December 1984

the Bhopal gas tragedy

haunts through DNA

  

Asahi Haikuist Network , August 17 (Ed. David McMurray)

Termination

My silence is flooded

With the streams of pain.

The moment snatches away

The thick volumes

Of remembrance,

I preserved so carefully,

Into the lost kingdom of darkness.

On the shattered wall,

The clock recites the echo of time.

The depth of acquired destiny

Soothes the wounds in silence.

Like a panic spring,

The count coils

For the mysterious

Unanswered journey.

Credit: Cyclamens and Swords, August Issue, 2012

Science of Innocence

When she was one year old

My daughter tried to extend

Her tender hands to the Moon-

The smiling face in the twinkling sky-

And requested  to visit her soon.

Her mother narrated zestful story

And  the itinerary

Of the celestial uncle.

The little girl

Took a silent smiling sleep

Dreaming

Dining  with the Moon and Mummy.

Credit: Cyclamens and Swords, August Issue, 2012

Guest Editor's Choice: Wedding Threads, Sketchbook, Vol.7 No.3, Issue 42, May-June 2012

Bernard Gieske, US ~ Choice Haiku Thread Guest

Weddings Threads

It is amazing to see so many haiku being submitted. A wedding is a very special event and many things and persons are involved before, during, and after this momentous and traditional rite of passage. It lends itself to a diversity of responses.

   

I was indeed surprised how many haiku focused on the undesirable and unforeseen happenings at a wedding ceremony as well as extenuating circumstances such as pregnancy and divorce. There were haiku that dwelt on the negative aspects of marriage. I always tend to think of marriages/weddings as being positive steps towards a brighter, happier future.  In reading these haiku I came to realize that this is not always the case for everyone thinking about a wedding or marriage. There are some haiku I didn’t grasp, due, I think, to not knowing the traditions of the country.
 

         ****

 Pravat Kumar Padhy’s haiku was particularly meaningful to me:

wedding morning

the butterfly wings

its tender touch
 

# 27. Pravat Kumar Padhy, IN

Just as the morning is the beginning of a new day, so marriage is the beginning of a new journey in life. The butterfly seeking the sweet gifts of flowers on this morning evokes a promising sunshiny day, the exchange of many gifts, and an array of colorful flowers. So too marriage is a promise of future joys. The butterfly has undergone the transformation of a past life as a caterpillar. The marriage couple now will undergo their own transformation. The wings of a butterfly are fragile and must be handled with care. So too marriage calls for a “tender touch”. The kind of desired transformation of those becoming one will need to take place under all the conditions of love which include tenderness, kindness, trust, faithfulness, and so many other things.  

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Chen-ou Liu reminds us that the future promised may not turn out as expected. This haiku, though, seems a bit stronger than just a reminder with13 crows present.  No bride and groom would want to proceed under these circumstances, but love is a very strong influence, often overcoming all odds. This wedding takes place in a garden and, at first, I misread it as “garden weeding”, a garden being invaded by weeds.  Here the newlyweds are reminded that they cannot expect their marriage to be problem free. There will be weeds in the garden and these will need to be dealt with, hopefully, with that “tender touch” of the previous haiku.
 

thirteen crows

on a telephone wire

garden wedding 
 

# 01. Chen-ou Liu, CA

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I don’t think Harvey Jenkins in his haiku is focusing on the wedding cake but indirectly reminding us that those involved in a wedding are human and have their faults. He may be thinking about love being blind or having a more noble thought that true love can accept such faults and married couples can help one another become better persons despite their faults.     
 

wedding cake

all its tiered faults

are covered in icing

# 03. Harvey Jenkins, CA

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golden rings

I try on

my new name
 

# 88. Cara Holman, US

Cara Holman’s haiku has a lot of meaning. Here, I think, the emphasis is on becoming one and, even though it is not directly expressed, the reader is aware of the joy that accompanies this act as well as the complete acceptance of her husband by the bride. A real transformation has already begun. It is not overshadowed by the symbolism of the golden rings, which are themselves very rich in meaning. The ring closes the bond and being a circle it symbolizes eternity and unity. The fourth finger of the left hand, on which each ring is placed, should not be overlooked with its direct link to the heart. The rings are golden.

                                                         ****  
 

a dew drop…

sun caressing its

morning bride
 

# 40. Diana Teneva, BG

 Diana Teneva’s haiku is also very meaningful. It reflects a lot of the same thoughts as Pravat Kumar Padhy’s haiku as well as some of those of Diana Teneva’s. The dew drop is circular and occurs in the morning. The sun caresses which is reflective of the “tender touch”. Gold is the sun’s metal and the sun has been considered by many as a god. In this case the bride is the goddess.    

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