even shadows wilt in the heat of this short night attar of roses Kim M. Russell, 21st June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1458 short night (mijikayo) Our summer kigo for today is ‘short night’ (mijikayo) and we have several examples of haiku on this classical kigo, written by haiku poets of all ages. […]
Being human…
we can trace desire in brushstrokes compose our feelings in a song dream that we are someone else all night long we write past, present and future find possibilities in words but we cannot swim like dolphins or swoop and dive like birds Kim M. Russell, 20th June 2018 My response to Poets United Midweek […]
Luxuriance
dancing in the breeze flourishing oleander her pernicious breath Kim M. Russell, 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1457 luxuriance (shigeri) Chèvrefeuille says he didn’t find it easy to translate today’s summer kigo because it’s a rare one, which has been taken from the sub-division plants. He tells us that luxuriance (shigeri) is specifically used […]
Sick Room
It is the season of drifting scents, honeysuckle morphine in the dark and the ether of phlox and stocks. Outside, the first summer roses fade. He wants to take secateurs, deadhead delicate corpses, but cannot bear to touch petals the colour of bruised skin or inhale the cloying breath of flowers like the ones in […]
Pickled Ayu
garnished with ginger a plate of sweetfish and rice flavoured with sunshine Kim M. Russell, 18th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1456 sweetfish (ayu) Today’s classical kigo for summer is sweetfish (ayu). I think it’s an unusual kigo and was grateful for the explanation: the ayu, or sweetfish, is a species of fish […]
Bicycle Music
It’s the geometric symphony of angles and circles, a breath of speed and freedom through seasons and cycles: a shiny metal frame, the acrid rubber smell of tyres and pedals, whistle of wind, zip of wheel on road and the jingle of the bell. Kim M. Russell, 18th June 2018 I’m looking after the dVerse […]
Nagoshi
a shower of sparks fireworks in the evening heat purification turning into falling leaves flames leaping from a bonfire Kim M. Russell, 18th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1455 half-year’s end festival (nagoshi) Today’s classical kigo for summer ‘half-year’s end festival’ (nagoshi). Nagoshi is one of the 100.000 festivals which occur in Japan […]
Shifting Sands of Time
on an empty beach snow is tinged pink with sunset scattered sakura on an empty beach the sands of time are shifting with the ebbing tide snow is tinged pink with sunset washed away by waves melting into foam scattered sakura billows on a scented breeze a burgeoning blush Kim M. Russell, 17th June 2018 […]
No Regrets
Dad was surrounded all his life by sisters, mother, daughters and a wife; I never saw up close the bond between a father and son. I often wondered how Dad would have been if he’d had a son to kick a ball about, swing a bat at cricket, to rough and tumble play-fight. I tried […]
Swimming
caress of water rippling and trickling on skin the play of sunlight Kim M. Russell, 15th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1454 swimming (oyogi) Today our kigo is swimming (oyogi).
