dragonfly summer:
shards of colour
flit across the pond

sunbathing:
a stack of turtles
keels over!

a waterstrider
and its image
waltz in unison

after the storm:
... a koi fish peeks
from behind a lily pad

for the Sketchbook Mar/Apr 2012 "pond life" haiku thread

the daffodil
nods at its reflection—
waters of spring

First place in the "waters of spring" kukai, Sketchbook Jan/Feb 2012


purple cascade
rivulets of violets:
waters of spring

Also, for the "waters of spring" kukai, Sketchbook Jan/Feb 2012

Image from http://www.somethingaboutclairey.co.uk

The promise of Spring .....

I just thought I would post one of my favourite German poems on Spring and the hope it inspires:

Frühlingsglaube

Die linden Lüfte sind erwacht,
Sie säuseln und wehen Tag und Nacht,
Sie schaffen an allen Enden.
O frischer Duft, o neuer Klang!
Nun, armes Herze, sei nicht bang!
Nun muss sich alles, alles wenden.

Die Welt wird schönermit jedem Tag,
Man weiß nicht, was noch werden mag,
Das Blühen will nicht enden.
Es blüht das fernste, tiefste Tal:
Nun, armes Herz, vergiss der Qual!
Nun muss sich alles, alles wenden.

-- von Ludwig Uhland


Here's the English translation by Hyde Flippo:

The gentle winds are awakened,
They murmur and waft
day and night,
They create in every corner.
Oh fresh scent, oh new sound!
Now, poor dear [heart], fear not!
Now everything, everything must change.

The world becomes more beautiful
with each day,
One does not know
what may yet happen,
The blooming doesn't want to end.
The farthest, deepest valley blooms:
Now, poor dear, forget the pain!
Now everything, everything must change.

lingering cold:
she paints the flame
a brighter yellow !

the answering machine
yet again:
... lingering cold

for the Shiki Monthly Kukai Feb 2012

blackout:
suddenly we see
a shooting star !

meteor shower:
I try to wish away
the clouds overhead

for the Shiki Monthly Kukai Feb 2012

Violets ...

Nothing heralds the coming of Spring as do flowers. Every tree sports a fresh green look adorned with buds and joy fills one's heart ...

Spring is coming, Thou art come !
-- Wordsworth in "To the Celandine"


"From her feet the ground sloped sharply into view, and violets ran down in rivulets and streams and cataracts, irrigating the hillside with blue, eddying round the tree stems, collecting into pools in the hollows, covering the grass with spots of azure foam. But never again were they in such profusion; this terrace was the well-head, the primal source whence beauty gushed out to water the earth."

-- E.M. Forster in "A room with a view"


cascades of violets
dot the countryside:
footsteps of Spring ...

for the "footsteps" Caribbean Kigo Kukai

Uncle Podger catches a flight ...

The name Uncle Podger makes me smile :)). I immediately visualize the man trying to hang up a picture in his living room with his wife and several children in attendance. I can see him impatiently waving about and demanding a dozen things simultaneously, keeping every person present totally busy. (If you didn't already realize, this is from "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome). The next scene that comes to mind is Uncle Podger sprinting to catch the morning train to reach his workplace (see "Three Men on the Bummel" by the same author). I thought it would be fun to imagine how Uncle Podger might catch a flight in the 21st century.


"Never wait until the last minute" he would sermonize to all and sundry, but for himself nothing would get done if there were no deadlines ... Uncle Podger would never pack even the day before his travel -- it was simply more fun to do it just an hour or two before leaving home for the airport. On the day of his departure, he would leisurely savour his coffee over a bunch of newspapers as was his wont everyday. Immediately after this, the mad rush would begin. You could see the tension sparking in the air. "Can you boot up the computer and log into the airlines site so I can print out my online ticket ?" he would say. "Hurry up. There are so many things to do ..." The printer would decide to strike work that day or the cartridge would run out of ink. Finally, one of the children would be deputed to run to the nearest cybercafe to get a printout.

In the meantime, Uncle Podger would assign other duties to his spouse and progeny -- "Can you call a taxi to the airport ?" Aunt Maria's "I thought I told you to book it last night" would be totally drowned out in the loud instructions that Uncle Podger would shout out to the child booking the taxi -- "tell him I need to catch a flight at 2 pm" "Did you tell him the right address?" and so on and so forth.

Uncle Podger would be bustling about everywhere without actually focussing on a single item to be done. "Maria, did you get my shirts ironed ? No, not those -- I need the other ones that aren't here. What about my medicines ? Can you order those -- right away -- and ask the guy to show up in the next 15 minutes or so ? Do you happen to have a lock ?" On being given one, he would come up with "No, that is too small, or that seems too large -- didn't you have a number lock?"

When finally, his bags were packed and the taxi driver called to say that he had arrived,
he would start to have his lunch and then unhurriedly comment about the lack of seasoning or if the vegetables were overcooked or undercooked. The whole family would heave a collective sigh of relief when he finally got into the taxi to take him to the airport. They knew they had to enjoy what little peace they would know -- until he got back !


Image from cartoon-photocollection.blogspot.in

Falling leaves and reveries .....

flurry of green and gold:
a kitten gambols
in a heap of autumn leaves

autumn contemplation...
a butterfly's shadow
brushes past mine

newly single:
she watches autumn leaves
drift apart ...

autumn lamplight:
she looks for solace
in the warm flame

long night—
the whirring of the fan
cuts into my thoughts

for Sketchbook Haiku Sep/Oct 2011 issue

Image from gardening.sheknows.com