Writing with Basho - Through The Skylark's Singing - October 14, 2014

 

As you can see, today's Sparkling Stars at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai is dedicated to one of Basho's haiku, a lesser known one as Chèvrefeuille tells us! (By the way, you really should pop by and look at the great prompt Chèvrefeuille wrote ... there are really a wonderful group of haiku written by Shiki, Issa and Yozakura.)

hibari naku naka no hyoshi ya kiji no koe

through the skylark's singing
comes the beat
of pheasants' cries

© Basho

Reading the haiku, I get the impression of  the skylark calling to the pheasant somehow creating its movement and reply.  Here in the courtyard around my house, I've often watched the blackbirds, sparrows and other birds (most of which I can't name) interact between themselves. Or perhaps that is only my impression.  People also can be brought into the play of action, reaction - as in Shiki's poem:

semi naku ya gyozui-doki no tofu-uri

a cicada is crying;
while having an open-air bath,
the call of the bean-curd vendor

© Shiki

I think it is Shiki who is bathing,  the cry of the monotonous cicada call was lulling when suddenly he hears the call of the bean-curd vendor ... does it remind him of the cicada somehow?

Here are my attempts to catch the spirit of Basho and Shiki ...

the blackbird sings
in the darkened kitchen
 - my coffee pot burbles

the blackbird warbles
pigeons coo in harmony
on the chimney top ..

the owl's screeching
splits the silent night
- dog howls at midnight

cockcoos calling
echo through the valley
mid-day siesta

©  G.s.k. '14