Collaborative Haiku Poem – えぞ松と窓

a blue spruce
cut and removed
two windows in the shadow

(Yoko version)
蝦夷松を倒して気付く窓２つ
えぞまつ を　たおして きづく　まど ふたつ

hide-and-seek
after old pine tree
two windows

(Michiko version)
窓ふたつ古木の裏にかくれんぼ
まど ふたつ　こぼく の うら に　かくれんぼ

A blue spruce in our yard was about 70 year old and over 50 foot high. It offered a nice place for wild birds to rest. Unfortunately, it leaned towards one side like the leaning tower of Pisa, causing us to worry that it might topple over in a big wind or heavy rain, especially during tornado seasons. In August, we had specialists come over and cut it down. Our good neighbor Margaret who lives across the street and knew the tree from the beginning was quite surprised when she noticed two windows that had been hidden behind the tree.

　庭のえぞまつ（或いははりもみ）は樹齢70年、高さ１００メートル余りの常緑樹で小鳥たちの良き休憩場所なのですが、残念ながらピサの斜塔並みに一方に傾き、大風大雨、特に竜巻が来たらひとかたまりもなく倒れるのではないかと心配のタネでした。８月、大事に至らぬうちにと専門家に頼んで処分してもらいました。お向かいに住むマーガレットさんは植樹以来ずーつとこの木を見知っていたのですが、伐採直後、これまで木に隠れて見えなかった窓が２つあるのに気付いて驚くことしばしでした。

Collaborative Haiku Poem
– Yoko Kelley and Nakamura Michiko
– Illustration by Norman Kelley
Omaha, Nebraska