9/29/2008

Haiku Temple

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a friend asked :

if a haiku is a temple,
will I go inside to burn insence
or to count the syllables?

Happy Haiku Forum



. . . . . . . . . In my Japanese Haiku Temple

I burn incense to calm the mind
I use my rosary with 17 beads
five seven five

I read my Good Book, called
saijiki, full of seasons best words
kigo, the pillars of my prayer

I wiggle my fingers as a means
of saying my prayer ...
after all, this is a Haiku Temple

sometimes I pause
.....................................KIREJI
and start again with fresh inspiration

in my final thoughts
I embrace all poets with my

one short breath mumblings



. . . . . . . . . In my English Haiku Temple

I miss many things
I find "freedom"
but I wonder and wonder


October 2004 on a rainy morning


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L’oiseau sur la branche
chante la liberté
retrouvée.

The bird on the branch
sings the freedom
recovered.


- Shared by Patrick Fetu -
Joys of Japan, 2012



. Freedom of expression and Haiku .


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Rosaray (nenju, juzu)  念珠、数珠, 誦数



. Haiku Theroy Archives .



. . . Read my Haiku Archives


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

数珠の草、懐かしいですね。
今年の秋は、近くの多摩川の河原で見たいものです。
Thank you for sharing.

sakuo.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting, Gabi!
And something to think about...
L.C.

Anonymous said...

Fascinating, Gabi!
I like the sound of your haiku temple, where the traditions are observed in Japanese-language 17 syllables. But I especially like your wry observation here:

In my English Haiku Temple

I miss many things
I find <> freedom <>
But I wonder and wonder

That is so true - we take many liberties with the form in English - though the syllables have to be restricted to avoid wordiness. But it is this freedom, this willingness to experiment and take chances, that is keeping the genre alive in the 'West'. After all, Basho took liberties with his hokku in order to break the straight-jacket of excessive rules.

Gabbi's temple
my cold fingers counting
English syllables

G.S.

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