Ten Haiku from HI #160 issued on August 31, 2023
1)
初競や離れぬ仔牛に僅な値 永井玲子
hatsuseri ya/ hanarenu koushi ni/wazukana ne NAGAI Reiko. P.27
The first auction—
getting a low price for the calf
that stays near to me
2)
天上に国境なし凧踊る 柚子 YUZU P.27
tenjyō ni/ kunizakai nashi/ tako odoru
No borders
in the sky—
dancing kites
3)
初蝶の渾身といふ高さかな 白根順子 SJORAME Junko P.28
hatsuchō no/ konshin to iu/ takasa kana
A butterfly is fluttering in my garden
not so high but with all its might
the first butterfly this spring
4)
海の向かふ一日遅れの鬼遣ひ 望月吉々 MOCHIZUKI Yoshi-Yoshi P. 28
umi no mukou/ hitohi okure no/ oniyarai
Au-delá du Pacifique
On y va chaser des démons
en retard d’un jour (original)
across the ocean
a day-late exorcism
for demons (English translation by EM)
Oniyarai: https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/january/oniyarai/
This festival is on February 3rd, the day before the official first day of spring in Japanese calendar. Above is a link to one performed in Kyoto. It takes place all over Japan, and each family does the small scale mame-maki/tsuina (driving the oni-demons by throwing at them roasted soy beans who are supposed to be there outside one’s home.) The haiku refers to a day-late tsuina due to the International Date Line, I assume.
5)
すみれ草／揺らぎ合いながら／一抹の愁い マックミラー・パトリシア J (アメリカ)
sumiregusa/ yuragiainagara/ ichimatsu no urei P.28
wild violets—
in all their vibrance
a touch of melancholy (original) MACHMILLER, Patricia J (U.S.A.)
６）
小道の蜘蛛の糸や／見えぬ／束縛 バー・ボルドー （内モンゴル） P.8
komichi no kumo no ito ya/ mienu /sokubaku
A spider thread
on the path—
an invisible bondage. (original) Ba, Bold（Inner Mongolia）
7)
柔らかき土の畝々鳥の声 桂香 KEIKA P.15
yawarakaki / tsuchi no uneune / tori no koe
Ridges beyond ridges
made of soft soil . . .
the birds singing
8)
花筏急くも休むも余生かな 坂田節子
hanaikada/ seku mo yasumu mo/ yosei kana SAKATA Setsuko. P.19
Floral raft—
free to hasten or not
for the rest of my life
Fallen cherry petals on water surface are described as floral raft. It is a spring season word.
9)
春風やビルの間にまた更地増え 月城花風 TSUKISHIRO Kafu P. 20
harukaze ya/ biru no ma ni mata/ sarachi hue
Spring wind—
an increase in vacant lots
between buildings
10)
寒の雨けふも菓子屋に長き列 内村恭子 UCHIMURA Kyoko P.26
kan no ame/ kyō mo kashiya ni/ nagaki retsu
long queue
into a confectionery shop
winter rain
Kan(寒) is a 30 days-period prior to the first day of spring (February 4th in Chinese lunar calendar, we used before adopting the Gregory calendar); it is considered the coldest time of the year.
ߍ Top five haiku are selected by Mr. Seian Mizuno, HIA director, and his comments on each haiku will be in HIA website shortly. I will let you know!
ߍ Otherwise mentioned, the author are from Japan or Japanese.