triveni spotlight: 9th October 2023
- Vidya Shankar
- Oct 9, 2023
- 1 min read
triveni spotlight A FEATURE EVERY ALTERNATE DAY! hosts: Kala Ramesh and Vidya Shankar GUEST EDITOR: Keiko Izawa 9th October 2023
zangiku ya otoko ga saki ni shinu eiga
late chrysanthemum—
the man dies before the woman
in the movie
—Shuji Nakaoka
from 365 Nichi Kigo Techō (365-Day Kigo Diary) 2023
chrysanthemum: autumn 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. _()_
Pls don’t mind. It happens to me too these days😆
The way I see it, in this haiku which one dies first is not the main point. Chrysanthemum is often used for Japanese funerals, and “late” chrysanthemum suggests that the season is heading into winter, which is creating a dark image. Thus, I think the toriawase between this kigo and the remaining part is mysteriously working well…
Oh my, this haiku should come with a spoiler alert for Ozu fans. 😉