2008-11-06

Renhai Reflections 38: Chromatic Transitions


Chromatic Transitions

by Vaughn Seward (vs) & Toshiaki Koike (tk)*,
Written: Oct 1 to Nov 5, 2008

Rain puddle —
the traffic light changes
green to yellow. /tk

Tall downtown building — /vs
coloured leaves in the window. /tk

Withering bush —
a branch's image ripples
in the pond. /vs

Theme: Reflections
Season: Autumn
Link 1-2:
-Green & yellow / to Coloured
-Traffic / Downtown

Link 2-3: Leaves / Branch
Link 3-1: Pond / Puddle

*Toshiaki Koike was born in Iwakura, a town near Nagoya, Japan. Toshiaki attended Shizuoka University where he studied Japanese Literature and was the leader of the University's haiku circle. It was there that he met his future wife Carol who had come to Japan from Canada as an exchange student. Through a later exchange of tanka and haiku poems a romance developed and they were eventually married. Ten years later they moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where Carol's mother was living. Their story is more fully described here:

http://www.ualberta.ca/~publicas/folio/34/20/06.html

Masago met Toshiaki at the 2006 Edmonton Summer Arts Festival where Toshiaki was displaying some of his artwork. They became fast friends and have been meeting regularly every two weeks since then to discuss English language, Japanese language & culture, and haiku poetry. You may remember the Rengay that Toshiaki and I wrote together last January:

http://tinyurl.com/6qvb9g

10 comments:

Devika Jyothi said...

I was reading all Masago...

very interesting how life's events find place in haiku imagery...one can never know the reality, yet it reveals all..

and, if in life we say -- all is well that ends well, in haiku too that should be true...

but the final ending -- in life and in haiku --one never can say about...as the two haikus and stories present.

all we have control over is just the moment we hold..and to live that moment the most -- in the most righteous way -- we need to take past commitments along, while simultaneously seeing future responbilities....

Haiku like Life is a subject matter of my study...what i do not know is what do i do with these studies :-)

my answer perhaps is -- it just keeps me happy, and it, like all else, will be finally joining earth.

this was a very interesting read with notes ...

thank you, Masago!
wishes
devika

Devika Jyothi said...

On a second reading Masago,

i like the second one..but i think as with all clocks gearing an alarm will set it work...

i'm kind of obsessed with time...and follows it. if it stops all stops...let that move..

the first set there -- all too good, but life and world is not all that set for everyone. perhaps i had my due already, and is still living it -- it seemed an ordinary represenation...

the second one is something extra ordinary..and i hope i could do something about it, within my capabilities ...i like to take a lead if none others do...and then it could continue to be in motion..

of course, i'm adding my life views here...and i feel poetic connection is about that :-)

wishes!
devika

Pamela said...

very timely --
(the pond, however, was the street where I work. Those leaves block the gutters and sewer system)

polona said...

again, the two of you did a great job. vivid imagery and a lovely blend of the urban and the natural

Masago said...

Devika, "just the moment"... an important concept. Thank you very much for your comments and continued interest.

This was Toshiaki's first Renhai. We were sitting in my office on the 18th floor of an office tower. We got started with this renhai by looking around at the other buildings and activity below us... :-)

Pamela: :-) Leaves, you can love them and you can leave 'em (sorry about that one). ;-)

Polona: Your kind words are greatly appreciated.

Devika Jyothi said...

:-)

thanks, Masago...

wishes
devika

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

again, I really liked this one

Borut said...

A transitional drama to ponder upon!:)

Bill said...

Rich in color and texture.

Anonymous said...

you seem to draw your inspiration from a wide range of things to write your haiku