Selected haiku
Haiku translations: a collaboration between Emiko Miyashita, Claudia Brefeld and Eva Moering
"Here the idea and background of this project can be found.
Selection and commentary by Masami Sanuka, HIA director
逢 い た く も / 幸 う す き 恋人 た ち / 地球 や や 傾 ぐ
want to meet
unfortunate lovers
the earth tilts a little
Here is a haiku with a large-scale concept. The "unhappy lovers" go to great lengths to meet each other. The earth is beginning to “tip a little” in the face of wars, climate change and nuclear accidents. I wonder if the couple's passionate love can flourish on this planet or not. The concerned author seems to be watching and encouraging the lovers warmly.
瞑想 中 / 足 上 げ の ポ ー ズ ・ ・ ・ / 低 い 冬 の 虹
Meditation
one foot raised
a low winter rainbowパ ー ト リ ッ ジ 、 ブ レ ン ト ア ラ ン PARTRIDGE, Brent Alan (USA)
A heartwarming haiku with a humorous twist. The view of the muffled band of a winter rainbow reminds the author of the foot-lifting posture of yoga. The "meditation" associates the slow passage of time around the writer. This haiku is composed with simple but powerful nouns and I agree that the principles of haiku have been well considered.
露 け し や 一 と 日 の 家居 ま た 旅 へ
Autumn dew ...
only one day at home
and traveling again安 原 葉 YASUHARA Yo
Coming home, still feeling the moisture of the “autumn dew”, the writer goes on a journey the next day that he undertakes with a lot of heart and soul. The use of the casual expression in Japanese is effective and graceful. The repeated journeys will surely bring the writer extensive knowledge. “A day at home” could also indicate that after a short break from life, the writer is resuming the journey of life.
ラ グ ビ ー の 膝 つ き 誰 も 泣 き 笑 ふ
the rugby players
on her knees
laugh through her tears宮 田 勝 MIYATA Masaru
Many successful games at the last Rugby World Cup impressed Japanese fans. This haiku is sure to evoke the moments of the winning games. Surely “laugh through your tears” means tears of passionate joy, not that some laugh and others cry. Rugby is currently a kigo of winter, but since rugby is played year round in Japan, it arguably no longer limited to one season.
乗 り 換 え の 駅 を 彩 る 浴衣 か な
many yukata *
Farben
a transfer station
This unaffected haiku brings coolness to summer. Apparently the writer saw a lot of young people, men and women, dressed in yukata and flocking around the train station. The modern colors of yukata must have brightened the surroundings. This haiku, I dare to say, reflects modern society, in which the younger generation of yukata usually attends fireworks by train.
* Summery cotton kimono (traditionally they are in the colors white and blue)
And here are five more haiku - selected by Emiko Miyashita
車 椅子 の 子 の 目 の 高 さ 女郎 花
kurumaisu no / ko no me no takasa / ominaeshi
a child in a wheelchair
at eye level
the flowers of the golden Ominaeshi *髙 橋 紀美子 TAKAHASHI Kimiko
* Patrinia scabiosifolia - golden baldrian
啄木鳥 や 湖畔 を た ど る 馬車 に 乗 り
kitsutsuki ya / kohan o tadoru / basha ni nori
a woodpecker ...
take a carriage
along the lake shore熊谷佳 久 子 KUMAGAI Kakuko
睡蓮 の 花 を 揺 ら し て 鯉 の 鰭
suiren no / hana o yurashite / koi no hire
a carp fin
weighs the flower
the water lily石 黒 敏朗 ISHIGURO Toshiro
開 け 放 ち 蝶 迷 ひ 込 む 夏 座 敷
akehanachi / chô mayoikomu / natsuzashiki
a butterfly strays
in the wide open
Tatami room * in summer越 智 淳 子 OCHI Junko
* Tatami mat made of rice straw
胡桃 落 つ パ イ プ オ ル ガ ン 調 律 中
kurumi otsu / paipuorugan / chôritsuchû
a walnut falls -
a pipe organ
is being voted on内 村 恭子 UCHIMURA Kyoko
