That does seem like a pretty good metaphor, doesn't it?
I hadn't written any haiku, or at least none any of any account, until I decided to publish a page of my favorite haiku and fell under the spell of the ancient masters. Then this one, which I still like, came to me from out of the blue:
Definitely a gift from the Muse, if your own personal Muse is female, because there is something very different about this in that Haiku Masters generally hadn't a great deal of contact with women, and wouldn't, I think, have written something that is so like a description of childbirth. It amazes me how only ten words can evoke so much about mother earth, and mothers in general, and also the sudden birth of a new (for you) form of poem.
One of the things that first attracted me to haiku was HOW MUCH poets like Basho and Issa could say, in so few words. Some of the haiku masters had a lot of contact with women, including prostitutes, and could be Don Juans and Romeos in some of their poems.
I don't remember Basho and Issa being Don Juans. A female poet who mentioned prostitutes was Fukuda Chiyo-ni, who wrote:
**************
A woman’s desire:
the wild violets’
entangled roots
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
***************
A woman’s passion
flowers from the roots—
wild violets.
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation by Michael R. Burch
***************
Her body-debt paid
she wakes alone—
a frigid night.
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
***************
I consider her to be one of the best haiku writers.
Ono no Komachi is another exceptional female poet who write about sexual desire. Among the men, I believe a few mentioned courting women, luring them out to see the moon, etc.
Great stuff, Mike. There's a lot to admire in your haiku. I am already familiar with some, while some were new. I can't say if I can pick favourites as many pieces captivated me. I think the ones on Beth, the night, and mothers stand apart. Some individual pieces like the one on old-age, civility, fireflies-poets, etc are unique. On the flip side, the coronavirus pieces cracked me up. Just one question: How is the bulb imitating the noon sun related to the virus?
Shamik, I'm glad you liked my haiku. A lightbulb is an imitation sun, and the dim bulb is doing a not-so-impressive job of imitating the sun. The connection is that the poet has to stay indoors because of the virus and can't enjoy the real thing.
I took a quick look at your own Haikus, and you seem to have a rare gift for it. Being a poet myself, I especially like this one:
Fireflies
thinking to illuminate the darkness?
Poets!
―Michael R. Burch
That does seem like a pretty good metaphor, doesn't it?
I hadn't written any haiku, or at least none any of any account, until I decided to publish a page of my favorite haiku and fell under the spell of the ancient masters. Then this one, which I still like, came to me from out of the blue:
******************
Dark-bosomed clouds
pregnant with heavy thunder ...
the water breaks
—Michael R. Burch
****************
Was it a gift of the Muses?
Definitely a gift from the Muse, if your own personal Muse is female, because there is something very different about this in that Haiku Masters generally hadn't a great deal of contact with women, and wouldn't, I think, have written something that is so like a description of childbirth. It amazes me how only ten words can evoke so much about mother earth, and mothers in general, and also the sudden birth of a new (for you) form of poem.
One of the things that first attracted me to haiku was HOW MUCH poets like Basho and Issa could say, in so few words. Some of the haiku masters had a lot of contact with women, including prostitutes, and could be Don Juans and Romeos in some of their poems.
Oh, that's very, very interesting! I must go online now and order some books by those two Don Juans. Well, after I have read Don Juan Burch first.
I don't remember Basho and Issa being Don Juans. A female poet who mentioned prostitutes was Fukuda Chiyo-ni, who wrote:
**************
A woman’s desire:
the wild violets’
entangled roots
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
***************
A woman’s passion
flowers from the roots—
wild violets.
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation by Michael R. Burch
***************
Her body-debt paid
she wakes alone—
a frigid night.
—Fukuda Chiyo-ni, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
***************
I consider her to be one of the best haiku writers.
Ono no Komachi is another exceptional female poet who write about sexual desire. Among the men, I believe a few mentioned courting women, luring them out to see the moon, etc.
Yes, I'm aware of Ono no Komachi, and I like her very much.
Great stuff, Mike. There's a lot to admire in your haiku. I am already familiar with some, while some were new. I can't say if I can pick favourites as many pieces captivated me. I think the ones on Beth, the night, and mothers stand apart. Some individual pieces like the one on old-age, civility, fireflies-poets, etc are unique. On the flip side, the coronavirus pieces cracked me up. Just one question: How is the bulb imitating the noon sun related to the virus?
Thanks for these!
Shamik, I'm glad you liked my haiku. A lightbulb is an imitation sun, and the dim bulb is doing a not-so-impressive job of imitating the sun. The connection is that the poet has to stay indoors because of the virus and can't enjoy the real thing.
Understood! Thanks for the explanation.
You are very welcome.