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Welcome to the third Autumn/Winter issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. Haiku has for the most part been a poetic form that reflects the sensibility of a poet and his or her relation to the world they live in, particularly in relation to the natural world and its seasons, with very old guidebooks (saijiki) to those seasons, including seasonal holidays, in Japan. A good source for the saijiki is William J. Higginson’s HAIKU WORLD, AN INTERNATIONAL POETRY ALMANAC, with over 600 poets from fifty countries and presented in English and the poet’s original language. The haiku poet’s sensibility should permeate their haiku in a poetic way and should therefore express originality. Thus the phrasing in this short haiku form should present the emotional underpinning of the author’s moment of insight where sensibility comes to reflect their haiku moment, such as the experience of beauty. Poetically this moment of insight is structured in the usually natural focus of the insight’s basis in a condition of seasonal changes however small, like a solitary flower or butterfly, or extensive, like falling autumn leaves or a snowstorm. The haiku’s expression and the haiku’s insight are presented as a separation in the haiku, whether formal with punctuation or a distinct shift in expression, or informal, in the poetic flow of the haiku’s phrasing. Unfortunately, as pointed out by the young climate activist Greta Thunberg, major natural catastrophes have been happening around the world, perhaps due to the effects of overpopulation and the side effects of extensive technology, leading to what has been called the “postmodern condition.” Yet, as some haiku in this journal’s current issue, while pointing to this condition, also celebrate the ongoing presence of seasons and seasonal activities relating to those seasons, expressing the effect of seasonal realities on the poets’ sensibility. So decidedly haiku poets should develop his or her sensibility by experiencing and expressing the affect of seasonal nature as it is encountered in the tangible here and now. I invite you to look up my essay “The Essence of Haiku” which examines in greater depth some of the issues brought up here: http://www.modernhaiku.org/essays/RossEssenceHaiku.html
Bruce Ross, December 2019 winter silence everything that surrounds me is unknown silenzio invernale - tutto ciò che me circonda è sconosciuto Vincenzo Adamo, Italy forgetting this isn’t home maple leaves Kate Alsbury, USA eating the pomegranate seeds another autumn Jenny Ward Angyal, USA cows settle deeper in their shadows autumn moon Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA beaver moon - what is left behind in this windswept field سنگ آبی مہتاب اس باد زدہ میدان میں کیا باقی بچا ہے Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan the skitter of an unseen bird cracks the ice Joanna Ashwell, UK autumn deepens . . . meerkats in the pile of yellowed leaves ẹ̀rún múlẹ̀ . . . àwọn ẹmọ́ àfè nínu ẹ̀rẹ́ẹ́lẹ̀ ewé Taofeek Ayeyemi (Aswagaawy), Nigeria september fog the cat’s fur carries wood smoke septembernevel de vacht van de kat ademt houtrook Michael Baeyens, Belgium flickers of an old warmth . . . autumn moon Aaron Barry, Canada the amber glow of eucalyptus trunks autumn deepens Dyana Basist, USA fallow garden she hums the same lullaby Maxianne Berger, Canada all we’ve forgotten . . . the honeysuckle in winter Mark E. Brager, USA laundry day . . . the old clothesline fallen Ed Bremson, USA sunday mushrooming bells ring out Helen Buckingham, UK moss etched her tombstone also decaying swirling leaves hugging a maple feeling one John Budan, USA a crescent moon dangles from the bare branch twelfth night Alanna C. Burke, USA Autumn night - the leafless limbs of trees carry the moon Bugnaw'ng kagabhion - naupaw'ng kulamoy sa kahoy nagsapnay sa bulan China Cancio, Philippines mountain station - the freight train carries only fog gară de munte - trenul de marfă transportă doar ceaţă Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania leaves fall . . . every breath is already the past cadono foglie . . . ogni respiro è già il passato white chrysanthemums . . . the silent essence of the morning crisantemi bianchi . . . l’essenza silenziosa del mattino Lucia Cardillo, Italy saturniid moth clinging to September sun Matthew Caretti, USA autumn wind - i let go of myself Jennifer Carr, USA moonlight loading a port tank with the shine of harvest mjesečina puni silos u luci žetvenim sjajem Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia winter’s dusk - i travel this last road alone Vernon Chain, USA rustle of leaves - I open my soul to let the autumn enter foşnet de frunze - îmi deschid sufletul să intre toamna Vasile Cojocaru, Romania last harvest just enough to feed the birds Sue Colpitts, Canada frozen waterfalls on a roadside cliff - the silence between us Susan Constable, Canada moonlight the smell of leaves upon leaves Vera Constantineau, Canada hunter’s moon releasing a striper Bill Cooper, USA deep winter the snow has erased his footprints Tina Crenshaw, USA At Thanksgiving all the garden laid out on the table A l’Action de Grâce tout le jardin étalé sur la table Liette Croteau, Canada heavy heart my notebook full of dead leaves le cœur gros mon calepin boursouflé de feuilles mortes Marcellin Dallaire-Beaumont, Belgium climate change on the merchant’s stall no pumpkin smiles accords sur le climat sur l’étal les potirons n’ont pas le sourire Marie Derley, Belgium golden tamaracks snowbirds take flight Karen Dick, Canada autumn wind bristled the spines of a hedgehog Jesenji vetar nakostrešio bodlje ježa Zoran Doderović, Croatia autumn’s chill at the grave an eddy of leaves Carmela Dolce, USA harvest moon - the fragrance of a fresh haiku book luna plină - parfumul prospeţimii unei cărţi de haiku Ana Drobot, Romania dark field pumpkins glow upon harvest moons of ice Michael Dudley, Canada his first Yuletide our dog marks the Christmas tree John J. Dunphy, USA the storks are leaving - will I live until next year to see them again? pleacă berzele - trăi-voi pân’ la anul să le revăd? starless sky - the field full of thistles empty autumn cer fără stele - câmpu-i plin de ciulini toamnă săracă Adina Enăchescu, Romania falling shadows of falling leaves missing my dad David Käwika Eyre, USA Kurds flee same full moon here and there Susan Farmer, USA a gentle broom for the woolly bear on the threshold Jeff Ferrara, USA wind storm - Norfolk pines hold up the Milky Way four am milking - out of the valley fog the dairy herd Lorin Ford, Australia maple wind shadows the way I used to dance Jenny Fraser, New Zealand test results come back negative . . . Thanksgiving William Scott Galasso, USA autumn arrives - the ciguas* of my house where have they gone? llega el otoño - las ciguas de mi casa dònde se han ido? *grey and white national bird of the Dominican Republic Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic shifting mountains autumn’s reflection in the river les montagnes dansent leur reflet d’automne à flots Line Gauthier, Canada autumn woods stillness in the stillness joan iversen goswell, USA even to the moon the red leaves rustle in this breeze 甚至对明月 红叶沙沙微风中 crabapples in moonlight . . . first frost 海棠月色映初霜 David He, People’s Republic of China fall planting grave promises of spring Marilyn Henighan, Canada a blue jay drops the smallest peanut autumn morning Gary Hittmeyer, USA bend in the road winter light through a deer’s rib cage Frank Hooven, USA after chemo snatches of sky in every puddle Louise Hopewell, Australia larger in my window than the sky full moon Gary Hotham, USA empty sky after the storm silence Marilyn Humbert, Australia end of season - my sand castle taken by the waves sfârşit de sezon - castelul meu de nisip luat de valuri Letiţia Lucia Iubu, Romania waiting for the fall of another leaf - the rest is silence aşteptând căderea altei frunze - restul e tăcere Dan Iulian, Romania Kongming lanterns - wondering which is my autumn moon Lakshmi Iyer, India a thousand raindrops in a footprint left behind Rick Jackofsky, USA for my coins he offers a winter smile the squall of wild geese at nightfall - waning moon Shirley Johnson, Canada summer into fall on a shelf with Santa two garden gnomes Jeanne Jorgensen, Canada old tin roof a full moon in the sound of autumn rain no mind still migrating geese Elmedin Kadric, Sweden Another wrinkle Found in the mirror - Bare branches Skylar Kay, Canada the boy’s hands do not stretch far enough starry lake Jeff Kressmann, USA autumn breeze I open the door to fireweed fluff kjmunro, Canada all saint’s day gathering pumpkins for squirrels Jill Lange, USA Valentine’s Day stomping out hearts in the snow Kristen Lindquist, USA harvest moon holding my thoughts of home close . . . and closer (for Li Po) 豐收月 貼近 ...再貼近 我對家的思念 the weight of winter twilight river’s edge 冬天暮色 的沉重之感 河流的邊緣 Chen-ou Liu, Canada steam rises from the newborn foal - winter dawn John McManus, UK departing autumn the kettle’s whistle brings me back to the present Indra Neil Mekala, India Late at night Still the sound of neighbors chopping wood Tarde en la noche Aùn se oyen los vecinos cortando leña Lía Miersch, Argentina the spider dead in its own web autumn breeze Ben Moeller-Gaa, USA water dried - on the bottom of the riverbed stream of leaves apa a secat - pe fundul albiei şuvoi de frunze Vasile Moldovan, Romania Thanksgiving one year ago widowed autumn leaves . . . catching in my throat the word good-bye Joanne Morcom, Canada ‘autumn leaves’ from afar a piano plays afterglow ‘le foglie morte’ nelle note di un piano . . . luce al tramonto Luciana Moretto, Italy clear ice - skating into dad’s perfect circle open door a spider swings in with the stars Laurie D. Morrissey, USA river of stars . . . a little boy wiggles his milk tooth Ron C. Moss, Australia autumn leaves the refugee’s hands red with henna hazan yaprakları mültecinin elleri kına kızılı where do you go before the rain and the swallows nereye gidiyorsun yağmurdan evvel ve kırlangıçlardan adónde te vas antes de la lluvia y las golondrinas Guliz Mutlu, Turkey/Spain clinging to life a yellowed leaf on a branch against the wind bám níu sự sống chiếc lá đã ngả vàng trên cành đối chọi cơn gió Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Vietnam The autumn moon - in the garden still chirping a lonely cricket Luna de toamnă - în grădină mai cântă stingher un greier Valentin Nicoliţov, Romania a pawn alone on the chessboard harbourfront rain Roland Packer, Canada winter sunshine a white-brown scrubwren shows the way Greg Piko, Australia autumn fair maples drop leaves all shades of red осенняя ярмарка клены роняют листья всех цветов рыжего Philmore Place, Belarus crescent moon bending wood to make a wheel Keith Polette, USA paw print on the ice just one John Potts, UK nearly ninety so many autumn moons in grandma’s life Patricia Prime, New Zealand autumn chill remnants of a web tinged with frost Carol Raisfeld, USA autumn equinox the wave before it crashes Dian Duchin Reed, USA winter rain nothing seems quite to be itself Edward J. Rielly, USA evergreens hold the old snow’s weight New Year’s Day Barbara Sabol, USA center of the lake trudging in and out in snowmobile tracks Tom Sacramona, USA winter morning the shape of words I speak to her Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India wayang* all night the pale moon awaits outside the screen wayang semalam suntuk bulan pucat menanti di luar layar *Indonesian shadow puppet show Ken Sawitri, Indonesia baby due tomorrow she rakes fallen leaves into neat piles Debbie Scheving, USA winter rain i go back inside my thoughts Rich Schilling, USA pouring rain the buttery texture of red kuri squash trombe d’eau la chair fondante du potimarron Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland unpaved backroad 14 point shadow out of season Ron Scully, USA Lots of persimmons weigh on the branches crows cawing louder 柿たわわ烏の声の高まれり kaki tawawa karasu no koe no takamareri Kyoko Shimizu, Japan dawn . . . the sound of rain on dry leaves amanecer . . . el sonido de la lluvia sobre hojas secas Leticia Sicilia, Spain childhood recalled the smoothness of a chestnut this fall autumn leaves twenty-four new colours in the grade one class windfall the stag in the road stays put Susan Spooner, Canada missing my friend . . . the grey heron at the creek drowned suburb Canada geese float on their reflections Barbara Strang, New Zealand autumn leaves the missing colours of my life Debbie Strange, Canada Unread letters - in the mail box only leaves Scrisori necitite - în cutia poştală numai frunze Constantin Stroe, Romania autumn moon the rising aroma of roast chestnuts Andre Surridge, New Zealand everywhere a bird might sing winter sun Rick Tarquinio, USA harvest moon four spirits wander the corn maze Barbara Tate, USA deep winter . . . the silence of trackless snow Angela Terry, USA one apple in his hand in mine—harvest moon één appel in zijn hand in mijn hand—oogstmaan Corine Timmer, The Netherlands/Portugal wet night - the cat is hiding in the old waistcoat noapte umedă - pisica se ascunde în vechiul cojoc Maria Tirenescu, Romania autumn stillness - seeing the underside of the bridge Stephen Toft, UK new years morning how quietly the rain falls nieuwjaars morgen hoe zachtjes valt de regen Joanne van Helvoort, The Netherlands departing cranes . . . I search for you on each moonlit sky se duc cocorii . . . te caut pe fiecare cer pe care creşte luna Steliana Voicu, Romania a wren sings from grandpa’s gravestone autumn afternoon marriage over a monarch butterfly also leaving Marilyn Appl Walker, USA a few months of winter poems but then . . . but then! Julie Warther, USA a white feather floats down from a tree autumn coolness waking childless a glittering frost has settled Lucy Whitehead, UK Christmas morning Virgin Mary holds snow in her hands Boże Narodzenie Dziewica Maria trzyma śnieg w dłoniach autumn river heading towards a place we cannot see jesienna rzeka zmierzamy do miejsca którego nie widać Ernest Wit, Poland wormholes in the sweetest apples autumn afternoon Robert Witmer, Japan rustle of leaves on a windless day anniversary of his death forest thicket watching the fawn watching me Valorie Woerdehoff, USA , USA First Prize
Evening moon. I shall not travel alone to my village. Вечерњи месец. Нећу путовати сама у своје село. Ljubinka Tošić, Serbia This moving haiku poetically captures a true connection between human beings and nature. Second Prize silent witness to this bittersweet world – autumn moon Richard Grumberg, Australia A good philosophic look at a troublesome time, perhaps redeemed by the connection to the moon. Third Prize moon enough to illuminate each step prayer beads Randy Brooks, USA A fine presentation of a zen meditation walk in which the moon suggests the depth of the meditation. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order) a refugee child curls up to sleep . . . fallen leaves ایک مہاجر بچہ سمٹ کرسوتےہوے جھڑے ہوے پتے Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan waning moon the key into the rusty lock turns only halfway sanjuktaa asopa, India hunter’s moon illuminating early snow Vera Constantineau, Canada ripening haws the robin changes its song Martha Magenta, UK fall twilight trying to read my brother’s last letter Edward J.Rielly, USA sundown the bare tree bends closer to the ground senja pohon gundul itu condong mendekat ke tanah Lucky Triana, Indonesia childhood memories colored with pastels – autumn sundown Kevin Valentine, USA Haiku Moment Award for a moment I remember I belong wildflowers Samantha Renda, South Africa Samantha’s haiku perfectly captures the essence of the haiku moment. Runners-Up (in alphabetical order): three generations in the patchwork quilt autumn leaves Susan Constable, Canada The masterful link intensifies this haiku’s emotions. searching the sky for traces of my ancestors . . . winter stars Rebecca Drouilhet, USA A poetically worded haiku of wonder. all I know for certain cicada shell Elmedin Kadric, Sweden This haiku expresses the emotion at the heart of Buddhism. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order): in the alleys orange blossom scent . . . the rest escapes me nei vicoli profumo di zagare . . . il resto mi sfugge Lucia Cardillo, Italy 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 northern lights no need for words norrsken inga ord nödvändiga Anna Maris, Sweden Under the rain, with boughs of wisteria Sixty years old Bajo la lluvia, con ramos de glicina Sesenta años Lía Miersch, Argentina all my dreams not come true winter stars tous mes rêves non réalisés étoiles d'hiver Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland In hospital her trial walk with a stick cherry blossoms in chill 院内を杖つきて試歩花の冷え Innai wo tsue tsukite shiho hana no hie Kyoko Shimizu, Japan green buds on my walking stick spring’s first day d w skrivseth, USA trying to conceive a plum blossom settles at my feet Lucy Whitehead, UK summer field walk finding answers to which there are no questions pola latem znajduję odpowiedzi na które nie ma pytań Ernest Wit, Poland Welcome to the second Spring/Summer issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. For many of you, a long winter that produced the incredible experience of yellow forsythia and daffodils, and other flowers and their colors, including cherry blossoms. One can see why kigo (season words) are dominated by flowers in the appropriate seasons. In early February 2019 my video talk “Uto-Aztec Flower World, Japanese Kigo, and Worldwide Key Words” was presented at the World Haiku Conference in Pune, India. I noted that in Japan such worldwide spiritual states derived from nature may be linked to the nature religion Shinto and its elevated phenomenological reception of the natural world which in turn may be linked to the poetics of haiku and kigo, a suggestive season word, particularly a heightened and synesthetic evoking of perceptual experience. In Japan, the flora and fauna were organized in saijiki ("year time chronicle", a list of kigo used in haiku and related forms). Despite the curious changes taking place in the natural world due to global warming or other not well recognized natural changes, the “Flower World” still exists as do the heightened kigo and key word moments of haiku experience in that world. Many of the haiku you will find in this issue are expressed in this spirit. Bruce Ross, June 2019 a butterfly - on the flower trail traces the path una farfalla - sul sentiero dei fiori traccia il percorso Vincenzo Adamo, Italy day moon my restless night follows me Joanna Ashwell, UK creek sound - in the wicker basket mushrooms rumore del torrente dentro il cesto di vimini funghi porcini Pasquale Asprea, Italy at midnight I almost hear them frogs singing Dyana Basist, USA a door slams in the empty dollhouse . . . summer rain Mark E. Brager, USA bee rolls in pollen of a prickly pear blossom morning heat Alanna C. Burke, USA seeing where the argument is headed cloud of juniper pollen Sondra Byrnes, USA blueberries tinge the edge of my bucket - late summer sky Theresa Cancro, USA retirement home - no visitors today only the spring breeze căminul de bătrâni – niciun vizitator astăzi doar adierea de primăvară Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania in the alleys orange blossom scent . . . the rest escapes me nei vicoli profumo di zagare . . . il resto mi sfugge Luci Cardillo, Italy diving deep a cormorant leads into spring Matthew Caretti, USA rain puddles - stepping around pieces of fallen sky Vernon Chain, USA white lilac throwing in the bin all my scribbles liliacul alb arunc la gunoi toate mâzgălelile Cezar Ciobîcă, Romania returning geese my heart is full of home how moss holds footprints as we pass forest path Sue Colpitts, Canada pond strider the silence of Cassiopeia Martin Cohen, USA april sky on a tombstone the name of a flower cielo d’aprile sulla lapide il nome di un fiore spring evening a little boy plays with loneliness sera di primavera un bimbo gioca con la solitudine Maria Concetta Conti, Italy insomnia the forester counts fireflies безсъния горският брои светулки Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria summer solstice twilight falls on the empty seat Roger Dutcher, USA The flowers come back: In the donkey’s hoof print the lark drinks. Vuelven las flores: En la huella del asno la alondra bebe. Elìas Dàvila Silva, Mexico ritual at dawn - listening to the universe in a cup of tea ritual în zori - ascultând universul în ceaşca de ceai Carmen Duvalma, Romania Pure love - just like the sky in springtime Dragoste pură întocmai cum e cerul în primăvară Adina Enăchescu, Romania an egg warm in her hand - spring moon growing older grass growing under my feet David Käwika Eyre, USA warbler proffering swatches of buttercup to a waking forest Art Fredeen, Canada April, more poems about cherry blossoms than cherry blossoms William Scott Galasso, USA ah to be alive when the nightingale sings sings ah estar vivo cuando canta canta el ruiseñor to be a horse on the plain with flowers April breeze ser un caballo en el llano con flores brisa de abril Rafael Garcia Bidó, Dominican Republic first dew - glittering butterfly on mother’s palm prva rosa - svjetlucavi leptir na majčinom dlanu Goran Gatalica, Croatia last year’s nest in the tree so far only the sound of rain LeRoy Gorman, Canada a day in the life of a Mayfly Charles Harmon, USA thick fog countless syllables of a cuckoo’s call 浓雾中 布谷一声叫 音节数不清 whispering reeds an empty boat fills with moonlight 沙沙芦苇 月光 满空舟 David He, People’s Republic of China paddling into the night sky my canoe soars Marilyn Henighan, Canada Brant Goose when will you go back north? East River Buranto Gachō itsu kita ni agaru no isuto riba ブランド がちょ いつ北に上がるの イスト リーバ spring willow branches floating in the breeze rippled water shunryū no eda kaze ni ukabu sazanami no mizu 春柳の枝 風に浮かぶ さざ波の水 Judith Hishikawa, USA
Su Wai Hlaing, Myanmar
daffodils bending under the weight of spring frost northward equinox Louisa Howerow, Canada afternoon ginko summer shadows dapple the path Marilyn Humbert, Australia Blooming peonies through the garden’s fence - no one passing by Bujori înfloriţi printre gardul grădinii - niciun trecător The old man leaves - withered peonies on the bench Bătrânul pleacă - bujorii ofiliţi rămân pe bancă Letiţia Lucia Iubu, Romania filling an empty birdbath moonlight Rick Jackofsky, USA May clean-up potted roses unfurl beside mom’s grave Jeanne Jorgensen, Canada all I know for certain cicada shell Elmedin Kadric, Sweden Driving home a spring full moon right and left 車で家へ右へ左へ春の月 kuruma de ie e migi e hidari e haru no tsuki Satoru Kanematsu, Japan even softer through the dirty window - spring sunset Skylar Kay, Canada driving nobody’s point home starlight William Keckler, USA April snow the only daffodil on my lapel kjmunro, Canada California poppies our daughter’s first steps Deborah P Kolodji, USA at rest on my hammock a white butterfly Jill Lange, USA softening rain what’s left of family Jessica Malone Latham, USA strawberry moon white peonies bow beneath the rain Kristen Lindquist, USA bonding trip . . . we paddle through summer stars 鞏固友誼之旅 ... 我們的船槳划過了 夏天星星 moss-covered rock what I could have been otherwise 苔蘚覆蓋的岩石 要不然的話 我本來可以做的這些事 Chen-Ou Liu, Canada the sheep bound out of their pen - last day of school Cyndi Lloyd, USA kite in hand a boy watches the rain fall Gregory Longnecker, USA pale Spring sky its there-ness, this crow Marietta McGregor, Australia spring warmth the taste of strawberry wine on my wife’s lips John McManus, England, UK Under the rain, with boughs of wisteria Sixty years old Bajo la lluvia, con ramos de glicina Sesenta años Lía Miersch, Argentina big blue sky today’s to-do list is set aside Joanne Morcom, Canada floral tablecloth . . . her summer dress nightfall tovaglia a fiori . . . il suo vestito estivo cala la note Luciana Moretto, Italy olive oil thyme there under snow zeytinyağı kekik orada kar altında aceite de oliva el tomillo allí abajo la nieve Guliz Mutlu, Turkey queen anne’s lace floating in the field - summer largesse Suzanne Niedzielska, USA swallowtail the struggle to strengthen new wings Nola Obee, Canada putting down my reading glasses . . . petals in the wind odložim očala za branje... cvetni listki v vetru Polona Oblak, Slovenia the final song of chorus frogs first light Victor Ortiz, USA flatline - a dragonfly hovers above the surface Roland Packer, Canada spring breeze the mockingbird’s song gets carried away Sarah Paris, USA dusk rain your hair fragrance on the towel в сумерках дождь запах твоих волос на полотенце Philmore Place, Belarus the fox’s path through a hole in the hedge a meadow and its stars llwybr y llwynog drwy dwll yn y clawdd y waun a’i sêr Thomas Powell, Wales, UK for a moment I remember I belong wildflowers if I just packed my few things and walked . . . moonlit night Samantha Renda, South Africa mist in this spring morning waiting Edward J. Rielly, USA spring dawn the stillness of my quiet mind Bona M. Santos, USA we forget about the rain chiffchaff song nous oublions les gouttes de pluie chant du pouillot véloce this morning everybody looks young first day of summer ce matin tout le monde a l’air jeune premier jour d’été Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland first lilacs I was not always this age Ann K. Schwader, USA In hospital her trial walk with a stick cherry blossoms in chill 院内を杖つきて試歩花の冷え Innai wo tsue tsukite shiho hana no hie Kyoko Shimizu, Japan summer moon stopping to count seashells an old man Albert Shlaht, USA Summer afternoon, in the wave that breaks a rainbow… Tarde de verano, en la ola que rompe un arcoíris. Leticia Sicilia, Spain this spider web’s vanishing point: without intellect Guy Simser, Canada green buds on my walking stick spring’s first day d w skrivseth, USA moon bridge I row through a circle of light wild mushrooms the scent of earth roots me to home Debbie Strange, Canada Drops of dew - over the green grass my tears Boabe de rouă - lacrimile mele peste iarba crudă Constantin Stroe, Romania sunlit garden the old dog runs through his dreams Rachel Sutcliffe, England, UK butting heads seahorses gently weave through moonlight Barbara A. Taylor, Australia flower girls in their frilly dresses strawberry moon Angela Terry, USA dry earth - grandmother praying to start the rain pământul uscat - bunica rugându-se să-nceapă ploaia the girl learns a song about summer - soft rain fata învaţă un cântec despre vară - plouă domol Maria Tirenescu, Romania smile of a newborn the peony opening up a world 新生児のほほえみ芍薬の花開く shinseiji no hoho-emi shiyakuyaku no hana hiraku Norie Umeda, Japan willow on the shore - heavy with buds a branch sinks the moon salcia la mal - grea de muguri o creangă scufundă luna Ana Urma, Romania apple blossom on the plastic table cloth - the wind carries rain appelbloesem op het plastic tafelkleed - de wind brengt regen Joanne van Helvoort, Netherlands childern’s party - through snapdragon flowers chasing a dragon petrecere de copii - prin flori de gura-leului urmărind un dragon Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania trying to conceive a plum blossom settles at my feet across the red haze of grass shoots the baby’s sigh Lucy Whitehead, UK summer field walk finding answers to which there are no questions pola latem znajduję odpowiedzi na które nie ma pytań Ernest Wit, Poland embrace of an old friend dandelions Valorie Woerdehoff, USA 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 |
Editorial Staff:
Founder (emeritus): Bruce Ross Editors: Astrid Andreescu Kristen Lindquist Art: Murray D. Ross Archives
May 2025
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