ChanomiTalk

技の手に物は従い寿司生まれ

わざ の て に　もの は したがい　すし うまれ


skilled hands move
bending the world to thought
sushi is born


技術のある職人の考えには、周りにある世界が従います。というのは、体験をたくさん積み重ねた職人は、意思を実現することは自然なことです。やり方は本能的です。ですから、その周辺は、やはり彼の好む状況になります。


NACOS tips for writing English haiku

When you have a general or profound concept that you wish to express, the way of the haiku is not to do so directly. In the above poem, I wished to meditate on the relationship between mind and body. Rather than using such vague and all-encompassing words directly, I chose one example and tried to create a concrete image with it. Imagery is unquestionably the domain of the haiku.

Regarding the image, I was inspired by the film “Jiro dreams of sushi”, which is about a man who is considered to be the foremost expert in the art of sushi. He owns a small sushi restaurant in Tokyo called Sukiyabashi Jiro. It is extremely expensive, yet so popular that one must make reservations months in advance.

Frustrated by Michiko: Illustrated by Michiko

おそろしき崖の下なる涼み台

Cool bench sits
at the bottom of
steep cliff faces.






おそろしき　がけ の した なる　すずみだい

尾池和夫（おいけかずお）　

師走の陽すだれの影を壁に描く

しわす の ひ　すだれ の かげ を　かべ に かく



Winter sun
draws blinds on the wall
with shadows.


In Hawaii, blinds are necessary year round. The winter sun shining in from the west casts long shadows against the wall.

常夏の島ハワイで、私は、一年中、簾を西側の窓にかけています。日没前の12月の西陽が斜めに差し込んできます。白い壁に簾模様の影がくっきりと映し出され消えていきました。


みちこ

白ひげのサンタ暖炉でティータイム

しろひげ の サンタ　だんろ で　ティータイム


Down chimney goes
red coat, white whiskers flash
milk, cookies vanish.


On Christmas, Santa Claus goes down the chimney in his red coat with a long, white beard and consumes the milk and cookies left for him while delivering presents. It is a magical moment so it happens very quickly and you will barely notice it.

クリスマスイブに、赤いコートを着た、長くて白いひげのサンタクロースが、煙突から降りてきます。彼は、プレセントを配りながら、ミルクとクッキーを食べます。それは魔法の瞬間です。それは素早い行動なので、誰も気がつきません。


Ben　（べん）

朝風の道で見つかる死んだ猫

あさかぜ の　みち で みつかる　しんだ ねこ


Morning wind
on asphalt finding
a dead cat.


NACOS tips for writing English haiku

In English, syllables tend to take longer to say, but also carry more information. Take for example the English and Japanese versions of the haiku above. The Japanese follows the traditional 5-7-5 count, but the English is two syllables shorter on each line. When read aloud, the two haiku mean the same thing, take around the same time to say, and carry the same feeling.

On the other hand, English haiku written in 5-7-5 tend to be too long and have too much unnecessary information. The feeling and purpose of the haiku form is lost. For this reason, most Engish haiku today are written with between 10 and 14 syllables. Alternately, some poets prefer to use “beats” to measure the timing of their haiku. Beats are basically syllables that you have to emphasize in order to say a string of words correctly. The English haiku above has two beats per line. Some poets have proposed a 2-3-2 pattern of beats. Experiment with your haiku to see what works for you, but don’t make them too long!




Frustrated by Michiko: Illustrated by Michiko

黒雲を睨みて坐る川床座敷

River suspended
eating dinner platform
glaring at rainclouds.






こくうん を　にらみて すわる　ゆかざしき

尾池和夫（おいけかずお）