I wonder where
the winds of spring
drive the snow clouds

I wonder where
the winds of spring
drive the snow clouds

Forth
From the bush
Beautiful and bright-
A butterfly!
~Issa (Trans: N Yuasa, The Year of My Life)

While I walk on
the moon keeps pace beside me
friend in the water
~Masshide (Yoel Hoffmann, Japanese Death Poems)

A bamboo sprout
Picked too soon-
It would bloom in glory
But for man
~Issa (trans: N Yuasa: The Year of My Life)

In the above haiku, Issa has written about imaginary blossoms. Yuasa notes that bamboo sprouts are harvested when they are young and soft and that they bear no flowers even if they are left to grow. After: “alternative facts” Before: “imaginary blossoms”

Many paths lead
from the foot of the mountain,
But at the peak
We all gaze at the
Single bright moon.
~Ikkyu Sojun

little snail
look! look!
at your shadow
~Issa, cited: Haiku of Kobayashi Issa

“me and my shadow…a good match”
It takes but a leap
From this swaying flower
Of waterweed, up to
The cloud in the sky.
~Issa (The Year of My Life: Trans O. Haru)

For a small child it is Against the Odds to slide down – alone – with arms spread wide!
I write, erase, rewrite,
erase again,
and then a poppy blooms
~Hokushi

Lost in Translation challenge for this Thursday is to show the effects of red next to black.
Photojournalist Edward Crawford is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this social documentary photography. From his project ‘Au revoir la Jungle‘. To see Edward’s portfolio and stories click on any image. In September 2016 Francoise Hollande on his first visit to Calais as the French president made a statement many had been anticipating. […]
via The Evacuation And Dismantling Of The Calais Jungle — Edge of Humanity Magazine
Purple butterflies
fly at night through my dreams.
Butterflies, tell me,
have you seen in my village
the falling flowers of the wisteria?
~Yosano Akiko*

Sleeping Enya submitted in response to Lost in Translation’s photo challenge
*cited:
Women Poets of Japan
K Rexroth & I Atsumi
Did you see in the shadowy woods
a branch grew, leaves came out
of a girl’s pliant extended arms
and quickly became a tree?
Did you see?
A youth stood by the tree,
took off his deep blue coat,
and in a moment became a dove?
(The telephone keeps ringing, ringing.
No one answers, nobody is there, today is Sunday)
… ~Shinkawa Kazue*

*cited:
Women Poets of Japan
K Rexroth & I Atsumi
The autumn flowers
of my prayer bear
seeds of paradise
~Kin’ei

My gift to you…a Deer Park Dharmacast
https://soundcloud.com/deerparkdharmacast/2017-01-22-thay-phap-hai
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