One Single Impression 133: Passing

Breezes slip by me,
stirring flow'ry meadows with the
first breath of autumn.

For some reason, I got my haiku flowing this week. That hasn't happened in a long, long time. I enjoy sharing with all of you and I love doing the OSI blog with Sandy. I love writing haiku, also, but it is extremely challenging for me. One way I become inspired is by reading haiku at my leisure. I have been reading and re-reading Classic Haiku: The Greatest Japanese Poetry from Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, and Their Followers (Eternal Moments). It is a beautiful book that I keep by my bed.

But recently I ran across another book of haiku in the library and I enjoy it so much that I will have to buy it: Haiku: This Other World by Richard Wright. Wright is correct: haiku does create another world (at least for me).  The haiku in this book are more modern with both urban and pastoral themes. The notes and afterword in the back are comprehensive and valuable. I wanted to share this title with you in case you have missed it at the library.

Writing haiku helped Wright mourn. Wright's daughter writes in the Introduction that haiku is "a form of poetry which links seasons of the soul with nature's cycle of moods." I know that poetry, for all of us, heals and expresses our souls. I want to share a couple of my favorite Wright haiku here:

#728

Beneath pale stars,

Breathing wet on cattle horns,

A faint winter fog.

#721

As my anger ebbs,

The spring stars grow bright again

And the wind returns.

#716

With mouth gaping wide,

Swallowing strings of wild geese, —

Hungry autumn moon.

I can't share more with you. There are too many that fascinate me. Thank you for reading this rather long post. I hope you all have peaceful and beautiful week! 

Click & find more poetry!

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