Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Weather haibun & suitable haiku

It is snowing and I sit by my window reading a book of winter haiku.

Here is a haiku by Miura Yuzuru
Snow on top
Lengthens
The height of the gateposts.
Here is one by Ono Rinka
A winter shower driving down--
Turmeric flowers
In full bloom.
And, finally, we have Nozawa Setsuko
Heaven and earth
Convulsing in the same breath
Let fall a tremendous snow.

I've always liked to sit and watch snow. It is a good diversion. One feels so much comfort by snow, even though it is, of course, cold and treacherous. It covers the world, making it all fresh and new, yet at the same time killing the last remnants of fall. Roads are slick. People fall on concrete. The snow falls in swirling, beautiful patterns, smoothing even that out. It is calming to sit by the window as the snow falls and read. So I take up my pencil and write in the margin next to the three poems:
Snow falls quietly
As I read by the window
Words settle my mind.

1 comment:

  1. I think snow practically demands haiku. Lovely and intimate.

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