At Dawn

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #113 Troiku Hineri … at dawn
 

yoake ni arau tsuyude watashino ashisaichoubi

at dawn
I wash my feet with dew
the longest day © Yozakura (1640-1716)

at dawn
I spread my arms toward the sun
start of summer

I wash my feet with dew
grass clippings cling to my sole
violets in hand

the longest day
a butterfly chases its shadow
across my path

…………………………..

at dawn
ribbons of sunlight dance
in the trees

I spread my arms toward the sun
its faint warmth on my skin
filling my heart

start of summer
new flowers sing praise
ancient songs of joy

…………………………..

I wash my feet with dew
scooping glistening diamonds
from ladened petals

grass clippings cling to my sole
garden scents mingle in the air
roses and lavender

violets in hand
I weave a purple chain
for your hair

…………………………..

the longest day
we spread a blanket
under the maple

a butterfly chases its shadow
your laughter follows
lifting its wings

across my path
a shadow of your frailty
dappled in sunlight

 

 

Ancient Cypress

Carpe Diem #1689 Troiku Month (18) Ancient Cypress

ancient cypress
leaning over the light
at sunrise

© Jane Reichhold (1937-2016) (Extracted from her never published gathering of haiku titled “Ocean Sanctuary”)

ancient cypress
rain beats upon its trunk
winds tear at its leaves

leaning over the light
creating sinuous creatures
upon the rocks

at sunrise
standing on a precipice
between choice

Summer Solstice

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #90 Crossroads … Summer Solstice (Troiku Hineri)
 

this short night –
from a shallow well I scoop
a persimmon flower             © Yosa Buson (1716-1784)

solstice splits
between the peach halves
a red stone sun                       © Jane Reichhold (1937-2016)

shallow pool
sun’s red reflection
blossoms

shallow pool
a flower stirs
the quiet breeze

sun’s red reflection
heatwaves rise above surface
shimmering

blossoms drift
shoreline flooded
dragonflies soaring

shallow pool
a dragonfly hovers
plastic lily pad

a flower stirs
its aroma into the night
sun sinks low

the quiet breeze
cools the air
crickets serenade

sun’s red reflection
deepens with the night
stars begin to shine

heatwaves rise above surface
sweltering dreams
flash and rumble

shimmering
fireflies decorate the lawn
stars descend

shoreline flooded
strands of moonlight
kiss your hair

dragonflies soaring
in the last embers of light
night descends

Moonlit Night & Pink Flowers Bloom

Carpe Diem #1681 Troiku Month (10) moonlit night

Alfred Schrock

the wild geese take flight
low along the railroad tracks
in the moonlit night                           © Masaoka Shiki

the wild geese take flight
wings softly stir the breeze
lonesome cry echoes

low along the railroad tracks
a stray dog drags his tail
fur against cold steal

in the moonlit night
a screech owls voice
pierces my heart

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carpe Diem #1680 Troiku Month (9) Pink Flowers Bloom

pale sea of pink
trailing across the sidewalk
primrose carpet

pale sea of pink
paints the morning sky
clinging to nights edge

trailing across the sidewalk
delicate pink flowers
entangle my feet

primrose carpet
softens the hard fringes
morning garden

First Day of Spring

Carpe Diem #1605 Tan Renga Challenge Month 2019 (9) first day of spring

First day of spring–
I keep thinking about
the end of autumn.                  © Matsuo Basho (Tr Robert Hass)

leaves painting the sky line
with a garden of color

Cherry Blossom

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #71 Crossroads Hineri … cherry blossom

standing naked
in awe of the first cherry blossom
dancing in the garden

on winter’s edge
the first Cherry blossom blooms
rain falls softly

© Chèvrefeuille

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

rain dances gently
along the naked branches
the first Cherry blossoms

rain dances gently
garden drawing a deep drink
staring spring bulbs

along the naked branches
water droplets cling radiant
reflecting spring buds

the first Cherry blossoms
parade along winter’s edge
ladies blushing

Morning Tea

Carpe Diem #1597 Tan Renga Challenge Month February 2019 (1) morning tea 

for his morning tea
a monk sits down in utter silence-
confronted by chrysanthemums                         © Matsuo Basho (Tr. unknown)

buzzing bees and warm sun
lull him in peaceful slumber

Cliffs

Carpe Diem #1594 Cliffs … Renga With Jane Reichhold

Credit – National Park Service

giant waves
sea cliff rocks
summer sea secure

beach scattered with shells
painted by the sunrise

high tide
brings storm waves
to cliff dwellers

hunkering under the overhang
eating roasted pine nuts

after the storm
sandstone cliffs relax pebbles
into the beach

gathering adobe
repairing  structural damage

sea spray
the cliff laced
by crystal

gleaming in first light
shadows dance with glee

frozen cliffs
swept by lighthouse beams
soft in the dark

wind echoing sound of past
in long abandoned  dwellings

high tossed mists
warmed in morning sun
above winter cliffs

beauty not lost
with the passage of time      

 

© Jane Reichhold

Setsubun

Carpe Diem #1581 Setsubun

Setsubun – last day of winter

morning twilight
faint yellow crocus in snow
dispelling darkness

predawn walk
making spring wishes
on a morning star

Weekend Meditation -Quest for New Masterpiece – Winter

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #63 The Quest For A New Masterpiece Continues … winter

late snow blankets ground
silence – no mate responds
to the flickers call

cling to the eves
icicles dancing with light
beauty after storm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

snowy Christmas eve
the sound of the great horned owl
filling the darkness