HAIKU

Scent of damp spring buds
Killed by fumes and acid rain.
Trees are all we need

HAIKU

Weathered yellow rose
Endured fall and winter storms
Disappeared in spring

The pitterpatter of an unexpected winter (?) rain
The pre-dawn walk to work greets me
With double streetlight-umbrella-shadows

The pitterpatter becomes a roar
And a taxi splashes me in the darkness
But it's ok , it's going to be a good day.

MY MOON

I gave you my heart
My love and my soul
It wasn't enough
You still wanted more

So you tried to take
What's bigger than you
Despite all I gave
You wanted my moon

But I didn't share
Cuz inside I knew
You'd destroy it all
My night heaven too

And now we're alone
All is dark and blue
And as I look up
I don't think of you

APARTMENT HAIKU

Under bamboo plant
Look up, pretend that it's real-
But it doesn't work













[My new bamboo plant. Trying to escape the city.]

HAIKU

Long winter over
I can step outside again:
New buds start to grow

The nostalgia of the future
Grips me in a passing song

My eyes open and heart warms
To the unknown path ahead

REVITALISED

I found my place
Beneath a tree

A bed of pines
And old dry leaves

Paper and pen
Sat down to write

But a moment
Was all it took

For eyes to close
And fall asleep

My back to bark
And feet on earth

And when I woke
A warmth within

With the whole world
I felt at ease

Problems and pain
All forgotten

My soul refreshed
And heart at ease.



Note: I wrote this the other day after falling asleep under a tree in Tollymore Forest Park.

With a stick in my hand
I walk through the forest.

On a big old tree stump
I sit by the water.

Under a summer blue sky
I look up at the sun.

And I think and I think
And I think.

HAIKU

Learned bird of prey
Hunts without moving a wing
Master of the wind

HAIKU

Wings beat the still air
A generous butterfly
Shares the flower's scent

ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

I saw an old man walking in the rain.
He had a tweed jacket and a broken umbrella.
But he walked with a swagger that made me envy him.

Frozen ground softens
In the cherry blossom sun
Life can start again

As the spring sun sets

The morning’s inspiring dream

Starts to fade away

ENGLISH POEM CONTEST

Sky
Sun, rain, thunder
Laugh, cry, angry
Weather is my heart
Mirror.

By Ryu and Tomoko


Hope
Whats this
Dream, mirage, future
We are thinking
Possible

By Junya and Natsuki


The above poems are by my students.
At my Junior High School we just had a poetry contest for the third years. They could write about anything they wanted and I was to judge them today. I really enjoyed reading them and wanted to share a couple.