triveni spotlight: 17th October 2023
- Vidya Shankar
- Oct 17, 2023
- 1 min read
triveni spotlight A FEATURE EVERY ALTERNATE DAY! hosts: Kala Ramesh and Vidya Shankar GUEST EDITOR: Keiko Izawa 17th October 2023
chichi ni nita otoko to kurasu shijimi jiru
living with a man
who resembles father…
shijimi clam soup
Itsuki Natsui (1957 – )
from her collection Ryu (Dragon)
Note: shijimi clam soup (mostly miso based) is often served on Japanese dining tables. It’s a spring kigo.
During this month, I’d like to introduce contemporary Japanese haiku, including kigo, which are referred to as “yūki haiku(有季俳句)”. In yūki haiku, toriawase (matching kigo and the remaining phrases) is the key point, not to mention its creativity and originality. In my view, Japanese haiku are generally simple compared to English (language) haiku, but the subtle sensibility is embedded within as the synergies with the power of kigo. I hope you enjoy karumi (lightness) blended with seasonality in these haiku.
Keiko Izawa
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Thank you for being our next guest editor Keiko Izawa You are bringing something fresh and this is going to be a treat for all our members. _()_
Lovely! Such a light touch to a deep association! Thank you for sharing!
Liked this, so simple and yet filled with memories.
In this haiku, chijimi clam soup connects the poet's spouse to her father; at the dining table she probably saw similarities with her father in the way the spouse ate it, and reminisced about the good old days with her father awhile. A good haiku dealing with food with karumi.