Thursday, October 12, 2017

Carpe Diem #1276 Tranquil


Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

As you maybe know I have (and have had) several special features here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. Our trip along memory-lane goes today along one of those special features. It was a feature in which I introduced haiku by renown and unknown haiku poets which I loved and had something with. That special feature was titled "Sparkling Stars" and our prompt comes from one of the episodes in autumn 2014. (You can find that episode HERE)

The title of this episode is extracted from a haiku by Koyu-Ni, which I shared than and will re-share here again:

Koyu-Ni was (as e.g. Chiyo-Ni) a Buddhistic nun (as can be seen at her name "ni" stands for "female monk".) There aren't many haiku known by her.

hana chirite shizuka ni narinu hito-gokoro

the blossoms have fallen:
our minds are now
tranquil

© Koyu-Ni (Tr. R.H. Blyth)

[...] Koyu-Ni died in 1782, her family name was Matsumato. She is one of the more prominent woman poets of the Edo period. She learned haiku from Songi the First. [...]

our logo of this feature (2014)

I than translated this haiku myself and that translation I love to share again:

tranquility -
finally I have found peace,
blossoms have fallen

© Koyu-Ni (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

I think that in my translation the peace of mind is stronger present. With every gust of wind I am anxious that the fragile Cherry blossoms will be scattered and torn apart, but as all blossoms have fallen than my heart and mind are at peace, there is no anxiety anymore and that gives me that feeling of tranquility.

Life and dead are living together just on a thin line of silk, so close to one another, but that's the circle of life, the beauty of Mother Nature. This is what haiku is ... writing about nature and mankind as being part of it's beauty.


Well .... I think you all can remember this episode and I love to challenge you to create a haiku (or tanka) following the classical rules as described often here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until October 19th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, the sacred sanctuary, later on. For now .... have fun!


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