Mariko

Mariko Kitakubo is a tanka and haiku poet from Japan; 
yesterday's post shows her in her kimono 
during a reading. This picture was taken at Point Lobos 
on an outing there before the YT Retreat at Asilomar.
See the blue waters of the Monterey Bay behind her?

an accident

of birth ---

on this same star

trees, wild beasts,

fish, people

Mariko Kitakubo

(translated from the Japanese by Amelia Fielden)

A Tanka Sequence

This is Mariko Kitakubo from Japan, reading her tanka for us 

in front of one of Asilomar's great fieldstone fireplaces.

Although she is known as a tanka poet, she often

comes to our retreats to share her poems with us.

Many of our haiku poets also write tanka.

This sequence of her tanka poems appeared in Rattle 47.

[ AFTER FUKUSHIMA ]

1

when
will my later years
start?---
a mother cat has babies
at the ruined village


2

dim light
of cherry blossoms--
unstoppable
petal storm in the ruins
beyond my five senses


3

sounds
of the stream
in my homeland---
Strontium is soaking
into the placenta


4

cherry avenue
my late mother's favorite...
is there
another world?
petal drift


5

there were
days when I had
my dream...
are you there now?
Betelgeuse

Mariko Kitakubo

Rattle 47

The Tides; rising and falling

A view of the Monterey Bay during one of our YT Haiku Retreats at Asilomar.

serene ebb tide--

the striped-purple jellies

blink once a millennium

Roger Abe

Bending Reeds;

Yuki Teikei Haiku Society

Members' Anthology 2012, page 3.

White Rabbit

This is Kiyoko Tokutomi's oldest grandchild, Nicholette, 
at her grandmother's house many years ago.

Kiyoko loved her grandchildren very much: 
to know that all you had to do was to see them together.

Many years ago at the Watsonville Obon, I saw Grandmother and grandchild dancing
(that is a link above)
This past weekend, Nicholette danced again with her mother and sister!

are you the harvest moon's

representative?

white rabbit

Issa

Instead of seeing, as some Westerners do, a man on the moon, Japanese people perceive the outline of a rabbit. Shinji Ogawa notes that gyomei dai or gomyô dai means a "representative" in this context. The rabbit is representing the moon on earth, Issa quips.
[Explanatory note and translation of Issa's haiku from David Lanoue's website; haikuguy.com

This feeling . . .

Always there, always ready to help since the very earliest days 

of the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society, Pat Machmiller,

seen here across the pool when we visited a Japanese Garden in springtime.

young leaves: this feeling

of wanting to know what now

I can never know

Patricia J. Machmiller

Spring Sky, YT Member's Anthology 2001, 

ed. June Hopper Hymas, page 3.

While I Ponder

In the doorway, looking into the future, my Prusch Park friend: the goat with the yellow eyes!

                           While I ponder

                     a snail

                            passes me by

        

Anonymous

Out from the gate,

I too become a traveler--

autumn dusk

   

Buson

Haiku: an anthology of Japanese poems, 

by Stephen Addiss and Fumiko Yamamoto

Shambhala, 2011, Kindle locations 1253  and 1412.

That Fragrance

Dear friend, Ann Bendixen, talks to a park guide

near the Emma Prusch's kitchen garden section of Prusch Park.

I don't know

which tree it comes from

that fragrance

Basho

Robert Hass, The Essential Haiku,

Ecco, 1994, page 21.

And here is the whole photograph!

Splash!

Prusch Park adventures continued; see the previous posts for more 

pictures of this great City of San Jose Park!

Here are some more of the domesticated fowl you can see there.

How admirable!

to see lightning and not think

life is fleeting.

Basho

The Essential Haiku; versions of

Basho, Buson and Issa,

Robert Hass, Ecco, 1994, page 24.

Strawberry guava in bloom

This is the blossom of the Strawberry Guava, which grows on a small tree or large bush.

It is one of the demonstration plants that are maintained by the California Rare Fruit Growers

in the Heritage Orchard at Prusch Park.

This gives a visitor or enthusiast a chance to see plants that they might grow 

in a home or hobby orchard in the Santa Clara Valley.

These growing, fruiting plants were just one of the many interesting features of this park

that we were introduced to on our haiku excursion there.

when planting one

handle it like a baby

wild cherry tree

Basho

Basho; the complete haiku, by Jane Reichhold

Kodansha, 2008, page 31.

Eye Contact

Prusch Park Series continued! This was my favorite denizen of the Prusch Park 

on the day of the first Yuki Teikei ginko there.

I think it was because of the very intelligent eye contact,

but perhaps also because of the beautiful yellow eyes.

mayfly--

what is more

than now

John Stevenson

Dim Sum; Route 9 Haiku Group, 2015/1

Dots on my Feathers

Guinea Fowl another of the denizens of Prusch Park from one of our ginko there.

(See previous posts on Prusch Park.)

Not the answer
I was expecting 

heat haze

Joan Zimmerman

Modern Haiku, Summer 2012

The Rooster's Shadow

The first time we went to the Prusch Farm Park, was a very sunny one

with sharp clear shadows. Roosters, hens and other poultry wander the grounds

of the park, making for a wonderful experience.

morning heat

a crow departs

from its shadow

Desiree McMurray

Bending Reeds; 

Yuki Teikei Haiku Society 

Members Anthology 2012, page 14.

Haiku Books and Other Cuddly Things

Here are some of the haiku books that are waiting for me back in California.

I have a thing for stuffed animals, too, which I am revealing here for the first time. jhhymas

tell us, hazy moon--

what lunacy will you send

to our fragile town?

Dennis Noren

   

First Prize

Kiyoshi and Kiyoko Memorial 

Haiku Contest 2010

Wild Violets; Yuki Teikei 

Members Anthology 2011, page 21.

Child in a blue dress

On an overcast day at the Japanese Friendship Garden

when we had one of our annual spring haiku readings

in the Teahouse, I saw this perfect child.

many various

things come to mind

cherry blossoms

Basho

Basho; The Complete Haiku,

Jane Reichhold, Kodansha, 2013, page 107

Emma Prusch

This is Emma Prusch, a very smart and civic-minded lady who left her farm 

(then nestled right in the middle of the City of San Jose) to the city 

to be used as a demonstration place for the rural life of earlier times. 

She also had the civic-mindedness to specify that parking at the park 

must always be free; and thus families are seen enjoying the park, the animals 

and the large grassy playing field in all good weathers. 

Emma is seen here in her portrait on display at the Prusch Farm Park.

One of our Yuki Teikei presidents (and a long-time member) is Roger Abe,

an Interpretive Park Ranger for the City of San Jose.

We often visit parks and reserves (as we did this one!) with Roger
on our ginko, or haiku walks. We had a wonderful one here at the Farm Park

and over the next few days on this blog we will look at pictures

of some of the  things we saw. Prusch is a great place.
I find it wonderful that such a place is nestled alongside the freeway
near a cloverleaf interchange.

This is one of the cats that live at the  Prusch Farm Park
who came to the meeting when we were reading
the haiku we had written on our tour of the Farm Park.
This is a very self-possessed cat!

sharing the food

in the cat's dish...

baby sparrow

Issa

translation by David Lanoue
from his website: haikuguy.com

At the Carmel Mission

Roger Abe, Emiko Myashita (haiku poet and translator who lives in Japan) and

Kiyoko Tokutomi on a stop at the historic Carmel Mission after one of our YT Haiku Retreats.

We had but recently learned of the seriousness of Kiyoko's illness, so it was

a sad time, but wonderful to still be able to spend time together.

This earlier post is from that same outing.


the way she smiles
the way he laughs
migrating monarchs
  
Roger Abe

Wild Violets YT Membership Anthology 2011, page 1.



I shake it asking
Are you still alive?
--a packet of seeds
  
Kiyoko Tokutomi

Kiyoko's Sky, Brooks Books, 2002, page 47.

On a lower branch
a larger bloom--
purple magnolia  
  
Kiyoko Tokutomi

Kiyoko's Sky, Brooks Books, 2002, page 48.

Blue Iris

On one of our visits to a Japanese garden, there were so many photographers

trying to get a picture of these flowers that I had to wait for quite a while

before I could get close enough. Then I rushed to catch up to my haiku people.

photographers

elbow to elbow--

water iris in bloom

June Hopper Hymas

* * * * *

scummy pond,
a mirror deep with movement
calla lilies

Susanne Smith
(Wild Violets, YT Membership Anthology 2011, page 16.)

The voice of Buson

Where else but on the shores of the Monterey Bay 
where we have spent so many happy hours
in haiku friendship!

This feeling of sadness --

a fishing string being blown

by the autumn wind

Yosa Buson

(1716 ~ 1783)

Group Shot

We are assembling for Garry Gay to take the group photograph 

for Haiku North America at Asilomar in September, 2012.

I really love how different these photos are from the posed ones!

How many haijin can you spot? I see Joan Zimmerman, Carol Steele, Susan Antolin,

Billie Dee, Joseph Rubello, the top of Minako Noma's white head, 

perhaps Jerry Ball's cap and Mr. Noma near her and Ann Bendixen at the far right,

It was a world-class event!

Monterey cypresses—

out of the fog the romaji

of twisted forms 

Patricia J. Machmiller

from HNA’s The Regional Reading

The broad-brimmed hat

This picture of Kiyoko Tokutomi in sun hat and sunglasses 

was taken on one of our ginko, or haiku walks, in early summer. 

We always tried to choose a special place to see at its special time of year, 

and planned to spend a good portion of the day there, 

perhaps with a picnic lunch.

Not even the sky

is wide enough--scale clouds

burgeoning outward

Kiyoko Tokutomi

  

from Kiyoko's Sky; the haiku of Kiyoko Tokutomi,

 Brooks Books, 2002.

You can hear the stars

Several years ago, I saw this Alison smile at a Tanabata party.

Those with sharp eyes can also see that hostess Ann Homan

has her unabridged dictionary ready-for-use in the background.

This picture shows quite clearly why Alison is so beloved.

She is the Yuki Teikei President now.

you swear you can hear the stars —muteness of the moon Alison Woolpert

The Pond's Surface

On a haiku walk in one of the many Bay Area Japanese gardens, I met more bronze cranes!

Sycamore seed

breaking the pond's surface

---the mind's surface

Graham High

Spring Sky; Yuki Teikei Haiku Society

Member's Anthology 2001, page 9.

Prevailing Winds

From one of our Tanabata celebrations in the hills above Livermore, 

we could see the many large white wind turbines that have been there for many years.

brown hills

the party much livelier

just after sunset

  

Patrick Gallagher

Spring Sky; Yuki Teikei Haiku Society

Member's Anthology 2001, page 12.

Waiting for Moonrise

Joan Zimmerman is a powerhouse of writing and exploring writing and helping others to do so.

She has even been on the radio about haiku!

Here she is at one of our outings at Point Lobos just before Haiku North America 2012.

waiting for moonrise

the man on the yellow cart

whistles Puccini

Joan Zimmerman

Spring Sky;

Yuki Teikei Membership Anthology 2001

page 8

Awaiting the Stars

Swimmer spotted at Hakone Japanese Gardens in Saratoga, California.  jhhymas

.星待や亀も涼しいうしろつき

hoshi matsu ya kame mo suzushii ushirotsuki

awaiting the stars--

even a turtle cools

his behind

  

Issa

Translation and Japanese with Romaji

from David Lanoue's website:

haikuguy.com/issa

Tonight is Tanabata!

(But we'll have the YT celebration

this coming Saturday.)

Details on the website:

http://youngleaves.org/2015-society-events/

Bonus turtle image from my granddaughter. jhh

Tanabata Memories.

Left t right: Alison Woolpert, Carol Steele, June Hymas, Anne Homan, 

Linda Papanicolaou, Donnalynn Chase! This picture was taken at a Tanabata celebration

at the Homans' home above Livermore. If you look carefully, you can see a paper kimono

on the borrowed bamboo branches between Anne and Linda.

meadowlarks explode

from the grass ahead . . .my heart

keeps pace with their wings

Anne Homan

the mockingbird sings; 

1997 Membership Anthology

Yuki Teikei Haiku Society,

edited by June Hopper Hymas, page 5

Black Bamboo

Mary Hill cultivated a small stand of black bamboo is her back yard. 

It made the perfect place to hang the paper kimonos and poem-papers 

at our Tanabata Celebration; we were able to celebrate here several times.

a bamboo shoot

when I was a child it was

fun to sketch

  

Basho

a cuckoo

in a bamboo thicket

leaking moonlight

  

Basho

Both translations from

Basho; The Complete Haiku

by Jane Reichhold, Kodansha, 2008, page 197

A Gathering

Where else but at the beloved Asilomar?

the spring tide

piercing my entire body

the whistle from a boat

Yamaguchi Seishi

(1901--1994)

Modern Japanese Haiku;

an anthology, compiled, translated 

and with an introduction by

Makoto Ueda, 

University of Toronto Press, 1976, page 159

Tanabata Overlook

High above our daytime worlds we wait for darkness, so we can see The River of Heaven.

Yuki Teikei Haiku Society Annual Tanabata Celebration, 2007.

I read a book--

somewhere within the book

an insect chirps

Tomiyasu Fusei

Modern Japanese Haiku;
an anthology, compiled, translated 

and with an introduction by

Makoto Ueda, 

University of Toronto Press, 1976, page 176

Glance by Glance

      As they move through the water, koi create patterns of varying beauty.       jhhymas


River of Heaven

fishing out
the river of heaven
glance by glance

beneath the highway bridge
all empty swallows' nests

no longer sure
who is the smarter species
after the nature special

my inky thumbprint
on the application form

            Nathan White
            Linda Papanicolaou

Mariposa 23; Haiku Poets of Northern California, 2010.

Continuing with the Star Festival Theme, here is a cooperative
poem modeled on the renku form: three line segments which alternate with two-line verses. It is a wonderful practice to work on one of these with someone else! Just two stanzas can be called a "tan-renga" and is the form Patricia Machmiller and I use for our annual New Year's greeting we end to some of our friends in Japan. Garry Gay invented a six-stanza version called a "Rengay" which many people use. I think you should be able to vary the length depending upon the material and the amount of time you have for writing. Some people compose these via email or postal mail, sending the unfinished poem back and forth like a ping-pong ball. I started one of these by mail and it is still in the air ten years later. Maybe I'll look for it tonight . . .  jhh

Remember your haiku notebook!

This is Carol Steele, a stalwart member of the the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society. 

She has served as President, and is just retiring as the long-time Editor of Geppo, our newsletter. Countless meetings and special events have been ornamented by her Ikebana,

of which she has made a long-time and devoted study.

Here she is shown working on a haiku at our Tanabata celebration 

in the hills above Livermore in 2007.

It is a worthwhile habit to carry a small notebook like this with you

so you can catch haiku impressions when they occur to you.

Tanabata—

so many night lights for

sleeping garden stones

Roger Abe

   

from the Poet's Pages at youngleaves.org

which is the many-layered website of

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Society

(This haiku also appeared in
The mocking bird sings;
1997 YT Member's Anthology, page 11)