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Welcome to the second Autumn/Winter issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. The quality of the submissions has continued to be important and I thank those who submitted and were accepted for sharing their haiku moments with others around the world. In looking over these and other submitted haiku, a few issues occurred to me: haiku seems to be based on a balance between sensibility and phrasing. Phrasing should be poetic and not simply conversational. Haiku phrasing should not be overly flowery (which verges on sentimentality) nor overly telegraphic (which even results in poor English), undermining both haiku as poetry and haiku as clearly expressed insight. Sensibility expresses a haiku moment. As it is in much poetry, haiku should be almost musical in its nature. One of the reasons I have included the original language the haiku was written in, is to give the reader, perhaps, a sense of the music inherent in the given language. The music reflects the heightened experience that the poet had in his or her haiku moment. Sensibility is how each individual poet engages with the world. Although it is the same world that each poet engages, their sense of feeling, though often familiar, is decidedly their own. When these issues are considered and expressed by a distinct sensibility, the result leads to what most would consider great poetry.
Bruce Ross, December 2018 morning frost – eating all alone a sparrow Steve Addiss, USA autumn moon shining in a bowl the beggar’s coin Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan the weight of my burdens within the leaves Joanna Ashwell, UK the weight of wind fall migration Susan B. Auld, USA winter drizzle the click of the chashaku on the tea bowl’s rim autumn solitude the indigo horizon at dusk Dyana Basist, USA still life beneath the pond ice bywyd llonydd o dan iâ’r pwll Nicola Brown, Wales november night an owl interrupts my visit with the moon Alanna C. Burke, USA twilight . . . heavy persimmons on bare branches le prime luci . . . pesanti cachi appesi a rami spogli Lucia Cardillo, Italy autumn leaves – people in my life falling away Vernon Chain, USA deserted village – only cranes sleep in it forever autumn sat părăsit - în el mai dorm doar cocorii toamna de-a pururi Marius Chelaru, Romania (transl. Olimpia Iacob and Jim Kacian) autumn running my lengthening shadow still ahead jesienny bieg mój wydłużony cień wciąż na przedzie Marta Chocilowska, Poland stepped on the cat again two day storm Sue Colpitts, Canada three generations in the patchwork quilt autumn leaves whistling wind a reflection of candles in the kitchen window Susan Constable, Canada loneliness autumn rain comes to me solitudine la pioggia d’autunno mi viene incontro Maria Concetta Conti, Italy autumn rain . . . the full moon cradled in a leaf Ellen Cooper, Canada Autumn morning among falling leaves shadow Basanta Kumar Das, India echoes of crows from the snowy woods blue twilight Shelly Deuel, USA mom’s languished face autumn leaf линее лицето на мама есенен лист Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria first snow the last flames of the fire about to go out Tom Drescher, Canada searching the sky for traces of my ancestors . . . winter stars Rebecca Drouilhet, USA Last snow. The sparrows remove flakes and petals. Última nieve. Los gorriones desprenden copos y pétalos. Juan Carlos Durilén, Argentina Winter twilight longing at the gate I and the moon Amurg de iarnă - la poarta dorului eu și luna Adina Enăchescu, Romania a fallen leaf on the empty feeder winter still Seren Fargo, USA butterflies barely touch the meadow . . . killing frost Donna Fleischer, USA an owl’s hoot just a nuance away – snow moon Lorin Ford, Australia frost possible the acidanthera’s bell draws in a wasp LeRoy Gorman, Canada late October the pear-tree saves for me only rain поздний октябрь груша бережёт для меня только дождь Irina Guliaeva, Russia sleepless night the winter wind finds a way inside uykusuz gece kış rüzgârı içerde bir yol buluyor Engin Gülez, Turkey finally rain sparrows in puddles puff out dust clouds John Hawkhead, UK in a leafless tree persimmons glisten . . . winter dreams 一棵无叶树， 柿子挂枝头。 闪闪发光趣， 冬天多梦幽。 David He, People’s Republic of China apple cider I take my first sip of October Diane Hemingway, USA winter reveals snug nest snow covered fuyu arawasu igokochi no yoi su yuki umare 冬表す 居心地のよい巣 雪うまれ Judith Hishikawa, USA cold soup the neverendigness of winter Louise Hopewell, Australia windblown leaves shadows chasing shadows across the moon sweeping leaves on a blustery day – chemo cycles Marilyn Humbert, Australia in the mailbox only yellow leaves – I’m still waiting în cutia de scrisori doar frunze galbene - eu încă aștept Letiţia Lucia Iubu, Romania mountain cabin coyote’s howl drifts into the New Year Jeanne Jorgensen, Canada though you won’t be the last please hold on tight – yellowed leaf Skylar Kay, Canada a newborn’s cry all the phases of the moon kjmunro, Canada sapsucker holes ring the bare trunk fallen apples Deborah P Kolodji, USA On the wet asphalt in step with me, a snail – towards autumn Pe asfaltul ud la pas cu mine, un melc – încolo, toamna Utta-Siegrid König, Romania moonstones mixing the dough with my hands Jessica Malone Latham, USA predawn stillness a red fox laps the autumn moon John Llewellyn Lewis, Canada watching moonrise wrapped in snow cement Buddha Kristen Lindquist, USA autumn morning a nameless hill in the haze јесење јутро безимени брежуљак у сумаглици Mile Lisica, Bosnia and Herzegovina face to face with a harvest moon the scarecrow 與秋收月 面對面 一個稻草人 Chen-ou Liu, Canada bittersweet vines I walk quietly between deer paul m., USA short days – my shadow stretches across the field hedgehog the deep sleep of winter trees Martha Magenta, UK me my shadow – solitude io la mia ombra solitudine Antonio Mangiameli, Italy frozen bird bath – a crow slipping across the moon jgheab înghețat – o cioară alunecă pe lună Andrei Manoliu, Romania northern lights no need for words norrsken inga ord nödvändiga Anna Maris, Sweden Winter afternoon Under a tiny sun the merry-go-round Tarde de invierno Bajo un sol diminuto la calesita Lía Miersch, Argentina winter solstice – a long conversation about the year Joanne Morcom, Canada winter night the sound of the heater and the clock Tim Murphy, Ireland/Spain Christmas Eve on the store window, a breath growing and fading autumn rain the weight of earth in my breath Indra Neil Mekala, India cloud hands – shoveling mounds of snow with t’ai chi Suzanne Niedzielska, USA milkweed seeds whirl in the wind first chemo rows of pumpkins in the drizzling rain a father and daughter the length of a sigh falling leaf Victor Ortiz, USA a fiddler in the cupola harvest moon kitchen girl before the doors open a row of bowls late-harvest corn a bin at the back for the needy Roland Packer, Canada fall equinox the tree replicates my palm lines Pravat Kumar Padhy, India night train – in every station the same moon tren de noapte – în fiecare stație aceeași lună Mihai Pascaru, Romania gathering acorns between heavy showers the jay’s morning casglu mes rhwng cawodydd trwm bore sgrech y coed Thomas Powell, Wales midnight alone in the whiteness a crow flaps down Carol Raisfeld, USA all hallows’ eve the white wisps of floating clouds Dian Duchin Reed, USA winding my alarm clock . . . winter wind Edward J. Rielly, USA leaves crinkle beneath his feet starlight Joan Marie Roberts, Canada emptying myself in the silence of moonlight Aron Rothstein, USA the violin I never got to play yellowing leaves Agnes Eva Savich, USA all my dreams not come true winter stars tous mes rêves non réalisés étoiles d'hiver Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland moonshine deeper shadows this harvest Susan Spooner, Canada caribou migration a river that wasn’t here yesterday Debbie Strange, Canada the stray dog’s new name a little gold left in the leaves Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan/USA misty afternoon someone’s dog leads the way home senja berkabut anjing milik seseorang menuntun pulang Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Indonesia autumn chill – through a scarlet oak the blood moon Andre Surridge, New Zealand morning fog – the vague shape of a leafless tree Angela Terry, USA yellow leaves the sky a fuller shade of blue storm breakers the wind and i all night Jennifer Thiermann, USA vespers – a flock of crows crossing the valley vecernie – un stol de ciori traversînd valea Maria Tirenescu, Romania grieving my hair wet with autumn mist Stephen Toft, UK first frost… I wrap hands around a child with mumps 初霜やおたふくの子の頬を手で包む Hatsushimo ya otafuku no ko no hō o te de tutsumu Norie Umeda, Japan October wind a scissor-tailed flycatcher still on the line Kevin Valentine, USA first autumn rain . . . we talk of coming back next year Michael Dylan Welch, USA moon the color of the stars we hold inside autumn rain the endless gratitude of trees J. Zimmerman, UK First Prize: this winter will I grow old harvest moon Sue Colpitts, Canada The poet registers the seemingly troublesome passage of the cycles of natural growth in a deep meditation on aging. Second Prize: hunter’s moon a span of duckboard beginning to sag paul m., USA The author has been here before. The boardwalk that he has experienced in a warmer season is now weathering, producing a sabi-filled haiku. Third Prize: a dire world this sunlight – still touching the last leaf teribleng mundo itong sikat ng araw – haplos pa rin ang huling dahon Ernesto P. Santiago, Philippines/Greece A redemptive moment in nature in troubling times. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order) too small to reflect on the world day old moon Vera Constantineau, Canada my parents aging . . . all of Orion’s stars in the night sky Amelia Cotter, USA friend’s departure full moon reveals the path between the clouds Odlazak prijatelja. Pun mesec otkriva stazu između oblaka. Zoran Doderović, Serbia Autumn breeze. The falling leaves touch their shadows. Brisa de otoño. Las hojas al caer tocan sus sombras. Juan Carlos Durilén, Argentina autumnal colours falling away some part of myself Jenny Fraser, New Zealand Larches in autumn. The beauty of a world without people. Lärchen im Herbst. Die Schönheit einer Welt ohne Menschen. Volker Friebel, Germany deepening autumn a red dragonfly aligns with the wind jesen se poglablja rdeč kačji pastir se poravna z vetrom Polona Oblak, Slovenia the slow fade-out of a favorite song . . . autumn rain les dernières notes de ma chanson préférée . . . pluie d’automne Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland a different chill in the air this morning wild chanterelles Angela Terry, USA leaf fall . . . finding the way to say goodbye paghulog ng dahon . . . paghahanap ng paraan para magpaalam Christine L. Villa, USA/Philippines The Haiku Moment Award, Runners-up, and Honorable Mentions
Haiku Moment Award: spring pilgrimage- first cherry blossoms in mother’s sandals proljetno hodočašće - prvi cvjetovi trešnje u majčinim sandalama Goran Gatalica, Croatia Here is clearly the front runner. With deft phrasing, Goran Gatalica presents a moment that expresses spirituality, natural beauty, and a son’s love, centered on a spring kigo. Runners-Up: crescent moon . . . my silent yearning as vast as the night sky Anne Curran, New Zealand We liked the sensitive expression of Anne’s feeling and the depth of that feeling. flickering lantern a beggar's bowl fills with moonlight 大红灯笼挂， 烛光自摇曳。 乞丐手中碗， 月光已注多 David He, People’s Republic of China We liked this haiku for the sensitive take on a beggar's bowl haiku, perhaps opening up a strong connection to Zen awareness. If the friendly mosquitoes kept quiet. Oh, early morning. Si los amables mosquitos se callaran. Oh madrugada. Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic This haiku was the most humorous of all we got and reminiscent of Issa. oak in spring lifting the light from a river Michael McClintock, USA We liked Michael’s haiku for the poetic transparency and deftness of expression. summer solstice the weight of light Valorie Woerdehoff, USA We liked this poem for its very contemporary phrasing and idiom and the subtlety of the haiku as a whole. Honorable Mentions (Autumn/Winter): stirring moonlight into darkness catfish Simon Hanson, Australia Here is a very original take on a moment of perception that reverberates with mystery. equinox a moment with the falling leaf Cyndi Lloyd, USA This haiku is a subtle presentation of a haiku moment, linking, in a sense, the universal and the particular. dad’s face not as I remember him . . . winter stars Marion Alice Poirier, USA This haiku focuses on sadness and longing and is made deeper by the last line, which becomes a metaphor for that depth. lives of their own autumn leaves Julie Warther, USA The imagery here nicely supports the importance of seeing the life in all natural phenomena. still autumn . . . a baby crow caws with each fallen leaf ...خريف هادِئ نعّاب ينعق مع كل ورقة تسقط Ali Znaidi, Tunisia Ali Znaidi’s haiku radiates a tenderness that can be felt in the natural world. Honorable Mentions (Spring/Summer): gentle rain my palms open with a prayer Tia Haynes, USA Tia's haiku poetically offers a spiritual connection to a simple and perhaps needed natural event. spring rain the cherry petal tea of my childhood 春之雨 我童年的 樱桃花茶 David He, People’s Republic of China A Taoist-like haiku that centers upon the wonder of the continued cycle of the seasons in nature and in human nature. the smell of spring in my shoes – lily of the valley Precious Oboh, Nigeria This haiku brings the wonders of another spring to a human level. spring rain a child jumps from cloud to cloud Rachel Sutcliffe, UK A precious haiku that captures the simplicity of a child’s delight. clover the girl makes a bouquet for her doll’s wedding 人形の結婚式に 少女はブーケをつくる しろつめくさの花 ningyo no kekkonshiki ni shoujo wa bouquet wo tsukuru shirotsumekusa no hana (revised Japanese version by the author) Norie Umeda, Japan Norie Umeda’s haiku allows us to enter a child’s world in which the ordinary becomes beautiful. Welcome to the Spring/Summer issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. I want to thank all those who submitted haiku to the first volume of this journal and want to express my appreciation of the quality of your work. I am doing research for a lecture that may justify the reliance on kigo (season word) in traditional Japanese haiku. All societies have constructed their cultures with reference to the natural world in representational and figurative approaches, including their gods and goddesses in what has been called The Flower World. The majority of the submitted haiku in Volume 1 have expressed the authors’ poetic sensibilities with some reference to this world, using images such as almond blossoms, the moon, mosquitoes, oak trees, sunlight, crows, swallows, catfish, peepers, other frogs, lily of the valley, clover, autumn leaves, winter stars, clouds, the summer solstice, spring rain. Supporting the relation of the seasons and seasonal activities to poetic and artistic expression, including the kigo of haiku, is the fact that the landscape is possibly the most depicted subject in painting and the floral still life also is vastly popular. Perhaps much world poetry has in fact focused on the natural world and the feelings generated by it (and criticized as merely “birds and flowers”). Our poetic sensibilities through heightened moments in nature, with family and friends, in seasonal celebrations, and through memories and reveries evoke our simplest yet deepest experience of our world. Haiku is significant as a poetic form because it expresses these moments and is strongly based on the kigo which are clearly related to The Flower World and our seasonal worldwide cultural realities. The submitted haiku were chosen in relation to how poetically and originally they express these significant moments.
Bruce Ross, June 2018 Haiku emerging from the bamboo thicket crow moon papasulpot mula sa kawayanan bilugang buwan Billy Antonio, Philippines tasting sunrise pink hyacinths Susan Auld, USA after the rain the scent of rain water lilies Gabriel Bates, USA a lull between cicadas . . . morning heat Mark Brager, USA rainy spring night her yellowed goodbye note slightly damp Ed Bremson, USA ruffles of air against my bare arms summer morning Dawn Bruce, Australia snowmelt scattered snowdrops Helen Buckingham, UK my whistle and the bewick wren’s suddenly summer Alanna C. Burke, USA spring unfurling the mountain fern rainy season a farmer hums with the frogs Matthew Caretti, Malawi indigo veil - the tart sweetness of a plum Anna Cates, USA lighting up the temple courtyard almond blossoms rice seedlings darkening spring rain Sonam Chhoki, Bhutan last cloud in the sky - the blue of the mountains Meagan Collins, USA ivy planted in an old china cup her last garden Sue Colpitts, Canada dry rookery branch two spoonbills clacking beaks Bill Cooper, USA summer night I step outside to check the moon then head back in Ronald K. Craig, USA sudden cloud out of the garden barrel drains moonlight iznenadni oblak iz vrtne bačve otječe mjesečina Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia jarred fireflies the full moon rising through pines Mark Dailey, USA morning prayer flowers of spring join the chorus Basanta Kumar Das, India Full moon: Inside the alcatraz flower a cricket chirps Luna llena: Dentro de la flor alcatraz estridula un grillo. Sunset fog: In the crack of the rock a jasmine has blossomed. Niebla de ocaso: En la grieta de la roca ha florecido un jazmin. Elías Dávila Silva, Mexico moon cakes a mouthful of sweetness on Buddha’s birthday Angelee Deodhar, India swallows fly - in my memories another spring rondini in volo - un’altra primavera nei miei ricordi Rosa Maria Di Salvatore, Italy our black cat opens her yellow eyes jonquil bed Jan Dobb, Australia spring equinox a spider’s web catches the sun Tom Drescher, Canada Wildflowers, also on the graves Spring. Flores silvestres, también sobre las tumbas la primavera. Nap time. The wood pigeon’s trill in solitude. Hora de siesta. Un canto de torcaza en soledad. Juan Carlos Durilén, Argentina cloud shadows a herd of buffalo moves to fresh grass Garry Eaton, Canada we wait, the daimon seed and i, for planting Donna Fleischer, USA did you call me? oh no, it is only spring wind wołałeś mnie? och nie, to tylko wiosenny wiatr Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland wild wind the fruity sage waving a wattlebird Lorin Ford, Australia summer cabin the frogs chant full matins across the lake Robert Forsythe, USA Summer sun. The different blues, of the Caribbean Sea. Sol de verano. Los distintos azules, del Mar Caribe. Edmundo M. García Terrero, Dominican Republic If the friendly mosquitoes kept quiet. Oh, early morning. Si los amables mosquitos se callaran. Oh madrugada. Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic spring pilgrimage - first cherry blossoms in mother’s sandals proljetno hodočašće - prvi cvjetovi trešnje u majčinim sandalama Goran Gatalica, Croatia final eclipse my eyes become accustomed to the silence summer shadows the growing space between galaxies Mark Gilbert, UK at sunset the black crows rise up - ripe wheat al crepusculo s’alzano i corvi neri - grano maturo Angela Giordano, Italy Like a beautiful painting, the orchard’s fruit: Asian pears. Hermoso cuadro exhibe el rojo pomar: peras de arena. Alexis Gómez Rosa, Dominican Republic (trans. Elizabeth H. Lara) peepers the night loses its chill LeRoy Gorman, Canada sultry summer night - a woman on the beach talking to the Moon sparna ljetna noć - žena na plaži razgovara s Mjesecom Danijela Grbelja, Croatia dreaming of colours yet to come wildflower seed Simon Hanson, Australia gentle rain my palms open with a prayer Tia Haynes, USA tying a knot in the grass blade midsummer John Hawk, USA spring rain the cherry petal tea of my childhood 春之雨 我童年的 樱桃花茶 David He, People’s Republic of China first spring spider so busy so very busy 初春のクモ あいそがしいいそがしな (hatsuharu no kumo a isogashii isogashi na) Judith Hishikawa, USA your footprint with mine trout lily rain Jeff Hoagland, USA the silence of raked white pebbles - a cicada shell Marilyn Humbert, Australia a koel calls . . . you query my accent yet again Samantha Sirimanne Hyde, Australia sugar moon our walk made sweeter mbalamwezi matembezi yetu yawa murua zaidi Mercy Ikuri, Kenya using his cane a farmer tries to count playful lambs Jeanne Jorgensen, Canada this year I won’t be weeding - first dandelion Christopher Jupp, UK still clear through the smokey air - the robin’s song Skylar Kay, Canada pine trees blurred by wisteria and rain vernal equinox redbud sapling the squirrel stares back Craig Kittner, USA late spring an empty hanging basket swings by the front door kjmunro, Canada rainbow over rolling hills California poppy Deborah P Kolodji, USA by a ruined house a crow collects twigs for its nest kraj srušene kuće vrana skuplja grančice za gnijezdo spring rain I feel it to my bones through the walls proljetnu kišu osjećam do kostiju kroz zidove Nina Kovačić, Croatia (trans. by Đurđa Vukelić Rožić) foxgloves the many kinds of woman in me Jessica Malone Latham, USA summer kiss the blue expanse in her eyes 夏日初吻 在她的眼中 一片天藍 Chen-ou Liu, Canada sunlight fills the millstone’s furrows trilling pine warblers paul m., USA summer heat a willow dips its roots in the river Martha Magenta, UK oak in spring lifting the light from a river Michael McClintock, USA a collie’s muzzle more mud than dog spring rain reluctantly, early retirement . . . crocuses in snow Marietta McGregor, Australia birdsong the weight of footsteps on a forest path Andy McLellan, UK hollyhock blossoms enough for a summer doll Connie R Meester, USA All about, uphill, downhill . . . the amancay! * (*South American wild daffodils, growing on the Andean slopes) Donde se mire, cerro arriba, cerro abajo, . . . los amancay! Lía Miersch, Argentina mid summer the school child’s picture under a smiling sun Mac Miller, New Zealand spring crush fiddlehead ferns for the first time Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA longest day- what to do with all this light? Joanne Morcom, Canada summer dusk, a pelican landing splinters the lagoon without a sound it emerges from its shell- cicada Leanne Mumford, Australia April noon the library silence returns me to my breath Timothy Murphy, Ireland/Spain trees in full bloom the cuckoo I used to see now I only hear Indra Neil Mekala, India shifting wind the coyote’s raised foreleg motionless ayaz daryl nielsen, USA summer solstice rust on the edge of a horse chestnut leaf poletni solsticij rja na robovih lista kostanja a gap in the clouds changing into rain vrzel v oblakih se spreminja v dež Polona Oblak, Slovenia the smell of spring in my shoes - lily of the valley Precious Oboh, Nigeria without you the gold spring moon just a moon Marian Olson, USA listening to all the colors . . . spring fever Victor Ortiz, USA bowed branch - a kid lends his walking stick to his grandma Pravat Kumar Padhy, India from the clothes line a string of dew scattered by a finch Sarah Paul, UK summer twilight - the waves washing over the traces of her steps hoàng hôn mùa hè - những cơn sóng trôi qua dấu chân em crépuscule d'été - les vagues emportent les traces de ses pas Minh-Triět Pham, France lilly pilly hedge twilight eases into our conversation Madhuri Pillai, Australia birdsong . . . beyond drying sheets dad’s marigolds Marion Alice Poirier, USA in the vineyard . . . a mouth full of grapes the fox Keith Polette, USA summer night my restlessness shapes the sleeping cat Sandi Pray, USA spring rain a woman holds her burqa close to her figure Patricia Prime, New Zealand violets in bloom an old woman gives me the eye John Quinnett, USA spring fog the brightness of lemons Dian Duchin Reed, USA warmer days a sudden chill from childhood dyddiau cynhesach ias annisgwyl o 'mhlentyndod rising finally into another future fritillary o'r diwedd yn codi i ddyfodol arall brith-y-gors John Rowlands, Wales a second date he promises me a green Moon drugi čvenik obećava mi zeleni mjesec Đurđa Vukelić Rožić, Croatia no stars tonight the mist of the coast at rice planting Miriam Sagan, USA a field full of kids’ shadows summer’s end dreaming of an alternate life summer stars Agnes Eva Savich, USA billowing the bedroom curtains out spring breeze de son souffle le printemps fait onduler les rideaux de la chambre Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland origami her lost letter unfolding Sudebi Singha, India August night atop Mont Sainte Anne shooting stars Robert Spice, USA crescent moon your silver bracelet beside the bed Susan Spooner, Canada summer snow . . . mayflies swarm above the river Debbie Strange, Canada breeze on young leaves . . . a stray dog pawed the future and left Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan spring equinox the morepork’s call unanswered first flower on the pohutukawa - red sunset Andre Surridge, New Zealand spring rain a child jumps from cloud to cloud Rachel Sutcliffe, UK misty rain the tulips refuse to bloom Christine Taylor, USA clover the girl makes a bouquet for her doll’s wedding お人形のウエディングブーケはしろつめくさの花 (oningyo no wedding bouquet wa shirotsumekusa no hana) Norie Umeda, Japan summer breeze billowing the curtains scent of resin door het open raam brengt het zomerbriesje een lome harsgeur Steven Van Der Heyden, Belgium new home insomnia . . . our apricot tree has bloomed insomnie de casă nouă . . . caisul nostru a înflorit Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania garden planted . . . the scarecrow touches his sleeve to mine Marilyn Appl Walker, USA a beetle carries his piece of light into a rosebud Robert Witmer, USA/Japan summer solstice the weight of light Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, USA Welcome to the first issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. In Japan reference to the full moon is understood as a kigo for the full autumn moon. Looking over the haiku included here, I realize that we, whatever part of the world we live in, are looking at the same autumn moon. The quality of these haiku with a vast range of feeling from moody and serious to humorous is impressive. I think that good haiku should reflect the poet’s particular sensibility and, for the most part, as I have said, “feeling connected to nature,” including human nature. Thank you to those included in this issue for making this poetic form a significant global connection to our world and our universe in your individual haiku moments.
Bruce Ross, December 2017 Haiku black birds on winter cattails ink stone dusk Susan Auld, USA a wasp curled between puddles late November rain deep into the hills a dog fox follows her tracks in the snow John Barlow, UK the old dog with his cataracts clouded moon Gabriel Bates, USA fall harvest a song sparrow fatter and quieter full moon field stones among the pumpkins Brad Bennett, USA deep autumn . . . the river of heaven running red first snowfall my tongue tasting ash Mark Brager, USA hoarfrost angling Earthwards Leonids Alan S. Bridges, USA autumn rain the teenager asleep over her books Dawn Bruce, Australia winter daylight on the rocks warming as it is cold first snow Helen Buckingham, UK why didn’t I see it sooner − full autumn moon Susan Burch, USA leaf skeleton − noticing the things i forget winter wind taking so much for granted Sondra Byrnes, USA the slow spark of cornstalk fires winter’s end Matthew Caretti, Malawi autumn offering moths eddying in the light of butter lamps Sonam Chhoki, Bhutan buttonquail and a shake of seed left behind Lysa Collins, Canada my umbrella changes its tune . . . winter rain Susan Constable, Canada hunters moon a ten point buck chuffs at the forest edge Vera Constantineau, Canada the sheltie’s breath no longer white in the cold New Year’s Eve Jeanne Cook, USA harvest moon the lighthouse behind the lighthouse Bill Cooper, USA her worsening condition . . . late autumn geese fly into the day moon Amelia Cotter, USA post hurricane my brother’s voice emerges broken too après l’ouragan la voix de mon frère enfin brisée elle aussi Nane Couzier, Canada crescent moon . . . my silent yearning as vast as the night sky Anne Curran, New Zealand autumn morning the moon disappears in the swallow’s beak jesenje jutro pun mjesec nestaje u kljunu galeba a closed window − September moonlight opens my eyes zatvoren prozor − rujanska mjesečina otvara oči insomnia a ship crane lowers the full moon into the sea nesanica brodska dizalica spušta mjesec u more Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia moon rise − the scarecrow’s long shadow in a stubble burnt field Angelee Deodhar, India October eve stroll feeling the colors of fall through my patchwork sweater Karen DiNobile, USA snowflakes − on the soft carpet my slow steps fiocchi di nieve − sul soffice tappeto lenti i passi Rosa Maria Di Salvatore, Italy passing shower just enough to wet the wind Jan Dobb, Australia first snow a raven’s cry swallows the forest Tom Drescher, Canada the straps where his kayak hung winter sky sycamore leaves scattered on the back steps my dog’s death Lynn Edge, USA I capture in my palm the light of nightfall − longing for autumn prind în palmă lumina amurgului − dor de toamnă Adina Enăchescu, Romania full autumn moon with a silver spoon stirring my tea Marisa Fazio, Australia winter sunrise − I add more turmeric to the porridge bitter cold − the Emu’s head still in the Coalsack Lorin Ford, Australia Foliage whirls about a quiescent stone. Moonrise. Laub wirbelt über einen ruhenden Stein. Mondaufgang. White breath. A dove mingles with the flock. Weißer Atem. Eine Taube verschmilzt mit dem Schwarm. Volker Friebel, Germany day moon a touch of frost in the air Jay Friedenberg, USA Harvest moon . . . our next door neighbor gone William Scott Galasso, USA Riverside mists. Something from a mast . . . and suddenly nothing. Nieblas del Riverside. Alguito de un mástil . . . y de pronto nada. After the hurricane the little frog in the garden sings again. Tras el huracán la ranita del jardín vuelve a cantar. Edmundo Manuel García Terrero, Dominican Republic We became silent because of the darkness. Winter moon. Fuimos callando según anochecía. Luna de invierno. Christmas! On the table a gift that was not given away. ¡La Navidad! En la mesa un regalo que no se regaló. Rafael Garcia Bidó, Dominican Republic unfinished novel the autumn moon waxes and wanes Irene Golas, Canada no moon the unspoken beauty of parting Mel Goldberg, USA/Mexico long nights − a thousand shades of black and blue late October snow − pumpkin and panda footprints on the front steps John Green, USA the first shadows among the branches of the chestnut autumn wind le prime ombre − tra i rami del castagno vento autunnale Angela Giordano, Italy stirring moonlight into darkness catfish spring water the long journey through the mountain Simon Hanson, Australia senior years drifting from here to beyond cloud formations Devin Harrison, Canada rabbit prints break the tedium winter’s end the chill seeps from its cupboards empty house Michele L. Harvey, USA Autumn moon a swirl of falling leaves turning silver flying into fog the sense of oneness with nothingness John Hawkhead, UK flickering lantern a beggar’s bowl fills with moonlight 大红灯笼挂， 烛光自摇曳。 乞丐手中碗， 月光已注多。 David He, People’s Republic of China in the afterglow that almost liquid state harvest moon 残照に 溶ける程 明月 (zanshou ni tokeru hodo mei getsu) Judith Hishikawa, USA sneaking into the house cricket song Jeff Hoagland, USA faint stars . . . the screech owl’s call moves up the valley Elizabeth Howard, USA first frost − the press of ‘roo prints in the rime dry season − Kimberley moon glows full and red Marilyn Humbert, Australia autumn moon . . . kangaroo shadows in the paddock Samantha Sirimanne Hyde, Australia pumpkin moon ghostly children leave a candy-wrapper trail autumn rain I reframe the family pictures Lynne Jambor, Canada Autumn moon, the sparrow’s eye, one last time. Evie Johnson, (age 12), New Zealand sleet seven swans still in the silence deszcz ze śniegiem siedem łabędzi narastającej ciszy Adam Kajzer, Poland hopping along the magpie crunches leaves − leave some for me! Skylar Kay, Canada charcoal landscape a smudge of nimbostratus on the horizon Julie Bloss Kelsey, USA osprey on a tree snag winter wetlands Deborah P Kolodji, USA autumn moon the son reaches to touch father’s shadow Jessica Malone Latham, USA autumn moon you can touch it with your finger Phyllis Lee, USA river sand slipping through my fingers winter light 河沙 從我的指縫間滑走 冬之光 Chen-ou Liu, Canada equinox a moment with the falling leaf Cyndi Lloyd, USA the raven’s deep throated cry sickle moon Nika, Canada canyon home the distant sound of Halloween Gregory Longnecker, USA wrap a woolen scarf around your neck, autumn moon . . . frost is at your door! Josephine LoRe, Canada finding a way through the corn maze full moon Ann Magyar, USA dry creekbed a breeze eddies a leaf Hannah Mahoney, USA temple roof I watch the rain fall into another day fallen oak I call my ancestors by name Andy McLellan, UK Autumn wind Down from the battered nests falls a feather Viento de otoño De los nidos maltrechos cae una pluma Lía Miersch, Argentina evening crickets a row of kokopelli carved onto stone paul m., USA the one which bit me maybe the year’s last spider: Indian summer cel ce m-a mușcat ultimul paing din an vară indiană Cristian Mocanu, Romania hunter’s moon the owl’s hoot fills the hollow Ben Moeller-Gaa, USA a firefighter turns off his headlamp . . . autumn moon Ron C. Moss, Australia one leaf left on the gingko sapling winter sunshine Leanne Mumford, Australia an eagle dives through rising river mist winter morning kjmunro, Canada autumn rain the botanical garden becomes greener Timothy Murphy, Ireland/Spain winter solitude − getting a chance to take a deep breath chilly night − the unchanged smile of stone Buddha Indra Neil Mekala, India Late night all crickets are silent autumn moon Seară târzie în faţa lunii de toamnă toţi greierii tac Valentin Nicoliţov, Romania in the cold viewing the moon . . . three kangaroos Julian O’Dea, Australia receding into her sketch pad autumn evening Victor Ortiz, USA snowflake cutouts on every window children’s ward Roland Packer, Canada coalfield fire − the winter morning thickens its colour Pravat Kumar Padhy, India cricket song on an autumn walk just us jingle bells . . . Santa’s cup collects snowflakes dad’s face not as I remember him . . . winter stars Marion Alice Poirier, USA warm autumn morning stopping to move the turtle off the road Keith Polette, USA one last gold apple on the neighbor’s tree autumn moon snow crowns her black tombstone starry night Joan Prefontaine, USA Winter dusk: in cooling gold grass a thought, passes Samantha Renda, South Africa deep presence the last oak leaf on a snow-covered branch J. Brian Robertson, Canada autumn wind the caw ahead of the crow Michele Root-Bernstein, USA morning mist fading out the moon sleeplessness ομίχλη πρωινή σβήνει το φεγγάρι η αγρυπνία Rosie Roumeliotis, Greece for now uniting out lands snow am nawr yn uno’n tiroedd eira John Rowlands, Wales the increased volume of a nuthatch’s yammer autumn chill robins congregate in an abandoned garden cold October rain Michael Stinson, USA black-capped chickadee shaking snow dust down from the statue’s kepi Tom Sacramona, USA autumn crow − my wish to hear the voice old age home − the gardener’s hand sweeps the leaves Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India an osprey’s second look morning moon Grant Savage, Canada birdsong where wind ends − autumn equinox Agnes Eva Savich, USA strawberry moon − the coyote’s cries stretching to the stars early autumn − the cricket makes no mention of the moon Melissa Watkins Starr, USA last embers . . . bats flit between constellations Debbie Strange, Canada dry leaf lane . . . the warmth a hand could bring to the stray dog's head Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan day’s end the last crows slip into shadows Rachel Sutcliffe, UK forefathers in the snowy village on a moonlit postcard Ahnen im verschneiten Dorf auf der mondhellen Karte moonlit night a deer’s ears full of windsong mondhelle Nacht die Ohren eines Rehes voller Windlied Dietmar Tauchner, Austria nightfall − an absence of stars closes in scent of rain . . . an oak leaf rustles out of time Hansha Teki, New Zealand a sliver in the darkness new moon Tom Trowbridge, USA winter evening in naked willow branches the white silence winteravond in kale wilgentakken de stilte van wit Steven Van Der Heyden, Belgium locking the gate − a Leonid touches unknown hills încuind poarta − o leonidă atinge dealuri neştiute Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania lives of their own autumn leaves autumn equinox − the snap of a plumb line Julie Warther, USA autumn rain on the yellowing willow a small bird Robert Witmer, USA/Japan still autumn . . . a baby crow caws with each fallen leaf ...خريف هادِئ نعّاب ينعق مع كل ورقة تسقط Ali Znaidi, Tunisia First Prize: glassy lake flocks of snow geese pull up the moon Debbie Strange, Canada Many haiku have been written about the effect of moonlight and the moon's reflection. This haiku is unique and highly poetic in its expression. Second Prize: a snail’s trail . . . all night this meandering toward the moon Lorin Ford, Australia This haiku is mysterious somehow. Is this the poet or the snail wandering? The trail shining with moonlight. Third Prize: autumn moon left outside the store the unsold pumpkin Stephen Toft, UK A haunting relationship of the world of commerce and the moon itself as mirrored by this solitary pumpkin. Honorable Mentions: (in alphabetical order) dad's ashes drifting out to sea black moon Vaters Asche treibt aufs Meer hinaus ein schwarzer Mond Beate Conrad, Germany increasingly rare the song of the birds– autumn fog sempre più raro il canto degli uccelli– nebbia autunnale Angela Giordano, Italy Beginning of autumn the voice of loneliness hidden in glances În prag de toamnă glasul singurătății se-ascunde-n priviri Gabriela Genţiana Groza, Romania rising moon a cyclist wobbles across cobblestones luna vzhaja kolesar se opoteče prek tlakovcev Polona Oblak, Slovenia midnight i shift a moon with my breath полноќ месечина со здив поместувам Pere Risteski, Macedonia the pull of my paddle– river moon Julie Warther, USA autumn moon… trying not to lose my self-control ...قمر الخريف أحاول أن أتمالك نفسي Ali Znaidi, Tunisia |
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