Category Archives: Explications

Explications of poems

17 Moons

17 Moons
1. Allusion   still new; Basho’s moon, Issa’s dew           2. Hosomi ––Slenderness   in and out the window and the bed this lover moon   3. Yugen ––Beauty suffused with ineffable mystery   every leaf renewed–– the moon reaching into the pine   4. Kogo kizoku  ––Awakening to the High,…
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Seventeen Turns

Seventeen Turns
1. Hosomi ––Slenderness   the vine finds itself, ties a knot         2. Shibumi  ––Astringency   the green gone only your searching remains old vine     3. Fuga no makoto  ––Poetic Truth   the vine needs the tree to rise     4. Yugen ––Beauty suffused with ineffable mystery   halfway…
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Chiyo-Ni

Chiyo-Ni
Senryu–– haiku about people  having gazed at the moon / I depart from this life  / with a blessing  ––Chiyo-Ni Chiyo-ni was the first woman haijin of contemporary fame. She opened doors to others who would follow her. As I was reading her story, real life intruded. I was reading her death poem above when…
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Bedsprings

Bedsprings
Fuga no makoto–– poetic truth “While walking across a familiar field, I noticed for the first time a set of bedsprings rusting in the grass. I pulled out my notebook and quickly jotted down two lines: bedsprings in the weeds–– / scent of sweet spring leaves Modern Haiku Vol. 34.2 “I was opening to impermanence, and…
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