Category: Editor’s Garden

Mountain / #HaikuSeed / Editor’s Garden

The sheer dimensions of mountains means there are a lot of natural and seasonal elements that could be used as a kigo. The terrain of mountains as seasons change, the localized weather around them, the light and shadow play that goes on throughout the day – especially at sunrise and sunset, the flora and fauna, so on.

snow-capped mountain—
wings of sunlight
on either side

I remember wanting to write about birds, maybe snow cranes, flying out from behind a mountain peak at sunset. I played with the idea a little before I realized when the sun goes down directly behind a mountain peak, the mountain’s silhouette breaks the sunlight into slanting columns on either side. So I did away with the birds and lent the wings to the mountain itself. On reflection, this haiku has drifted a little further into romanticism than I’d have let it had I been conscious about it when I was writing.

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Kimono / #HaikuSeed / Editor’s Garden

Today’s #HaikuSeed is kimono

Kimono is one of my favorite Japanese words to use in haiku. Cherry blossom is another one at the top of the list, obviously. Well, they are two of my favorites whether I’m writing haiku or not. I guess I romanticize Japan and many things from the country. I think it is so because I’ve read many haiku from the Japanese masters like Basho which mesmerized me with their beauty, simplicity, mellowness, sensory and visual descriptions; and somewhere in my head, all of it tied to Japan which must be an inherent source and ingredient in all these verses that have inspired and moved me when I first learnt about haiku all those years ago.

in the garden, a nettle shoot
tugs at her pink kimono
asking her to stay

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Sparrow / #HaikuSeed / Editor’s Garden

Today’s #HaikuSeed is sparrow

Over the years sparrows inspired me to write a few haiku which I’m quite happy about and proud of. Sparrows are aplenty in our neighborhood and they are there in our backyard with their live commentary every morning as the sun shyly awakes. Even now, as I write this post, there are sparrows calling to each other, some darting this way and that between our house and the next. Such lively little creatures.

clothesline
wobbles
— a sparrow loses balance

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Neighbour / #HaikuSeed / Editor’s Garden

#HaikuSeed neighbour

neighbour’s terrace garden —
like their water lilies
plentiful my envy

I wrote this haiku for the #HaikuSeed water lily from a few days ago which bloomed from a thought I would have still had for today’s prompt if I hadn’t already written it.

Over the years I’ve read a few haiku about neighbours and I remember being amused, even sniggering, when reading them. We get a sort of exclusive sneak peek as the writers, through their haiku, admit a thought or opinion about their neighbours they wouldn’t have otherwise to their friends and acquaintances, much less to their neighbours, hadn’t they been motivated to create art. There is often silliness, even pettiness to our thoughts and opinions about our neighbours, I’ve realized. It may not be something that determines our relationship with them but still, in some corner of our minds and hearts, there is coveting, judgment, anger, compassion and many such opinions and feelings towards our neighbours that we would likely never express.

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