10 Thursday Aug 2017
Posted in Community, Environment, mythology, Nature, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Writing
(Photo by Bakkai, 2007, at Japanese Wikipedia)
Three shrines deify
different dragon gods. They
regulate weather:
offer black horses for rain;
white horses ensure sunshine.
02 Wednesday Aug 2017
(Wikipedia. Chiefl-lira. 20/11/2010
3rd gate of Oharano-jinja)
Now I am ready to tackle the Middle 7 Shrines. Here goes!
Amid Maple trees,
Kanmu ran to save his life.
His thoughts were renewed
and a future was assured
for Heian-kyo and Japan.
25 Tuesday Jul 2017
Posted in Environment, History, Nature, Poetry, Writing
24 Monday Jul 2017
Posted in Environment, Nature, Poetry, Writing
Tags
Another bussokusekika:
(Photo by Renardeau, Ardenne, 2005)
TEASLES
Today the teasles
were pale green and soft lilac,
swaying in a breeze,
but, in a few months, Goldfinch
will eat brown seeds all winter.
21 Friday Jul 2017
Posted in Animals, Environment, Nature, Poetry, Writing
Now I am experimenting with the Choka form. My understanding
of its structure is 5,7 X 4, then 7, followed by an envoi 5,7,5,7,7.
Maybe I should have reserved it for a more public theme, rather than
a private one? You tell me!
Holy Cow!
I opened the gate
and noted you cows had gone.
I have Right of Way.
You were on the bank
opposite to me.
But I still felt quite anxious.
Your calves now bigger,
you seemed absorbed in grazing.
Cows can’t cross a stile.
A man with a dog,
confidently strode past me.
Cows, please don’t see them!
Last time you crossed the bridge and
I turned and fled for my life.
21 Friday Jul 2017
Posted in Animals, Environment, Nature, Poetry, Writing
My first example of Bussokusekika. All you Japanese poetry experts
out there, have I got it right? I am using the structure 5,7,5,7,7,7.
(Photo by Nilfinian… at Dumbleton Hall.
Wikipedia)
Muntjac deer, freeze-framed,
hoping that you are unseen;
your ears are alert.
Every sound I make, you hear.
Your rasping bark at mid-night
lets me know you are still there.
15 Saturday Jul 2017
Posted in art, Arts, Community, Environment, Nature, Nostalgia, Personal, Philosophy, Poetry, Psychology, Relationships, Romance, Social Comment, Writing
Tags
91-99- (no 100)
(Visipix.com)
The cricket’s chirrup
makes a difference- details
matter in love too.
(Visipix.com)
My sleeves wet with tears
and waves tell no secrets.
My child is quiet too.
(Visipix.com)
Collaboration
in Nature and in men too
achieves good results.
(Visipix.com)
No number 94…..
Priests on Mount Hiei
wear such impressive robes,
but what do they reveal?
(Visipix.com)
Old men wouldn’t mind
if ladies would sweep them up
along with the leaves.
(Visipix.com)
Burning kelp extracts
the salt from the seaweed but
not from all my tears.
(Visipix.com)
Riding on the back
of our forebears, we can see
a lot more that way.
(Visipix.com)
Until they’re re-born,
misery caused by soldiers
will be repeated.
14 Friday Jul 2017
Posted in art, Arts, Environment, Nature, Nostalgia, Poetry, Relationships, Romance, Social Comment, Writing
Tags
(Visipix.com)
Moxa burns and heals,
but the therapy I need
is hard-to-get girls.
(Visipix.com)
We leave in sedans.
The neighbours pretend that they
did not notice us.
(Visipix.com)
He was suspicious
when my door didn’t open;
now he sleeps outside.
No number 54
(Visipix.com)
When you hear the name
of a waterfall,
it’s like seeing it.
(Visipix.com)
Now on my deathbed,
I regret sending that note
you may not have read.
(Visipix.com)
Ah, on the wrong side….
You have just missed your father.
Our worlds seldom meet.
No 58….
(Visipix.com)
Sleep is more precious
than keeping awake all night,
mooning over love.
(Visipix.com)
If I never see
Ama-no-Hashidate,
who cares? Maybe ants.
14 Friday Jul 2017
Posted in art, Community, Environment, History, Nature, Nostalgia, Personal, Poetry, Relationships, Religion, Romance, Social Comment, Writing
(Visipix.com)
Even in winter,
we can survive the harsh cold,
if we work this hard.
(Visipix.com)
Individual leaves
are swept past by the torrents;
en masse, block bridges.
(visipix.com)
By the time work stops,
the blossom has turned quite brown,
so look while you can.
(Visipix.com)
The old pine needs help,
but is supported by sticks.
Look, just as I am!
(Visipix.com)
You planted plum trees
long ago, my friend, and now
their perfume persists.
(Visipix.com)
When the fish clean plates,
I hope they get some sake,
before dawn returns.
(Visipix.com)
We are blown off course –
fortuitously in here,
to taste Nature’s gems.
(Visipix.com)
He broke cords of love:
but I found there are plenty
more fish in the sea.
(Visipix.com)
Since my love left me,
I don’t notice the glory
in all around me.
(Visipix.com)
My face is as a book
and I find it hard to hide
the contents from you.
03 Monday Jul 2017
Posted in Animals, art, Arts, Community, Environment, mythology, Nature, Nostalgia, Philosophy, Poetry, Relationships, Religion, Writing
I wish we could fly
to the summit of Fuji
and leave these old folks.
No matter how far
we sail, Fuji will ever
greet our home-coming.
It’s crowded down here.
Where do we put all this stuff?
Up there, all is calm.
We gallop on flat,
coastal paths, but can’t ride fast
on forbidding slopes.
We make constructions
which shape the world to our size.
Nature still dwarves us.
Little villages
nestle rounded hills; smooth lakes:
Fuji can’t be tamed.
On land, or sea, we
can never escape Fuji
mirroring us all.
Who needs a compass?
Fuji’s reference point will
direct our goings.
Fuji seems closer
when the river mist merges
with the breaking clouds.
Oh, Asakusa,
your temple does not compare
with Fuji’s beauty.
Fuji, bless our catch.
We return to you each night,
grateful for your care.
Nothing will ever
obscure Mount Fiji – not trees;
not clouds- no, nothing.
The cranes can never
enhance the beauty Fuji
already displays.
On promontaries
men fish the ocean.
Fuji sustains all.
No matter how high
a god-like tree seems to be,
it can’t grow up there.
Man’s mighty structures
will only last for a time.
Fuji outlasts them.
At Suma, Fuji
looks benign, like the Buddha:
calm, inscrutable.
Our boat is messy,
just like the rest of our lives.
Fuji remains calm.
