Akita International Haiku Network

 

  Professor Alexander Dolin teaches Japanese Literature and Civilization Studies at Akita International University(AIU). He also writes haiku.

We would like to post haiku by Professor Alexander Dolin and his students, Mr. Brent Sanders, Ms. Lim Shi Qi and Ms. Madoka Shizukuishi.

 

Haiku by Alexander Dolin 

 

秋田杉霜つく朝も青すぎて 

  akita sugi  shimo tsuku asa mo  ao sugi te 

Cedars in the field

(Akita cedars) ―

even through the frost this morning

abundantly green!

 

夜深き闇に歌詠み猫の声

yoru fukaki  yami ni uta yomi  neko no koe

Darkness of the night ―

and my cat is chanting there

(waka) poems he composed…

 

Haiku by Brent Sanders

 

The sun will burn away

The magic twilight hour.

It is such a waste.

 

I wake before dawn

A silent world where only

  The wind outside howls.

 

Haiku by Lim Shi Qi

 

Run to far way

Till your legs plead mercy

  Till the seasons change

  

 I stand on the hills

Why do I still not see you

Wonder are you real

 

Haiku by Madoka Shizukuishi

 

雪のよに溶ければいいのに宿題の山

  yuki no yo ni  tokere ba ii noni  shukudai no yama  

The piles of assignment

I hope they were snow, so that

they could melt away

 

歩めども歩めども遠いあなたまでの距離

ayume domo  ayume domo tooi  anata made no kyori

Look back to make sure

But still there is a long distance to you

Even I walk all day long

 

お気に入り窓の粉雪とホットチョコレート

  okiniiri  mado no konayuki to  hotto chokore-to

My favorite winter

Breath is white and snow in sight

Sweetness of hot chocolate

 

雨降りに思い出すのは母の声

ame furi ni  omoidasu nowa  haha no koe

Memory in my heart

Mother’s voice calling me soft

One rainy day

 

あかね空コスモスゆれて君想う

akane zora   kosumosu yure te  kimi omou

Madder red sunset

Seeing a swaying cosmos; I ask

“How have you been?”