Category Archives: Haiku Poem

Collaborative Haiku Poem – リスとひまわり squirrels scurry sunflower seeds ripening (Yoko version) 栗鼠駆けるひまわりの種熟しおり りすかける　ひまわり の たね　じゅくしおり squirrel run up to sunflower seeds preparation for winter (Michiko version) 冬支度ひまわりの実にリス遊ぶ ふゆじたく　ひまわり の み に　りすあそぶ A sunflower named “mammoth” grew vigorously reaching very … Continue reading →

Collaborative Haiku Poem – 蝉時雨 cicada noise cascades into the night restless feeling (Yoko version) 蝉時雨夜まで続く気忙しさ せみしぐれ　よるまで つづく　きぜわしさ (Yoko) cicada voice rends the silence of night grand chorus (Michiko) cicadas voice tear up the stillness night chorus (Michiko version) 蝉の声静けさを裂く大合唱 … Continue reading →

smart objects work between people dart stop steel robot dance (Ben version) フル稼働衝突避けて踊る鉄 ふる かどう　しょうとつ さけて　おどる てつ (Michiko version) ハイテクで業績アップ舞踏会 はいてく で　ぎょうせき あっぷ　ぶとうかい I went to visit a Casio factory. I was surprised because it had so many robots! There … Continue reading →

(Yoko Kelley) those growling eyes the Nebuta Festival the spirit of Shonan (Nakamura Michiko) 瞼上げ湘南ねぶたの心意気 まぶた あげ　しょうなん ねぶた の　こころいき The 22nd Shonon Nebuta Festival was held at Mutsuai, a neighboring town of Zengyo. All characters drawn in Nebuta Dashimono (decorated … Continue reading →

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 →