birthed in green and gold maple leaves burst into flame samaras spread wings Kim M. Russell, 11th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1451 young maple-leaves (waka kaede) Today we have another summer kigo from the sub-division ‘plants’: maple-leaves (waka kaeda). *A samara is a type of fruit in which a flattened wing of fibrous, papery […]
Month: June 2018
Moonflower
pale moonflower blooms potent with fragrant pollen a fluttering moth Kim M. Russell, 10th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1450 Moonflower (yuugao) For today’s prompt we have another classical summer kigo, taken from the sub-division ‘plants’: moonflower (yuugao). Chèvrefeuille has shared a few example haiku by Basho (including the first haiku he wrote […]
Awake
awake before dawn — the creak of the wooden stairs swollen with the heat Kim M. Russell, 10th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #36 “like Basho” This weekend’s meditation special feature is a new one called ‘Deep Within Self’, in which the goal is to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese […]
What is Truth?
Truth is not ceramic moulded and fired only to be smashed in hard light of day. Kim M. Russell, 10th June 2018 My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Fussy Little Forms: Tetractys Marian wants us to try a simple and elegant form this weekend that may allow us to focus on balance: it […]
Kajika
by a mountain stream they bend tiny knees and sing river frog chorus Kim M. Russell, 8th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1449 river frog (kajika) Today our classical summer kigo is from the sub-division ‘animals’ and the kigo we’re working with is ‘river frog’ (kajika).
Sonnet for my students
My students’ eyes are nothing like the sun, it is as if they are not yet awake; they yawn and shuffle in, but never run, until it gets to time for morning break. I have seen some of them arrive on time, to smile at me and greet me at the door. It is delightful […]
Autumn Ripe
I am no gaunt, leafless winter hawthorn: my trunk is not gnarled nor are my branches a twisted mass, no dark hoard of barbs. I am not creamy froth on outgrown hedges, no early dog rose drenched in dew or sun. I dance and rustle with fallen leaves and glow with autumn fruit, nut and […]
Kissing in the Rain
We inhale scent of roadside pines infused in each raindrop that silver-spatters needles and, snail-like, trickles down their sodden spines. A tidal sussuration, the forest weeps with kisame; we taste rain on our lips: teardrops kissing raindrops, kissing you kissing me. Kim M. Russell, 7th June 2018 My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads […]
Losing my Feet
As a child, I loved to run, to feel the ground pulsate as I began to pound and forge my rhythm into speed. Wind on face, the pull of muscle and the burning in my lungs were proof that I was still alive; I could lose my feet and fly. Kim M. Russell, 7th June […]
Afterglow
a shower of sparks fades pink on the horizon euphoria glow Kim M. Russell, 7th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1448 afterglow (yuuyake) Today’s kigo is ‘afterglow’, which means ‘burnt evening’ or yuuyake, the glow of the sky at sunset.