Today's Kigo:   Sample Haiku from Japanese Saijiki (6)
                                                                                      translated by Fay Aoyagi

(1) Haiku Saijiki, edited by Fusei Tomiasu et al, Heibonsha, Tokyo, 1971
(2)  Dai Saijiki (Comprehensive Saijiki) edited by Shuoshi Mizuhara et al,
Kodansha, Tokyo, 1982
(3)  Gendai Saijiki (Modern Saijiki), edited by Tota Kaneko, Momoko Kuroda, Ban’ya
Natsuishi, Seisei Shuppan, Tokyo, 1997
(4) Kiyose (Collection of Seasons), edited by Kadokawa Shote, Kadokawa Shoten,
Tokyo 2001
(5) Kadokawa Haiku Daisaijiki, edited by Kadokawa Gakugei Shuppan, Kadokawa
Shoten, Tokyo, 2006
HERE
November 3-7, 2007: Click:
October, 2007 (slightly different format):  Click
HERE
HERE
November 9-23, 2007:  Click
Nov. 24-Dec.  13, 2007:  Click
HERE
December 19, 2007 - January 19, 2008: click
HERE
February 29, 2008
"chō (butterfly)"

makiwari o shitsusu hatsuchō kokoromachi
cutting firewood
I look forward to
the first butterfly
                               Soju Takano (1)

********
chōchō no shizumishi shiba o fumiyukan
stepping on
the green grass
where a butterfly went under
                               Hideno Ishibashi (4)
                       
********
pin ippon chō no se ni sashi jukusuisu
 pushing a pin on the back
of a butterfly I fall into
a deep sleep
                               Yoko Tono (4)
HERE
January 22, 2008-February 27, 2008
March 9, 2008
"yadokari (hermit crab)"

ishi o hau oto no wabishiki gōna kana
lonely sound
of a hermit crab
crawling on the rocks
                         Chōi Takada (1)

 ********
yadokari wa umi o shirazaru ko ni haeri
  a hermit crab crawls
 towards a child
 who doesn’t know the ocean
                                 Bujō Kimura (3)

 ********
yadokari wa umi o shirazaru ko ni haeri
  a borrowed home
 is too big
 a hermit crab with tears
                                 Shō Hayashi (3)
March 16, 2008
"saezuri (bird's chirp)"

saezuri ya nippon toiu hōmuresu
   birds’ chirp—
  the homeless
  called Japan                        Bin Akio (2)

  ********
saezuri ya taiju no kuraki tokoro yori
   birds' chirp—
  from a dark spot
  of the gigantic tree
                          Nobuko Katsura (5)

   ********
saezuru hi sōshiki manjū usumidori
   a day when birds chirp
  light green
  of a funeral bun
                          Sumiko Nakao (5)

At a Japanese funeral, a manju (a sweet bun with red soy bean paste) is
given to the funeral attendant for the appreciation from the family of the
deceased.
March 20, 2008
"shunbun (Spring Equinox)"

shunbun no yu ni sugu shizumu shiro taoru
    a white towel sinks easily
   into the bath water
   on Spring Equinox
                                           Ryuta Iida (5)

   ********

shunbun ya te o suinikuru koi no kuchi
    Spring Equinox—
   a mouth of the carp
   sucking my fingers
                           Gyomoku Usami (3)

   *******

shōgo sasu shunbun no hi no hanadokei
   pointing at the noon
   a flower clock
   on Spring Equinox
                           Hidetaka Matsuoka (2)
April 22, 2008
"haru no kuo (spring cloud)

haru no kumo tokete nagarete musubarete
  spring cloud
 melting...   floaingt...
 binding
                                   Kyoshi Takahama (1)


futazutu futazutu ari haru no kumo
spring cloud
 in a pair
    in a pair
                                     Mizuho Nakada (1)


nashidana no shita ni tōku ni haru no kumo
    under the pear trellis
    and far away
    spring cloud
                                    Fusei Tomiyasu (1)
April 24, 2008
"shikuramen (cyclamen)"

shikuramen kyoshoku no kotoba kaze ni noru
   cyclamen
  the ostentatious words
  on the wind
                                           Nanako Washitani (2)

     ********
nanto toumeina hayashi shikuramen nageru
      how transparent
     this is wood is—
     I throw a cyclamen
                                     Yasuko Maeda (2)

     ********
koibumi wa mijikakiga yoshi shikuramen
      a short love letter is
     the better one—
     cyclamen
                                     Otoshi Naruse (5)