Category Archives: Haiku Poem

pedestrians are you in control of this city 歩行者が威張り散らすか此の町は ほこうしゃ が　いばりちらす か　この まち は In the city of Osaka, people crowd the streets just like in Fujisawa. Drivers blow their horns noisily and shout things like “crazy!” “idiot!” “where are … Continue reading →

steep hill the young girls quickly 急斜面小娘どもがスタスタと きゅうしゃめん　こむすめども が　スタスタ と Collaborative Haiku Poem – Chay Schiller and Shuzo Nakamura – Illustration by Norman Kelley

Mt. Fuji seeing me off before work 富士山が出勤前のお見送り ふじさん が　しゅっきん まえ の　おみおくり When the air is clear, Mt. Fuji can be seen in sharp relief from the town of Zengyo. In the morning, people scurry off to the station with … Continue reading →

Fuji mountain as we come from the station greeting us 富士の山駅を降りればお出迎え ふじ の やま　えき を おりれば　おでむかえ In the town of Zengyo, when emerging from steps at the train station, Mt. Fuji is directly ahead. Late in the afternoon, throngs of … Continue reading →

jet black starfish transform the sea floor gone in a flash (Jim version) 黒い星ヒトデの祭り消え去った くろい ほし　ひとで の まつり　きえさった (Michiko version) 海底に瞬く星座夢うつつ かいてい に　またたく せいざ　ゆめうつつ The end of July and the month of August is usually the hottest time of the … Continue reading →

(Jim Woodhull) standing room only moving together as one a Kyoto smile (Kiko Woodhull) 辻回し汗が飛び散る京の夏 つじまわし　あせ が とびちる　きょう の なつ My wife was born in Kyoto and also grew up there. In Kyoto there is the Gion festival which is … Continue reading →

anticipation ringing laughter cuts the air new friendships bloom (Jim version) 船が待つ笑う夕風大満足 ふね が まつ　わらう ゆうかぜ　だいまんぞく (Michiko version) 笑い声空まで飛んだ良き出会い わらいごえ　そらまで とんだ　よき であい Recently on my sunset cruise job there was a very large group from Japan that had a private … Continue reading →

burning orange sky night winds wash the deck worries melt away (Jim version) 燃える空夕風笑う踊る船 もえる そら　ゆうかぜ わらう　おどる ふね (Michiko version) さざ波に心を映す夕の船 さざなみ に　こころ を うつす　ゆう の ふね For me, when working on the sunset cruise boat tour there is a … Continue reading →

Collaborative Haiku Poem – 鳥の水浴び bathing birds sparkling particles of light early summer garden (Yoko version) 水浴びや羽ばたき響く初夏の庭 みずあびや　はばたき ひびく　しょか の にわ (Michiko version) 水遊び羽音も光る初夏の庭 みずあそび　はおと も ひかる　しょか の にわ When the temperature begins to climb, the saucer filled with water … Continue reading →

four arrows poised stab loves breaking heart white mourns loss (Ben version) 悲しみの心に一突き嘆きの矢 かなしみの　こころに ひとつき　なげきの や (Michiko version) ４本の白い一突き嘆きの矢 よんほんの　しろい ひとつき　なげきの や In January of 2017, I took a trip to India. I discovered there is a historical background for … Continue reading →