Carpe Diem #590, Kite (April 2014) Reprise

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are closing in to the end of this festive month in which we celebrate our second anniversary of our Haiku Kai. And today we have arrived at April 2014 ... In this month I introduced Jane Reichhold's "A Dictionary of Haiku" to you all in which Jane has made a compilation of "modern kigo (seasonwords)" ... It was a joy to use her "saijiki" and it brought wonderful haiku.
Today our reprise-episode is "Kite" and it was a nice prompt to write about. China and Japan have an enormous history with kites and kites are still one of the most seen activities around the globe. For this episode I have chosen for a modern version of kite-playing as you will see in my haiku.

In the last, say, 3 or 4 decades, kite surfing has become very popular. Here in my home-place, close to a big lake, kite surfing is one of the most done activities. My home -place is almost surrounded by water and so here we see many ways of sporting in, on and above water. Really awesome to see how e.g. these kite-surfers are busy with their sport. It brought me the next haiku:

kite surfing
along the shores of the lake -
feeling free ... at last

© Chèvrefeuille

Credits: Kite Surfen around my home town (Dutch website) © Pé Koomen

It's really a fantastic sight to see these kite surfers.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until October 28th at noon (CET). I will (try to) post our next episode, Helpful (May 2014), later on. For now have fun!

Carpe Diem "Sparkling Stars" #11, Jack Kerouac's

!! I publish this new episode of Sparkling Stars already, because I haven't enough time next weekend to write and publish new posts !!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's my pleasure to publish an all new episode of our "Sparkling Stars" feature. In this episode I love to take you on a "trip" along haiku written by Jack Kerouac.
Let me first give you all a brief biography of his life:

Famed writer Jack Kerouac was born Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac on March 12, 1922, in Lowell, Massachusetts. A thriving mill town in the mid-19th century, Lowell had become, by the time of Jack Kerouac's birth, a down-and-out burg where unemployment and heavy drinking prevailed. Kerouac's parents, Leo and Gabrielle, were immigrants from Quebec, Canada; Kerouac learned to speak French at home before he learned English at school. Leo Kerouac owned his own print shop, Spotlight Print, in downtown Lowell, and Gabrielle Kerouac, known to her children as Memere, was a homemaker. Kerouac later described the family's home life: "My father comes home from his printing shop and undoes his tie and removes [his] 1920s vest, and sits himself down at hamburger and boiled potatoes and bread and butter, and with the kiddies and the good wife." 

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

Living in New York in the late 1940s, Kerouac wrote his first novel, Town and City, a highly autobiographical tale about the intersection of small town family values and the excitement of city life. The novel was published in 1950 with the help of Ginsberg's Columbia professors, and although the well-reviewed book earned Kerouac a modicum of recognition, it did not make him famous.

Kerouac's most famous later novels include Book of Dreams (1961), Big Sur (1962), Visions of Gerard (1963) and Vanity of Duluoz (1968). Kerouac also wrote poetry in his later years, composing mostly long-form free verse as well as his own version of the Japanese haiku form. Additionally, Kerouac released several albums of spoken word poetry during his lifetime.

Despite maintaining a prolific pace of publishing and writing, Kerouac was never able to cope with the fame he achieved after On the Road, and his life soon devolved into a blur of drunkenness and drug addiction. He died from an abdominal hemorrhage three years later, on October 21, 1969, at the age of 47, in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

Credits: Jack Kerouac's Grave

Here are a series of haiku written by Jack Kerouac:

In my medicine cabinet,
the winter fly
has died of old age.

November - how nasal
the drunken
Conductor's call

The summer chair
rocking by itself
In the blizzard

Those birds sitting
out there on the fence -
They're all going to die

© Jack Kerouac

All wonderful haiku by Jack Kerouac, last May (2014) we had Jack Kerouac as our featured haiku-poet for the CD-Specials, you can find those episodes by clicking on the beneath given links:

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.nl/2014/05/carpe-diem-special-94-jack-kerouacs-5th.html
http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.nl/2014/05/carpe-diem-special-93-jack-kerouacs-4th.html
http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.nl/2014/05/carpe-diem-special-92-jack-kerouacs-3rd.html
http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.nl/2014/05/carpe-diem-special-91-jack-kerouacs-2nd.html
http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.nl/2014/05/carpe-diem-special-90-jack-kerouac-worm.html

And of course I have to share an all new haiku here inspired on the haiku above and from the posts. Not easy, but I have to try ...

Waterfall of Flowers

on their way home
drunken sailors bend over
to vomit

it's a strange sight
like a waterfall they fall
drunken sailors

Ah! that sight
a waterfall of flowers
when vomiting

© Chèvrefeuille 

Well .... I hope you all did like this new episode of our "Sparkling Stars" feature and that it will inspire you to write/compose an all new haiku (or more than one).

This episode of "Sparkling Stars" is open for your submissions Saturday October 25th at noon (CET) and will remain open until Saturday November 1st at noon (CET). For now ... have fun, be inspired and share your haiku with us all here at our Haiku Kai.

Carpe Diem #589, Zentsu-ji (February & March 2014) reprise

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Yesterday I told you about our journey straight through the former USSR and at the end of that journey we took the airplane to Japan, to finally arrive at Shikoku Island were we took part in the pilgrimage along the 88 temples. 
Today we are re-visiting the Zentsu-ji temple in Zentsu-ji Kagawa Prefecture. This temple is built in the early 9th century and is built in the birth place of Kobo Daishi. This temple was built by his father, Zentsu Saeki.

Zentsu-ji (temple 75)

The Shikoku trail is based on the life and actions by Kobo Daishi (or Kukai) and is established in honor of him. This Shikoku Pilgrimage is for Buddhists, what the Hajj is for the muslim. It's a once in a life-time to do pilgrimage for the Buddhists.
We followed this trail of Kobe Daishi for two months (February and March 2014) and it was a very uplifting and inspirational pilgrimage. We met other O-Henro (the name for the Shikoku pilgrims) and learned at lot about Buddhism and ourselves.

in deep silence

monks cleaning up their garden -
willow leaves fall

(c) Chèvrefeuille

It was really a joy to do this Shikoku Pilgrimage together with you and I recall that we also followed the Road to Santiago de Compostela by following Paulo Coelho in is novel "The Pilgrimage". As I look back to the last two years I only can say "we have seen and learned a lot". (By the way ... I am behind with commenting. I hope to catch up a.s.a.p.)

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until October 27th at noon (CET). I will publish our next episode, Kite (April 2014), later on. For now ... have fun!

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #55, Magical Mystical Teacher's "River Stones"

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

in a desert land
stones from rivers far away
muttering dark tales

© Magical Mystical Teacher

This is our new Tan Renga Challenge. The 'hokku' (opening stanza) is written by Magical Mystical Teacher (MMT) in response on our reprise episode 'River Stones' and our task is to write the second two line stanza of 7-7 syllables (you don't have to use that 7-7 rule). I have written the next two lines to complete this Tan Renga:

pebbles shimmer between leaves
white fades away in a rainbow

© Chėvrefeuille

River Stones

As i put them together it makes the Tan Renga complete and in my opinion it has become a very strong Tan Renga with multiple layers ...

in a desert land
stones from rivers far away
muttering dark tales            (MMT)

pebbles shimmer between leaves
white fades away in a rainbow               (Chèvrefeuille)

Now it's up to you to make this Tan Renga complete by writing the second stanza. Have fun, be inspired and share. This Tan Renga Challenge is NOW OPEN for your submissions until next Friday October 31st at noon.

Carpe Diem #588, Vladivostok (January 2014) reprise

Dear haijin, visitors and travelers,

Maybe you have already read the CD-Extra earlier today, but if not ... than I have an announcement to make. As I told your earlier this month, Jane reichhold has granted me the exclusive rights for two of her E-Books, and I succeeded today to make them available here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. You can find the E-Books by Jane on the left and right side of the posts. I also have made an E-Book by myself available. The E-Book by myself is a compilation of all the episodes of our Tarot-month May 2013. I hope you like these E-Books and I hope it will give you pleasure to read them.

Ok ... back to today's episode. Today we are going further on our memory lane along the first two years of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. We have now arrived in January 2014. In that month we started with our pilgrimage to the Isle of Shikoku to visit all 88 temples there. To get there we took the Trans Siberian Railroad (TSR) straight through the former USSR in January 2014. While we were on our way to Vladivostok, the end station of the TSR, we read "Aleph" a novel written by Paulo Coelho in which he describes his search to his former lives. "Aleph" is situated on the TSR and so we went on reading "Aleph" following the story-line and traveling straight through the former USSR.
I remember that it was a wonderful month and that I have read wonderful haiku, tanka and haibun. In that month Alexey Andreyev (a Russian haiku poet who lives in the USA) was our featured haiku poet. I love to share the last CD-Special haiku of January 2014, here again.

morning awakenings:
among window curtains' flowers
a blade of gray sky

© Alexey Andreyev

Our Carpe Diem Haiku Kai Logo for January 2014, a picture of the TSR along Lake Baikal

As I told you above, the TSR drives straight through the former USSR from Moscow to Vladivostok. So this reprise-episode is about the end station of the TSR Vladivostok. Vladivostok was closed for foreigners until the end of the "Cold War" and in 2012, after a major International Event, it became one of the bigger cities of Russia.

I ended that episode, back in January 2014, with the following quote from Paulo Coelho's "Aleph":

As they arrive almost in Vladivostok, Paulo decides to make a walk through the Trans Siberian Express, which he sees as a city. He walks through that city,which stretched out like an ever-flowing river of steel, a city were he doesn't speak the local language. He heard all kinds of languages and sounds and notices that, as happens in all large cities, most people weren't talking to anyone, each passenger absorbed in his or her own problems and dreams, forced to share the smae compartment with three strangers, people they never will meet again. The Trans Siberian Express, is really a city ... and as in a normal city we live together with our neighbors, but ... do you know your neighbors really? 

After his walk through the train he writes a note, which I love to share here with you.

[...]I am not a foreigner because I haven't been praying to return safely home, I haven't wasted my time imagining my house, my desk, my side of the bed, I am not a foreigner because we are all travelling, we are all full of the same questions, the same tiredness, the same fears, the same
selfishness and the same generosity. I am not a foreigner because, when I asked, I received. When I knocked, the door opened. When I looked, I found. [...] (Source:'Aleph' by Paulo Coelho)

And I wrote to conclude that episode::

With this quote by Paulo Coelho I will conclude our Trans Siberian Railroad journey. Dreams you have ... you have to fullfill, they are not negotiable. So ... go for your dream and let that dream come true.

another day ends
reaching for the stars and the moon
into the dreamworld

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Credits: The Future Is Full Of Dreams

As I started with Carpe Diem I had a dream ... to be here after a half year. Now we are celebrating our second anniversary and we have become a great family of haiku poets ... Thank you all for making my dream come true ... 

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until October 26th at noon (CET). I will publish our new episode, Zentsu-ji (February and March 2014),later on. For now have fun, be inspired and share your haiku with us all here at our Haiku Kai.

Carpe Diem Extra - E-Books Jane Reichhold

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's now possible to get access to three E-Books, two by Jane Reichhold and one by myself. You can find them at the left and right side of our weblog.

Namaste,

Chèvrefeuille, your host

Carpe Diem "Little Creatures" #10, "Yellow Valerian", one of the Seven Autumn Flowers

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This week's "Little Creatures" episode is about the Yellow Valerian, it's one of the Seven Autumn Flowers (Nanahana no Sekku) according to classical Japanese culture. In Japanese culture there are seven autumn flowers. Those are, next to the Yellow Valerian, bush clover, miscantus, kudzu, large pink, boneset and Chinese bellflower. These flowers are also classical kigo for autumn.

A haiku example on Yellow Valerian by Matsuo Basho:

hyorohyoro to nao tsuyukeshi ya ominaeshi 

a yellow valerian

with its slender stalk stands bedecked
in droplets of dew. 

© Basho

Credits: American Yellow Valerian (Orchid family)

The Yellow Valerian is a 'member' of the Orchid family ... and as you can see above ... it's a wonderful flower.

Another example:

yellow valerian flowers--

rather not bloom
in tough spring

© Chiyo-Ni

Credits: Japanese Yellow Valerian

The Yellow Valerian was once very common as a wild flower in Japan, it's already mentioned in the Manyoshu (9th century), nowadays the Yellow Valerian is decreasing.

Another nice flower is the Marigold. Why do I bring this flower up in this post? Well ... today it's the first day of Diwali, the Hindu Light-festival. During Diwali the Marigold is one of the most seen flowers to decorate homes and streets. Marigold is also known as "thousand leaves flower".

Credits: Marigold

Deepawali or Diwali is a festival of lights symbolizing the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness.  The word “Deepawali” refers to rows of diyas, or clay lamps. This is one of the most popular festivals in the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartika, according to the Hindu calendar. This festival commemorates Lord Rama's return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing his 14-year exile. The myths around Rama and Ravana are told during another holiday, known as Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami.

The Goddess Lakshmi was Vishnu’s consort and she symbolizes wealth and prosperity. She is also worshipped on Diwali. This festival is celebrated in West Bengal as "Kali Puja", and Kali, Shiva's consort, is worshipped during Diwali. The Diwali festival in southern India often commemorates the conquering of the Asura Naraka, a king of Assam who imprisoned many people. It is believed that Krishna freed the prisoners.

Credits: Diwali decorations

Diwali celebrations may last for up to five days. Many people decorate their home and workplaces with tiny electric lights or small clay oil lamps. Bowls of water with candles and flowers floating on the surface are also popular decorations.

Many people make a special effort to clean their homes and yards before Diwali. They may also wash themselves with water and fragrant oils, wear new clothes and give gifts of sweets to family members, close friends and business associates. Fireworks are set off in the evening in some areas. Melas (fairs) are held in many towns and villages.

So .... happy Diwali!

thousand orange leaves
counting my blessings every day -
I light a candle

© Chèvrefeuille

I hope you did like this "Little Creatures" episode and I hope it will inspire you to write haiku and share them with us all.
This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until next Thursday October 30th at noon.