Haikumonk• Show poetry

Welcome:  Thanks for coming by.

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A few of many special awards over the years:


3rd Place 2005
Kusamakura International Haiku Contest

 

3rd Place 2004
Kusamakura International Haiku Contest

 

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Shokan Tadashi Kondo Haiku Award - 2009
(a Japanese radio show contest: http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/wi/asx/saturday.asx


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Recently Published:

Simply Haiku Journal (summer issue, 2009)


Simply Haiku Journal (spring issue, 2009)


http://www.simplyhaiku.com/SHv7n1/haiku/Distinction.html

Editor of Simply Haiku is Dr. Richard Gilbert
Owner/Founder is Robert Wilson

Simply Haiku Journal
http://simplyhaiku.com/
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(a competition tanka and a very kind comment by the host)

"This tanka was beautiful, pure and simple. It was, in my humble opinion, a perfect representation of the traditional tanka. If someone presented this tanka to me, and said that it was written by a court noble in Japan in the 13th century I would believe them, and probably post it on my author’s page." (yukitosumi)

 

Thank you very, very much yukitosumi !  That's one of the best comments I've ever received on my work.  I deeply appreciate it.

 

Don

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A Gracious Lady:

A wonderful, kind comment about me by Dr. Greve - in Japan. Visit her here:
http://haikuandhappiness.blogspot.com/

"... you are one of the few who understands the Japanese ways ..." (Dr. Greve)


Thank you so much Dr. Greve! You made my day with that comment. I appreciate you and all your efforts in the world of haiku and in particular, kigo.

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...an excerpt from my most recent book entitled Haiku Wisdom (copyright 2009):

The sweetness of simplicity. This haiku reminds us of that. It brings us into a special moment where, off in the distance, monks are chanting. Yet, they’re close enough for all to hear and enjoy the peaceful steadiness of their sounds. Some voices are darker with an edge: other’s of different tonality seeming to weave in and out. A few instruments play along cutting through sometimes with an edgier sound and then to silence for a moment. One voice returns … then another … no instruments. With clarity and a heart of pureness, they continue through the day serenading the small town of a few huts.

How simple. How clear their lives are. How integrated with nature they’ve remained. Their poetry exalts nature, love and gives thanks for their blessings. To have so little; yet, to have so much. In owning nothing, they celebrate abundance. In spiritual abundance, they share their joy with everyone and continue to give praise.

Never expecting to receive back yet not expecting to be ignored, they live in a balance. They plant seeds: they cherish and eat their fruits. They plant seeds in the community of huts and cherish the fruits of their work. The community, living a simple life, dwells in the light of the temple and its gentle echoes throughout the forest.

There’s peace in their hearts: there’s peace in their huts. There’s love in their spirits and there’s spirit in their community.

How simple!

And how … while living in the chaos of big cities, jobs, honking horns, taxes, laws, noisy neighbors, ex-spouses, rumors, turmoil, and murder contrasted with love, forgiveness, children at play, cool movies, surfing, playing music, writing poetry, singing, holding hands and so on … do we survive and still be able to say “How Simple?

The moon knows how:


The moon knows when to glide in the surf. It knows when to cool off in a river. Its seen peeking through windows, sitting on roof tops and even falling down a tree from time to time … gently into the horizon. Nature knows when to rest … and does.

We need to follow the moon. Go to the river and swim. Surf with the moon on the ocean and peek back at it through the window and say “Hi”. The moon glows at us and we should take a second and glow back. The moon is steady and always comes back. We can count on that. We can have confidence in that. We can trust … because of its absolute consistency, we can trust.

The ocean stays in harmony with the moon. It raises its tide: it lowers it. It harmonizes with the moon and beyond. And we should too. We should react to the grace and beauty of our environment. Bask in the sun: find peace under the moon. Thank the stars for winking at us though we’ve never met. All the miracles of life … the continuum. And, it’s our continuum! All of it!

No doubt there are storms. People die. Rivers come crashing through. Earthquakes shake and roll. Clouds join together in a swirl so serious it’s named. Tragedies hit: death results. And we can see that. We can relate to that. Loved ones have died in it. And it will be so today, tomorrow and forever. So it is.

Pulling away. Moving further into the galaxy … looking down upon the Earth, we see one Earth, one people. We see everything from birth to death and we have always seen it. Yet, in some very unique way, it’s still simple. It’s still a few huts, near by chanting and the things of life.

Can we breathe in that thought? Can we bask in that spirit? Are we kindred to it all? And most important, can we, ourselves, be part of the chant instead of the chaos? Can we be part of the community of huts in our hearts instead of the turmoil that causes pain and death? Can we sing with the robin instead of yell with the neighbors? Can we love instead of condemn? Can we forgive instead of hate? Can we heal instead of hurt. Can we be the chant in the not-so-far distance that brings peace to all?


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Thanks friends for visiting my author page. I appreciate your time and comments very much.

 

 

Don
http://www.kungfukarate.com
http://donbairdphotography.com/index.php
http://www.clarinetpro.com/

Allpoetry Teacher - Advanced Haiku
Former Allpoetry Site Supervisor
Past Allpoetry Dean of Education