Another Whirl with Basho

Sep 7

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photo 177_zpsa5fc2e6e.jpg
 
Each haiku or senryu begins with a phrase culled from Basho: The Complete Haiku.
 


 
~~ 1 ~~
 
upstream and downstream
the dismal washerwomen
beating clothes on stones
 
~~ 2 ~~
 
the tide’s salty crests
signal an end to summer
and my discontent
 
~~ 3 ~~
 
whose old singing voice
moves into the empty spot
where the oak once stood
 
~~ 4 ~~
 
those who like to drink
rose-petal tea at twilight
sipping at their prayers
 
~~ 5 ~~
 
gotten by praying
to the goddess of bullets
an untimely death
 
~~ 6 ~~
 
from an unknown tree
at the edge of the forest
the cry of water
 
~~ 7 ~~
 
even coming twice
the horses seeking sugar
do not get enough
 
~~ 8 ~~
 
a bamboo thicket
where no other plant can thrive
rictus of the moon
 
~~ 9 ~~
 
without rain or snow
the empty meandering
of mountain streambeds
 
~~ 10 ~~
 
year-end housecleaning
even the locks on my doors
deserve to be brushed
 
~~ 11 ~~
 
the cicada’s voice
curls into a tiny ball
just before sunrise
 
~~ 12 ~~
 
from all directions
my foes thrust their spears at me
shafts of pampas grass

 
© 2014 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More Poetry Pantry #217
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 177

Posted on September 7, 2014, in 5-7-5, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 28 Comments.

  1. J Cosmo Newbery | September 7, 2014 at 3:39 am

    As always, an intriguing pastiche of the words that comes together as a larger whole.

    Reply
  2. jae rose | September 7, 2014 at 3:44 am

    This is like travelling through the hard work of time and place..never ending toil and labour to get by..but we do

    Reply
  3. oldegg | September 7, 2014 at 4:08 am

    There seems to be a different mood in this haiku set, sad and more somber except perhaps for those insatiable horses in No. 7 of course.

    Reply
  4. ZQ | September 7, 2014 at 6:21 am

    I see the changing of the guard, a season passing through the eyes of your work… but, then again, it can be only me as I search my way out of summer through fall for the right path to winter 🙂
    Wonderful and sensitive pieces as usual.

    Reply
  5. kaykuala | September 7, 2014 at 6:33 am

    Fine array of haiku happenings MMT! Yes the cicada can be heard to be chillingly shrill before dawn! Wonderful set!

    Hank

    Reply
  6. Mary | September 7, 2014 at 6:58 am

    A lovely collection once again. Ha, there are some humans who coming back twice for sugar is not enough either. I enjoyed the one about the cicada – what a lovely voice they have in the night. I feel sorry for those women washing clothes on stones.

    Reply
  7. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | September 7, 2014 at 7:20 am

    The horses and sugar haiku have the wisdom of an Aesop fable.. It could be worked into a splendid haibun I think…

    Reply
  9. alan1704 | September 7, 2014 at 8:17 am

    like a jigsaw puzzle of poems that make a great picture. Well done.

    Reply
  10. Nissa Annakindt | September 7, 2014 at 8:26 am

    Oh, I like it! And I actually know who Basho was though I don’t have the book you mentioned (yet). My favorite was #5, but I enjoyed all of them immensely. I wrote a cicida haiku yesterday as well, so I liked the cicida one particularly.

    Reply
  11. Susan | September 7, 2014 at 8:54 am

    My two favorites:
    “whose old singing voice
    moves into the empty spot
    where the oak once stood”
    and
    “the cicada’s voice
    curls into a tiny ball
    just before sunrise”
    (grin)

    Reply
  12. Gillena Cox | September 7, 2014 at 11:15 am

    luv #4 best of all’ have a nice Sunday

    much love…

    Reply
  13. Sherry Blue Sky | September 7, 2014 at 11:40 am

    These are especially wonderful this morning! I especially love the singing voice in the spot where the oak once stood, and tea at twilight, “sipping at their prayers”. Wow!

    Reply
  14. Teri | September 7, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Glad to see you are still mystically magical. Wonderful. xoxo Teri

    Reply
  15. humbird | September 7, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    It’s very fulfilling today, left me pondering about the river in 6 and mysterious voice in 3. Another voice in 11 described so cozy… images in 8 will tease me the rest of the day. ~ Amazing job! xx

    Reply
  16. georgeplace2013 | September 7, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    They are all great but my fav is # 4

    Reply
  17. Cathy | September 7, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    2 and 6 are my favorite

    Reply
  18. C.C. | September 7, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    “sipping at their prayers”—exquisite imagery….also, I love your use of “rictus”–what a fantastic word 🙂

    Reply
    • magicalmysticalteacher | September 8, 2014 at 3:56 am

      Thank you. I don’t often have an occasion to use “rictus,” but on this occasion it just offered itself to me. 😉

      On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 9:21 PM, Magical Mystical Teacher wrote:

      >

      Reply
  19. Misky | September 8, 2014 at 4:19 am

    Number 9. Yes, yes, yes.

    Reply
  20. G L Meisner | September 8, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    Very nice set. I love the last one.

    Reply
  22. Nonnie USA | September 10, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    I appreciate how we take the same word list and those who can (like you) shine in their product!

    Reply

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