille

A few other "desert"-haiku, the first an oldie from my personal weblog Chèvrefeuille's Haiku-blog and a new (re-done) one.

in the desert
the heat, the sand ... my eyes
a Fata Morgana

tears fall

lost and alone in the desert
just the moon and I

© Chèvrefeuille

Ah! The desert, one of our wonderful "eco-systems". I have learned to admire the desert through the posts of MMT. Her photos and haiku have done that to me.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 20th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, day dreaming, later on. For now ... have fun, be inspired and share your haiku with us all.

Carpe Diem #755 succulents

!!! LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OUR "SUMMERTIME" KUKAI CLOSES JUNE 15TH !!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I hope you did like our new feature "Carpe Diem Utabukuro" and our recent CD-Special by Rallentanda. It's really a joy to create all these posts and to be your humble host despite of the time it takes ... it's a honor to be your host and it's an honor that I may use all Jane Reichhold's haiku to discover the modern summer kigo (seasonwords). I am grateful that Jane has an intense bond with our Carpe Diem Haiku Kai ....

This month we are discovering all modern seasonwords (kigo) as gathered by Jane in her saijiki "a dictionary of haiku" and today's prompt is succulents. What are succulents?

Credits: Succulents (this is an Aloe)

In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents or sometimes fat plants, are plants having some parts that are more than normally thickened and fleshy, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word "succulent" comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning juice, or sap. Succulent plants may store water in various structures, such as leaves and stems.

I think you all know these kind of plants and I think that Magical Mystical Teacher, who lives in the desert, knows a lot about these succulents and I am especially looking forward to MMT's response, but of course I love to read all your responses.

I have tried to "come in contact" with this succulents, but it wasn't easy to write a haiku inspired on this prompt, but I think I have succeeded ....

deep in the desert
a drop of water in the cacti
gives new life

© Chèvrefeuille

Not a strong one, but as I said ... I had some difficulties myself with this prompt. And to conclude this episode I will share a few haiku by Jane on succulents:

a great pot
of green leaves with thorns
the unknown succulent

a breeze
shaping the yucca blossom
bird shadow

© Jane Reichhold

Yucca blossom

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 17th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, summer passing, later on. For now ... have fun!

Carpe Diem #752 eagles

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

What a wonderful responses I have read on our last Tokubetsudesu episode "flowers". It was also a joy to create that episode. And what a joy that I can use haiku from our Haiku Kai family members for examples. Thank you all for your participation and being a devoted family member of our Carpe Diem Haiku Kai family.

Today we are going further with our exploration of the modern summer kigo as compiled by Jane Reichhold in her "a dictionary of haiku". Our prompt for today is eagles and as you all know I have written several haiku on eagles during the years that CDHK exists and I will for sure re-produce a few here, but first I love to tell you something more about our upcoming months, our third quarter.

In July I will bring classical kigo (seasonwords) for summer, so than we are going further with exploring those wonderful seasonwords which have to be part of a haiku. In August I hope to take you all on a trip along the Nile, as I had planned last year. And in September I hope to do another month with modern kigo as compiled by Jane Reichhold. And while I am telling you all this I also will bring our next anniversary to your attention. Next October we will have our third anniversary and I hope that will become another wonderful festive month with great names in haiku.

Ok ... back to our prompt for today eagles ... I love to tell you first a little bit about the spiritual meaning of the eagle(s) before I go on with the prompt's haiku.

According to Native American Tribes, like the Maine Penobscot Indian Nation, the eagle is considered the messenger from God. It is believed to carry the prayers between the earthly world and the world of spirits. As such, the eagle is revered as a sacred animal and honored above all other birds. Eagle feathers have long been part of the Native American traditional worship and celebration and are thought to call the attention of God.

As animal totems, eagles are thought to bring spiritual awakening through wisdom, perspective and insight into your life. These spiritual messengers may reveal opportunities and give you the wisdom to reach your dreams.

Isn't it a wonderful creature? The king of the birds being our guide on our spiritual path. Eagle learns us through his ancient knowledge all we need to know. This majestic bird is one of my favorite creatures and therefore I love to share a few haiku first written by me.

First a cascading haiku:

laying down on my back
watching the deep blue night sky -
feeling my spirit

feeling my spirit
wishing to be free forever
like an eagle

like an eagle
free and high in the blue sky
my Inner Path

© Chèvrefeuille

And this haiku (which I posted a time ago on my personal weblog):

high in the mountains
seeking for deeper silence
the cry of an eagle

© Chèvrefeuille

To conclude this episode I have the haiku by Jane Reichhold which she shared in her "a dictionary of haiku".

mountain climbers
resting in an eerie
eaglets

mountain peak
an eagle leaves it
moonlight

© Jane Reichhold

I hope this post will inspire you all to write an all new haiku or tanka. This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and it will remain open until June 13th at noon (CET). I will (try to) publish our new episode, arts, later on.

 

Carpe Diem #751 alone

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Yesterday we had a wonderful haiku by Rallentanda and today we are going further with exploring modern kigo (seasonwords) for summer as compiled by Jane Reichhold in her "A Dictionary of Haiku". And today that modern summer kigo is alone ... and this is the haiku by Jane for your inspiration:

wave after wave
one is never alone
on the beach

© Jane Reichhold

I can imagine this haiku very well ... mid summer it's warm, really warm, so everyone goes to the beach. And as the waves are never alone, you will not be alone on the beach ... so this is a nice modern kigo (seasonword) for summer.

Credits: never alone on the beach

And here is my inspired haiku ... not one who came easy, but I think it fits the prompt very well.

high in the mountains
seeking for deeper silence
the cry of an eagle

© Chèvrefeuille

I have chosen to go in a more spiritual meaning of alone for this haiku. I saw myself high in the mountains, escaping the razzle-dazzle of the world, seeking for deeper knowledge and deeper spiritual silence. And than the cry of an eagle, the spirit of deeper knowledge and change, to make that silence even deeper ... Just an awesome feeling ...
!! ATTENTION: Our kukai "summertime" is open until June 15th 2015, if you would like to participate in the kukai than you can email your haiku (never published earlier and a maximum of three (3) haiku) to:

carpediemhaikukai@gmail.com

Please write "summertime" kukai in the subject line !!

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 11th at noon (CET). I will (try to) publish our new episode, a Tokubetsudesu episode, later on.

Carpe Diem #747 arrival of summer

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new month of Carpe Diem in which we will celebrate SUMMERTIME by using the Saijiki (list of kigo) "A Dictionary of Haiku" by Jane Reichhold to whom I am so grateful that she is part of Carpe Diem and has granted me permission to use her modern kigo for summer and her haiku.

Summer, and on the southern hemisphere, Winter, is almost there. As I started to prepare the prompt-list for this month I first thought to make two lists, one with summer kigo and one with winter kigo, but that took to much time. So I decided to use the summer kigo because I am living on the Northern hemisphere. Maybe I will do that later on this year as we are going into autumn (Northern) and spring (Southern) .... but that's later this year.

Summer ... my season of the year. As you maybe could have read in one of our earlier posts I love to be in the nude in nature and summer is the season for that. Of course it's prohibited to do that in public, but here in The Netherlands we have places where you may be in the nude in nature and of course ... I can do that in my own garden if possible.
Summer .... the sun is on her highest point and nature is in full bloom. Temperatures are rising and (even here in The Netherlands) the rain is sometimes a long time away. I see the beaches and feel the warm sea breeze ... hormones fly through my body and at those times I enjoy looking back to the time I was a youngster and fell in love for the very first time, making love in the woods or at nights on the beach ... yes nice memories. All those feelings connecting me with summer and nature ... really awesome.

Credits: Arrival of Summer - oil-painting by Cristine Sundquist

Our prompt for today is arrival of summer and here in The Netherlands we are really longing for summer after a cold and very wet May ... of course we had a few warm days in May, but not as much as we have mostly.

Every prompt this month is a modern kigo (seasonword) for summer as gathered by Jane Reichhold and in every episode I will share a haiku by Jane Reichhold based on that modern kigo for summer. So today the haiku which I love to share is based on arrival of summer.

summer again
sun pennies in the sky
of the river

© Jane Reichhold

What a wonderful scene don't you agree? The sun reflects in the stream  and her beams are giving the surroundings a magical and mysterious look ... awesome.

mountain stream
the ice has melted - dances in the sun
crystal waterdrops

© Chèvrefeuille

Hm ... not a strong one I think, but it was the first thing which came in mind so I had to share it here. Here is another one but now I have tried to make a baransu haiku by associating on the images in the lines. I have taken the first line of my above haiku to start with.

"mountain stream" ... in this line I can associate on mountain and stream and than the following images appear; eagles, thin air, perpetual snow, bright sun light, bright blue sky and salmon, waves, water sounds, crystal clear, pebble-stones, freshness ..., but what to use in this baransu haiku for it's second line.
"salmon swims to the well in thin air" .... I don't know for sure, but I think this is what I would use for the second line. On what images I can associate? I can associate on salmon, well, thin air .... I have chosen to use salmon (in fact I use the spiritual meaning of salmon) in this third line.
"rebirth of summer"

Here is the final baransu haiku:

mountain stream
salmon swims to the well in thin air
rebirth of summer

© Chèvrefeuille

This haiku sounds great, but what do you think? Do I have to chance something in this verse? I love to make the second line a bit shorter, but I also want to capture and hold the scene in that second line. Maybe you, my dear Haijin, can help me with this one.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until June 3rd at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, our first CD Special by Rallentanda, later on. For now ... have fun!

Carpe Diem #592, Nights of Summer (June 2014) reprise)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

As we are closing in to the end of this celebration month we are now arrived at June 2014 in which we had all modern kigo for summer based on Jane Reichhold's "A Dictionary of Haiku". This month I think you will remember still, because of the kigo by Jane. And of course we have seen her several times here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai as a co-host for our "Ask Jane" feature.

Today's reprise prompt is Nights of Summer and I think you all can relate to that. In my opinion the warm summer nights are awesome, romantic and sensual. Lying on the beach with the one you love, making love maybe on the beach. The sound of seaguls in your ears, the waves, the far away sound of music from the pubs ... the rustling of the palm trees ... ah ... what a gorgeous scene. I love to re-share my haiku from that episode here again.

hot summer night
together with my friends -
singing on the beach

hot summer night
the sweet scent of Honeysuckle
arouses the sense

the sound of the waves

accompanies hot steamy love -
seagulls cry

© Chèvrefeuille

What a nice memory ... This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until October 30th at noon (CET). I will post our next episode, a new Ghost Writer post, later on.

Carpe Diem #352, Sunflower

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's a bit sad, but today we have our last prompt for this month full of nice modern kigo for summer by Jane Reichhold based on her Saijiki "A Dictionary of Haiku". Here are a few examples of her haiku on sunflower, our prompt for today:

a kerosene lamp
filling the pitcher
with sunflowers

sunflower
in a month of petals
counting the days

© Jane Reichhold

As you all know I am from The Netherlands and I think you all know Vincent Van Gogh one of our greatest Dutch painters ever. Van Gogh painted a lot of sunflowers here are a few examples of those paintings.

Aren't this wonderful paintings? The second was once the most expensive painting ever. Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters ... next to that other wonderful painter Escher.

reaching for the sun
green and yellowish -
sunflowers blooming

© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and it will remain open until July 3rd at noon (CET). I will try to post our next and first new episode of July later on ... that will be a nice haiku by Basho.

Carpe Diem #501, Strawberry

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another nice summer kigo by Jane Reichhold, strawberry, and here are haiku which she used for example(s):

open fields
on the tip of his tongue
a strawberry

tasting
of wild strawberries
your tongue

our tongues
strawberries tasting
each other

© Jane Reichhold

The first thing I thought of as I prepared this episode was a song from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ... Strawberry Fields Forever ... by The Beatles.

Isn't it a wonderful piece of music? I am not a big fan of The Beatles, but they have for sure great songs.

I have sought they Internet for other songs on strawberries, but I didn't found other songs or musical compositions about strawberries, maybe you know other songs?

Credits: Strawberries

little red queens
tastefull and attractive
strawberry field

© Chèvrefeuille

And there is the other meaning of Strawberry to which the song by The Beatles refers at a location near Central Park West between 71st and 74th Streets. Strawberry Fields is a 2.5 acre area of Central Park that pays tribute to the late Beatle, John Lennon, singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist.
John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono lived in the Dakota Apartments adjacently located to this area of the park. It was here, walking into his home, on December 8, 1980, that John Lennon was murdered and shot dead. 

Credits: Strawberry Fields

To commemorate his life, talents and memory, on March 26, 1981, City Council Member Henry J. Stern designated this area, the couple's favourite in Central Park, as Strawberry Fields.  Named after the title of the Beatles' song "Strawberry Fields Forever," the teardrop shaped region was re-landscaped by the Central Park Conservancy with the help of landscape architect Bruce Kelley and a generous $1 million donation from Yoko Ono.

Credits: Imagine

The iconic black and white Imagine mosaic, designed by a team of artists from the Italian city of Naples, lies in the centre of Strawberry Fields.  Named after another famous song by John Lennon, "Imagine" evokes a vision and hope for a world without strife, war and conflict. Additionally, there is a bronze plaque that lists the more than 120 countries that planted flowers and donated money for the maintenance of the area; they have also endorsed Strawberry Fields as a Garden of Peace.

Credits: Central Park New York "Strawberry Fields".

What a wonderful place this must be ... this Strawberry Fields memorial park for John Lennon. And to conclude this episode of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai I love to share the song "Imagine" by John Lennon with you all.

 

And here are the lyrics of this wonderful song by John Lennon:

IMAGINE

 

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one 

Credits: I am a dreamer

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one

I like this song and I have tried to re-built it into a haiku ... not an easy task, but I think I have succeeded.

imagine a world
without grief and pain, without war -
strawberry field

strawberry field
I dream about a world in peace
were all are one

© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until July 1st at noon (CET). I will try to post our new episode, sunflower, later on. For now .... have fun ... be inspired and share your haiku with us all here at our Haiku Kai.