haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 19th July 2025

haikaiTALKS: Japanese aesthetics –  Miyabi | a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

A Disclaimer

Responsibility for the originality of the haikai rests solely with the submitting poet. 

If anyone feels that it is similar to another haikai, they are encouraged to contact the relevant poet directly.

Triveni Haikai India will take action, if any, as recommended by the submitting poet.

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Special Guest Poet: Keiko Izawa

host: Srinivasa Sambangi 19th July 2025

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

Your Guest Poet for July for haikaiTALKS: Keiko Izawa

haikaiTALKS 19th July 2025

Japanese aesthetics – Miyabi

Miyabi is one of the oldest traditional aesthetic ideals in Japan. The term miyabi embodies the image of an ideal aristocratic culture. It represents courtesy, language, expression, atmosphere, and emotions that are free from coarseness and immaturity, all aimed at achieving the highest level of elegance. In modern writing, it is typically translated as "elegance," "refinement," or "courtly elegance."

Yoshida Kenkō said that many people seem to enjoy only the full bloom of cherry blossoms or the full moon, but that is not always the case. He considered that cherry blossoms before they bloom and after they have fallen are also elegant, and that yearning for the moon, which cannot be seen due to the rain, is equally elegant. He mentions that if you observe carefully, you can find "elegance" in everything.

This week, you are requested to write up to two haiku that express miyabi.

As usual, try to use kigo from the lists below. You can also use your local season words that are not listed here.

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

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef97369da920530f8.pdf

Indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:

https://www.trivenihaikai.in/indian-saijiki

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:

http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

The World Kigo Database:

https://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

https://yths.org/season-word-list/

Samples:

雨帯て うごかぬ梅の にほひかな

ume obi te / ugokanu ume no / nioi kana

tinged with rain

the scent of plum blossoms

lingers

                                         ~ Nanasato

うまれたての 月上りけり 雪うさぎ

umaretate no / tsuki nobori keri / yukiusagi

climbing

the newborn moon

snow rabbit

                                         ~ author unknown

瞬きて 紫陽花のゐる 陽射しかな

mabataki te / ajisai no iru / hizashi kana

in the blink of an eye

sunlight glimmers

on the hydrangeas

~ Naito Yōkō

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Thanks, Keiko! Another beautiful post. Thanks a lot.

I hope our poets take the challenge and create a haiku on these lines! Keenly looking ahead to this month.

Greatly indebted to you.

Dear Members,

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

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in a grand manner!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala