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Welcome to the spring/summer 2020 issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. This issue and our world are dominated by the coronavirus pandemic which has led directly to many deaths. Yet this journal and the mode of presenting haiku poets’ responses to this situation is a means of overcoming the so-called lockdown, despite the quarantine’s required masks and social distancing rules. The significance of haiku to resolve or lighten this condition is in its opening of a deep feeling of the poet with a heightened moment with other people and with nature and the universe as a whole, including the central spring season word in Japan, sakura (cherry blossoms). In many cultures the spring equinox is also recognized and celebrated. Haiku poetry also highlights a heightened emotion of various kinds by a given observation within that emotion. The focuses of this issue’s haiku more or less resemble haiku conceived under less troubling times and, in fact, might help overcome some of the current time’s troubling conditions. The haiku in this issue do this by focusing on myriad moments of experience that they may have under more untroubled times: cherry blossoms, the spring equinox, the moon, the sun, clouds, rainbows, wildflowers, farm animals, forests, rain, lightening, ocean, wild vegetables, moss on a stone, stars, sunshine, wild birds, pet birds, newborn bird chicks, sunshine, frogs, empty train stations, footprints, grass, insect sounds, friends and family, and whatever comes to a poet’s mind in a focused or entranced mind, or both. The so-called haiku moment has a magical elevating quality. Here is a good description of it by the New Zealand short story writer Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) from one of her stories: “Wind moving through the grass so that the grass quivers. This moves me with an emotion I don’t even understand.” Even in uncertain times the haiku moment can awaken you in a positive way and remove the overpowering struggle with, for example, the pandemic, at least for a moment. Comparing the haiku in earlier issues of this journal, this issue shows a less deep connection of the kind referred to by Mansfield. Nonetheless, it is wonderful what the poets came up with despite the pandemic. All in all, an impressive group of world haiku rising above the troubling time.
Bruce Ross, June 2020 a lark – crosses the river the echo of its song una allodola - attraversa il fiume l’eco del canto all equal the cherry blossoms along the journey tutti uguali i fiori di ciliegio lungo il viaggio Vincenzo Adamo, Italy the surprise passing another key worker in morning light chaffinch call a brief burst of sunshine Joanna Ashwell, UK August night the depth of a bullfrog’s song Susan Auld, USA spring equinox - weaverbirds carrying grasses to the tree ọ̀gìnìtì - àwọn ẹyẹ ẹ̀gà ń gbé koríko lọ sórí igi first rain . . . the village kids hold out their palms òjò àkọ́kọ́ . . . àwọn ọmọ oko tẹ́wọ́ síwájú hot noon . . . the shadow of a waterbird shades a baby crab ọ̀sán pọ́n ganrí . . . òjìjí ẹyẹ ọ̀sìn ràgàbo ọmọ akàn Taofeek Ayeyemi, Nigeria lockdown the silence releases a blue heron lockdown de stilte laat een blauwe reiger vrij Michael Baeyens, Belgium moon shadows through lace curtains her perfume flasks street festival a little girl tap dancing her dolly Maxianne Berger, Canada sweltering noon the swing sways empty Bisshie, Switzerland full nest - all the loved ones in my heart cuib plin toţi cei dragi în inima mea dandelion tea - the more bitter taste of this spring ceai de păpădie - gustul mai amar al acestei primăveri Mirela Brăilean, Romania trees blooming - at the window the city disappears little by little copaci care înfloresc - la fereastră oraşul dispare puţin câte puţin Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania mockingbird the vicissitudes of summer rain passion fruit smell of the sea in the rain Matthew Caretti, USA savoring the quietness I feel - forest bathing Vernon Chain, USA naïve painting - the colors of the woods come from the rainbow pictură naivă - culorile pădurii vin din curcubeu Vasile Cojocaru, Romania driftwood a cormorant floats through the mist a ridge of sand the length of our house ants ants ants a wall of wild roses starlit night Susan Constable, Canada alighting on a branch what does the cuckoo know of today? Risё Daniels, USA spring horizon a newborn foal finds its balance summer haze the greenish-purple color of figs Carmela Dolce, USA dandelion in breeze an orphan girl reaching out to her new mom and dad прецъфтяло глухарче сираче протяга ръчички към новите мама и татко setting sun in dad’s coin collection summer solstice заник в колекцията от монети на татко лятно слънцестоене Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria before I had a name wildflowers finding my way past midnight . . . spring stars Rebecca Drouilhet, USA supermarket shopper removes her mask to sniff a melon sacrament of penance penitent whispers her sins through a mask John J. Dunphy, USA cherry blossoms - tightly embracing our shadows flori de cireş - strâns îmbrăţişate umbrele noastre Carmen Duvalma, Romania the moon is still the shade is hushed maluhia ka mahina kahi malu e malu ai David Eyre, USA (Hawai’i) the ebb and flow of prairie grasses - flight of a goldfinch just enough light remaining vee of geese Seren Fargo, USA life in a puddle chasing a cloud Jeff Ferrara, USA a tipsy man lifts his hat and bows - cherry blossoms raven fledglings - the many ways black birds look at me Lorin Ford, Australia silence inside me only the spring raindrops keep falling cisza we mnie słychać tylko krople wiosennego deszczu Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland Coronavirus. Quarantine. Tell it to the nightingale Coronavirus. Cuarentena. Digànselo al ruiseñor. Cigüiriyines que pìan desde el alba. La primavera. Cigüiriyines* they chirp since dawn - Spring. *diminutive name for cigua, national bird of the Dominican Republic Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic summer lightning - our cat leaps from the bookshelf ljetna munja - naša mačka skače s police za knjige Goran Gatalica, Croatia cherry blossoms now on my bedroom calendar hana akari shinshitsu no kabe carendaru 花明かり 寝室 の 壁 カレンダー はなあかり しんしつ の かべ カレンダー young mourning dove selects her breakfast mud flats wakai mohato kanojo no chōshoku o erabu higata 若い 喪鳩 彼女 の 朝食 を 撰ぶ 干潟 わかい もはと かのじょ の ちょそく を えらぶ ひがた Judith Hishikawa, USA summer dusk frogsong overtakes birdsong dark-eyed juncos roil up roadside dust a glowing dawn Gary Hittmeyer, USA cottage ceiling - sunlight carries the stream’s ripples Frank Hooven, USA vernal equinox - a cascade of sparkles fall from the big dipper starless nights - time of Covid-19 self-isolation afternoon nap sunshine colours her cheeks Marilyn Humbert, Australia deserted train station no one to hear the grass growing between rails gară pustie cine să audă iarba crescând printre şine Mona Iordan, Romania Spring blossom it’s come and gone without a sound Erica Ison, UK In isolation - only the flowering cherry knocks on my window În izolare - doar cireşul înflorit îmi bate în geam Coronavirus - but the cherry blossoms are just as beautiful Coronavirus - dar florile de cireş la fel de frumoase Forgotten easel - through the open window the song of blackbird Şevalet uitat - prin fereastra deschisă cântecul mierlei Letiţia Lucia Iubu, Romania on the road to Genbaku Dome cherry blossoms Rick Jackofsky, USA Early dawn - into my dream breaks a cawing crow 明易や烏の声に夢破れ Akeyasuya karasu no koe ni yume yabure Midday nap - awaken safely back on this planet 昼寝覚め無事に戻りてこの星に hirunezame bujini modorite konohoshi ni Satoru Kanematsu, Japan darker after every puddle - child’s footprints Skylar Kay, Canada deserted playground one swing still swinging kjmunro, Canada counting days in lavender growth this time alone another day of not knowing clouds Deborah P Kolodji, USA sunlit stained glass - a pheasant crosses the rusty railways vitraž na suncu - fazan prelazi preko hrđavih tračnica Nina Kovačić, Croatia head of tide a kingfisher patrols upriver and back summer rain strange cries of a peacock from the old pine Kristen Lindquist, USA shelter in place - a faraway look on the face of a street boy 在家避難 一名街頭小孩臉上 遠望的神情 Chen-ou Liu, Canada seeking mother’s hidden light star magnolia Martha Magenta, UK early spring new lavender among old Margaret Mahony, Australia ocean a taste of salt in the rain vid havet smaken av salt i regnet dawn a chick still in its egg gryning en kyckling stilla i sitt ägg Anna Maris, Sweden with the stream’s song a new unfurling of fiddleheads clouded moon the river fades back to black Marietta McGregor, Australia on the stone tender moss is growing no longer lonely Crece el musguito . . . Ya no siente la piedra tantas ausencias Lía Miersch, Argentina spring again in my old heart a new love primăvară iar în inima mea bătrână o nouă iubire among blossoming trees a dry one with a chirping nest printre copacii înfloriţi unul uscat cu un cuib ciripind Victoria Milescu, Romania soft summer grass naming our own constellations Ben Moeller-Gaa, USA campfire - the gaps among the stars filled with smoke foc de tabără - golurile dintre stele umplute cu fum Vasile Moldovan, Romania every night of Lent my sister’s voice through the dark my mother smiles talking about her first crush super pink moon Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA old aspen new shoots rise from forgotten roots Mike Montreuil, Canada new moon thinner than hair . . . I miss my father la luna nuova più fina di un capello . . . mi manca mio padre hanging the canary-bird in parlor window shut-in he and me appendo fuori il canarino in gabbia reclusi io e lui Luciana Moretto, Italy March rain arranging maple twigs in the bud vase Laurie D. Morrissey, USA depression lifting . . . from the top of the pinyon warbler song Marie Louise Munro, USA sudden downpour the caged parakeets sing louder call to prayer night cicadas in the garden Tim Murphy (Spain/Ireland) venus in the west tea picker batıda tan yildizi cayci kiz leap year some children born old artik yil bazi çocuklar yasli dogar sunflower says the child picking it bir cocuk aycicegi der koparirlar Guliz Mutlu, Turkey nearly spring hobo and moon travel ‘til dawn soft rain one by one petals fall Nika, Canada gathering seashells - her tiny footprints in mine Wendy Notarnicola, USA Easter Sunday a remote spring in the forest putting down my earbuds . . . a blackbird singing Victor Ortiz, USA cloudy Friday - the magpie carefully places a twig in its nest Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland chalk figures six feet apart spring water lilies closing in the clouds Roland Packer, Canada cloud gazing dancing bumblebees lull me to sleep Scott Packer, Canada a clear morning from a night of mist hedgerow’s wildflowers bore clir o niwl y nos blodau gwyllt y clawdd dandelions opening to the day a night’s hidden path dant y llew yn agor gyda’r dydd llwybr cudd y nos Thomas Powell, Wales after a hot day the summer moon cools the air summer moon the new neighbours raise their voices Patricia Prime, New Zealand summer’s end leaving sandcastles for the moon Carol Raisfeld, USA Rajasthani dancer the silver sound of her jangling anklets Ivan Randall, Australia spring bursts of Hardenbergia along the roadside Carol Reynolds, Australia summer concert the silence after the last note Edward J. Rielly, USA Easter celebration together from a distance Bona M. Santos, USA eucalyptus forests the hushed whispers of the children Minal Sarosh, India campsite whispering between fire and river Agnes Eva Savich, USA shutdown the sunny side of the street deserted tout est fermé le côté ensoleillé de la rue désert Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland Bending deep the Pope praying alone at Piazza San Pietro 深々と祈る法王サンピエトロ広場 Fukabuka to inoru hōou sanpietoro hiroba Self-restraint of going out a first butterfly came to the doorway 外出の自粛の戸口初蝶来 Gaishutu no jishuku no toguchi hatsuchō ku Kyoko Shimizu, Japan dawn meditation the valley surrenders its mist Debbie Strange, Canada Canicular summer - a hoarse skylark searches for water Vară toridă - ciocârlia răguşită caută apă Constantin Stroe, Romania wind chimes . . . one sparrow after another in the bird bath Angela Terry, USA Breeze at dawn - a flowering branch hides the nest Adiere-n zori o creangă înflorită ascunde cuibul closing the book - my mother is watching the rainbow închizând cartea - mama priveşte curcubeul Maria Tirenescu, Romania bamboo grove the dance between light and shadow magnolia blossom a mockingbird weaves moonlight into song the flicker of fireflies falling star Kevin Valentine, USA morning prayer a slow breeze brings in the scent of distant rain Rashmi VeSa, India vernal equinox - buying from the market a green scarf echinocţiu vernal - îmi cumpăr de la târg o eşarfă verde Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania lockdown families pond fishing six feet apart in lockdown layers of pine pollen yellow the porch Marilyn Appl Walker, USA social distancing what a moon has always meant the squirrel’s leap to a tender branch first day of spring Julie Warther, USA a blind kitten in the baker’s hand - first spring morning Michael Dylan Welch, USA April sunshine mother buried underground liked sunbathing kwietniowe słońce mama pogrzebana w ziemi lubiła się opalać this is where I come to be rye fields in June oto miejsce gdzie się staję żytnie pola w czerwcu Ernest Wit, Poland spring sunshine a girl with green eyes smiles back a ripe plum in a child’s fingers sunset lockdown the honeysuckle climbs the garden wall Robert Witmer, Japan your fingers find mine rising blush of sunset Valorie Woerdehoff, USA |
Editorial Staff:
Founder (emeritus): Bruce Ross Editor: Astrid Andreescu Advisor: Kristen Lindquist Art: Murray D. Ross Archives
July 2024
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