The Inaugural English Haiku Gathering
Here 6 participants from foreign countries listened to a speech about the essence of haiku and its basic rules by Fumiko Hara-sensei, the Assistant Chief of the Kagawa Branch of the Association of Haiku Poets. Then, with help from Hara-sensei, everybody tried writing haiku in English. Even though most of the participants' haiku were the first they had ever written, Hara-sensei gave rave reviews to them all. All of the haiku selected in the "Sen-ku" selection round are printed below, so please enjoy!
Spring's lingering chill
An old man looks up to gaze
Peaceful sakura (Sam Jennings)
The bustle outside
And sea passed me by once more
Yonder cherry tree (Dan Parsons)
The first sakura
Waiting on a black bare branch
For what is to come (Nick Josten)
Tweet tweet! went the birds
Crunch crunch! went the passers-by
Be still! said my heart (Dan Parsons)
Herons stalk their prey
Ripples in the mirror pond
Too busy to sing (Nick Josten)
Cherry blossom trees
Swallowed in the flooding sun
Gasping Pink and white (Reese Mankenberg)
Spring air full of love
Saezuri, birds' lovesong
Dear love ganbatte (Sam Jennings)
On a wisp of wind
Falls the cherry blossom dew
A whisper of love (Cody Salinas)
Just beyond the pond
Solitary and weeping
Sakura shower (Sam Jennings)
Layers of pine trees
Trickling out quiet music
Lark stretches its wings (Reese Mankenberg)
Waving in the wind
Yuzakura dance softly
The last sip of tea (Alsn Elliot)
A cat says hello
By the pond with the spring trees
But there are no words (Dan Parsons)
The wind from the lake
Makes the weeping cherry tree
Tremble with delight
(Fumiko Hara-sensei; Chris McCabe trans.)
While sakura bloom
I shoulder my only bag
And travel at ease (Fumiko Hara-sensei; Chris McCabe trans.)
