Haiku about Mt. Chokai

It was in autumn that I climbed Mt. Chokai.

Now it is early in winter.

Mt. Chokai ―

white at the summit

gold below

鳥海山頂白く麓秋

Chokaisan itadaki shiroku fumoto aki

Mt. Chokai

goes to sleep ―

the past year

鳥海山眠りつきしや年暮れる

Chokaisan nemuri tsuki shi ya toshi kureru

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Rodin's "The Thinker"

In spring,2007, I visited the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park, Tokyo. We can see Rodin's "The Thinker" near the entrance of the museum. Then I wrote haiku, which appeared on the Asahi Haikuist Network by David McMurray.

In sunshine

Rodin's thinking man

greeting spring

春光に考えるひと会釈する

shunkou ni kangaeru hito eshakusuru

This autumn I visited the museum again. I also wrote haiku, which had quite a different image from the previous haiku. This might be because the seasons are different.

Yellow leaves ―

Rodin's thinking man

dreams of eternity

黄葉に考えるひと永遠の夢

kouyouni kangaeru hito towa no yume

― Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Princess Tatsuko

Princess Tatsuko

watches leaves falling ―

Lake Tazawa

田沢湖で葉の散るを観る辰子姫

Tazawako de ha no chiru wo miru Tatsuko hime

Princess Tatsuko

dreams of eternity ―

winter lake

冬の湖永遠を夢見る辰子姫

fuyu no umi towa wo yumemiru Tatsuko hime

Akita is a place of wonderful nature highlighted by folklore, enchanting tales and legends.

One of the many great mysterious folkloric tales is encapsulated in the golden statue you see in the picture. The statue is of Tatsuko Hime(辰子姫). We'll call her Princess Tatsuko.

Erected in 1968, this golden statue stands on the shore of Lake Tazawa(田沢湖）, the deepest lake in the entire Japanese archipelago. Legend has it that the crystalline waters that feed the lake were a main source of Princess Tatsuko's enchanting beauty. She drank from these waters in the belief that it would give her eternal beauty. Unfortunately, she drank so much of the water that Goddess Kannon （観音）cursed her, and turned her into a water dragon.

Well, the story gets more interesting. Prince Hachirotaro（八郎太郎）, a young prince from a nearby village, went fishing one day and ate a fish from a stream near Lake Tazawa and from that developed a powerful unquenchable thirst. He drank the water there for 33 days, and as a result also turned into a huge water dragon! Since he could never go home in such a condition, he decided to inhabit Lake Tazawa, which as you know was home to Princess Tatsuko. Of course they got together. 2 water dragons in the same place, what are the chances!?!

Tales passed down throughout the different eras tell us that during the winter months, the heat from their passionate lovemaking prevents the lake from ever freezing over. Scientists might give you another version but it won't be as romantic, hehehe!

(http://blog.gaijinpot.com/travel-sighseeing /a-princess-a-prince-dragons)

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Basho's memorial

Matsuo Basho died on November 28, 1694.

According to the lunar calendar, the anniversary of his death fell on October 12 this year.

I visited the poet's statue in Akita, and planned to stay at home and reread his travel journal “The Narrow Road to the Deep North.”

Let me post two haiku I wrote then.

Frozen leaves

carpet Basho's feet

memorial

芭蕉像足元覆ふ霜葉かな

Basho zo ashimoto oou shimoba kana

First hailstone

hits the garden

Basho reread

初霰庭打つ音や芭蕉止む

Hatsu arare uiwa utsu oto ya Basho tomu

These two haiku appeared on the Asahi Haikuist Network by David McMurray on November 20.

Would you please look into the homepage?

The site address is http://www.asahi.com/english/haiku/.

―　Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Indian summer

Fortunately, I enjoyed Indian summer, and wrote haiku.

Jersey calf

posing on the grass

Indian summer

The calf's back

paralleling the mountain slope

autumn lea

I tried on translating these into Japanese, but it was difficult.

Instead, I translated them into Japanese in the form of tanka(短歌）, 5-7-5-7-7．

ジャージーの子牛のポーズ澄ましたり秋の草地で

日向に浴す

ja-ji-no

ko ushi no po-zu

sumashi tari

aki no sochi de

hinata ni yokusu

子牛の背山の斜面と並び立ち秋の草地にいと美しき

ko ushi no se

yama no shamen to

narabi tachi

aki no sochi ni

ito utsukusiki

― Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Swans

My haiku appeared on the Asahi Haikuist Network by David McMurray on November 6.

Its homepage is : http://www.asahi.com/english/haiku.

Swans depart

from the beech forests

yellow leaves

白鳥の発つﾌﾞﾅの葉や黄色染め

hakucho no tatsu buna no ha ya kiiro zome

I post another haiku of mine here.

Swans repose

in the beech forests

yellow leaves

ﾌﾞﾅの葉や白鳥憩ふ黄色染め

buna no ha ya hakucho ikou kiiro zome

Now, let me post two haiku by Mr. John McDonald, a Scottish poet.

He wrote two haiku about swans in his book titled 'TUIM TIN TASSIE (empty tin cup)'.

fou muin―

on the derk watter

a swan

full moon―

on the dark water

a swan

満月や暗い水面に孤白鳥

mangetsu ya kurai mizumo ni ko hakucho

swans preenin―

kinches

o a luvers' hank

swans preening―

loops

of a lovers' knot

羽づくろひ白鳥輪をかき恋結ぶ

ha zukuroi hakucho wa wo kaki koi musubu

― Hidenori Hiruta

Haiku about Autumn Leaves

My haiku appeared on the Asahi Haikuist Network by David McMurray on October 30.

Its homepage address is : http://www.asahi.com/english/haiku.

An old pond

reflecting red leaves

maple trees

古池に映る紅葉楓かな

furuike ni utsuru momijiba kaede kana

I'd like to post another haiku of mine here.

For red leaves ―

rambling in trees

narrow road

逍遙の奥の細道紅葉狩

shouyou no okuno hosomichi momijigari

Now, let me post haiku by some fellow haiku poets of mine.

hairst mornin ―

maple leaves

on a gean tree

autumn morning ―

maple leaves

on a cherry tree

秋の朝櫻木の上楓の葉

aki no asa sakuragi no ue kaede no ha

by John McDonald, a Scottish poet

autumn daybreak ―

sunlight blazing through

maple leaves

秋の明け紅葉眩む日の光

aki no ake momijiba kuramu hi no hikari

by Joshua Sellers, an American poet

discarded ―

wet leaves

the closest friends

我が友や見る人も無し濡れ落葉

waga tomo ya miru hito mo nashi nure ochiba

by Juhani Tikkanen, a Finnish poet

fallen leaves

these things of past days

up in smoke

昔日を煙と化する落葉かな

sekijitsu wo kemuri to kasuru ochiba kana

by Magyar, an American poet

―　Ｈｉｄｅｎｏｒｉ　Ｈｉｒｕｔａ