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haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering!18th January 2025

Writer's picture: Kala RameshKala Ramesh

haikaiTALKS: Karumi | a saturday gathering under the banyan tree


host: Srinivasa Sambangi

18th January 2025


haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

Your host for haikaiTALKS: Srinivas Sambangi


Karumi


Matsuo Bashō (1644-94) advocated for karumi towards the end of his

career. His work is considered to be the pinnacle of the haiku genre,

and he is said to have mastered the art of combining karumi with

oneness with nature.


The concept that’s opposite to karumi is omomi or heaviness. As a

verse becomes heavier, it falls into the trap of logic and reason which

makes it overly intricate.


After a long literary journey of using several aesthetics in his verses

Basho realised the importance of karumi. Karumi can best be

described as “lightness,” or a sensation of spontaneity. Bashô taught

his students to think of karumi as “looking at the bottom of a shallow

stream”. When karumi is incorporated into haiku, there is often a

sense of light humor or child-like wonderment at the cycles of the

natural world. The karumi in haiku handles a serious subject in a

delightfully unserious way


Example:


probably it was alive

when it left Kamakura

the first tuna


- Basho


The katsuo (skipjack tuna), was highly prized as a summer delicacy.

The people in Tokyo were eager to taste the first batch of the season.

Kamakura is a city about fifty miles south of Tokyo. In 1192, the first

government, not under the emperor, was formed by the military. The

image of the fighting tuna and the rebellious samurai warriors had

traditional literary connections. This verse was written by Basho in

1692 (source: Basho, The Complete Haiku)


Please explore various sources and post the haiku which you feel has

karumi in it. You can also write your own and post here.

References:

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KIGO WORDS

Shall we please try to include a kigo word in all the poems we share here?

Give the season and the word—under your poem. 


I'm quoting Lev Hart's request here: "This week’s goal is to compose two verses with toriawase, blending wabi, sabi, karumi, mono no aware, and/or yugen. Tell us which aesthetic concepts you mean to express in a line below the verse. Strive for originality. Avoid stock phrases and shopworn images."


For seasonal references, please check these lists:

“A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods,” by Jane Reichhold:


indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:


The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:


The World Kigo Database:

 

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

**

Thank you for this post, Srinivas.

I hope our poets take the challenge and create a haiku on these lines!

Poets,

Please give your feedback on others' commentary and poems too. _()_

We are continuing haikaiTALKS!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala

223 views86 comments

86 Comments


Here is one more by Buson


nobly, the great priest

deposits his daily stool

in bleak winter fields


How sarcasticallyand philosophically he said, there are few activities in life that make all the people the same. No matter how rich or poor we are, we all eat the same grain of rice

Like

#2 22/01

Revision 1 Thanks a lot Joanna ❤️ 🌺


in her bra

a rose-scented note

her lucky charm


Fatma Zohra Habis/ Algeria


in her bra

a rose-scented booklet

lucky charm


Feedback welcome 🌹

Edited
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Replying to

You're welcome Fatma.

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Sherry R
Sherry R
Jan 21

20.01.2025


#1

redwing swamp...

a boar gets

the eggs


Sherry Reniker

USA


Karumi, a light boar 🐗


comments welcome

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Kalyanee
Kalyanee
Jan 21

19.01.2025

#1


Revision. Thank you, Srinivas.


a sital fish

arrives home

harvest moon


Kalyanee Arandhara

Assam, India


Feedback most welcome


Original:

harvest moon

finally a sital fish

arrives home


(Sital fish is a delicacy in Assamese platter which is also a favourite in the Uruka feast menu. Uruka is a feasting night, the eve of Bhogali Bihu to celebrate the end of harvest season)


Kalyanee Arandhara

Assam, India


Feedback most welcome

Edited
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Kalyanee
Kalyanee
Jan 25
Replying to

Thanks Srinivas. I'm not sure whether it's available only in autumn. But it's a delicacy in Uruka. Yes, we were actually waiting for it. 😄😄 I'll remove the word, 'finally'. Thanks so much.

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Edit, thanks to Kala, Srinivas:

 

#2

 

salmon leaping

a way downriver

caught by suppertime

 

Joanna Ashwell

UK

 

Feedback welcome


#2

 

salmon leaping

a way downriver…

stunned on a plate

 

Joanna Ashwell

UK

 

Feedback welcome

Edited
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Replying to

Thank you Srinivas.

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