triveni spotlight: 3rd October 2023
- Kala Ramesh
- Oct 3, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 3, 2023
triveni spotlight A FEATURE EVERY ALTERNATE DAY! hosts: Kala Ramesh and Vidya Shankar GUEST EDITOR: Keiko Izawa 3rd October 2023
fukurami ni naifu no katachi bankakō
shape of a knife
in the bulging pocket
late summer sun
Sō Suzuno
from 365 Nichi Kigo Techō - 365-Day Kigo Diary.
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. _()_
Loved 'the shape of a knife' allowing the readers to measure the size and shape and then think about the utility of that knife. Yes, L3 clearly states the season and yet, somewhere a thought about the exact aim of the person pushing that knife in that already 'bulging pocket'? Was the 'bulging' with some motive? an alarm of insecurity? There are tendencies for a person to fill his pockets with whatever he gets and immediately push the knife inside. And yes, line 1 states 'shape of a knife'. l 3 states 'late summer sun' not an early bird.
Just my thoughts. Thanks Keiko!!
shape of a knife
in the bulging pocket
late summer sun
I imagine the pocket bulging with a harvest of fruit or vegetables, perhaps "borrowed" from a neighbor's garden. As an adolescent, I carried a pocket knife called a Swiss Army knife along with a rabbit's foot (!) in my jean pockets. I hadn't thought about this in years, but this haiku instantly took me down memory lane. Thank you, Keiko!
Striking haiku. I loved reading Lev's comment. Thank you, Keiko.
An unique haiku. Only poets from Japan can make such juxtaposition possible. It makes me pause in my tracks and think. Thank you, Keiko!
shape of a knife
in the bulging pocket
late summer sun
The juxtaposition is based on comparison. Late summer is the time when crops are bulging, and so the fragment reflects the phrase. The ku is focused on "bulging." Perhaps "the shape of a knife" is a euphemism. I am reminded of a line from Mae West, "Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
The verse, however, is a haiku. It's more than a wry quip. The kigo sets the phrase in the context of time's natural cycle. The verse evokes light humour, as displays of nature often do. The idea of light humour chimes with Basho's concept of karumi, "lightness."