Haiku by Kirby Record (Part 1)

 

Professor Kirby Record teaches as director of English for Academic Purposes at Akita International University(AIU)(国際教養大学) in Akita.

He also writes haiku. He is a fellow haiku poet of mine.

 

On October 11 and 12, we participated in AIU Festival and exhibited works of haiku posted on the website, giving haiku activities, such as some haiku quiz.

During the event, Professor Kirby Record joined our activities and contributed his  book of poetry titled “A Welcome Coolness” to me.

 

 

I post poetry in his book, dividing them into some parts and giving them a Japanese translation, which isn’t sometimes literal. It’s me, Hidenori Hiruta who translated his poetry into Japanese.

The title of his book is derived from the following haiku:

 

a sudden breeze

in bright winter sunlight, leaves

a welcome coolness

 冬光に爽涼迎ふ風そよぐ

toko ni  soryo mukau  kaze soyogu

 

 春は花　　　　　　　　　Haru wa hana

夏ほととぎす             Natsu hototogisu

秋は月                   Aki wa tsuki

冬雪さえて               Fuyu yuki saete

すずしかりけり    　　　 Suzushi kari keri

 

道元禅師 

 

This poetry is Waka (和歌literally “Japanese poem”) written by Dogen Zenji (道元禅師)(1200-1253), a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher born in Kyoto, and the founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan.

Professor Kirby Record translated it into English as follows:

 

“To everything there is a season.” 

Ecclesiastes

 

In Spring, cherry blossoms

In Summer, the cuckoo,

In Autumn, the moon,

In Winter, the snow,

Cold and clear.

 

Dogen　Zenji

 

Here I post haiku about spring by Professor Kirby Record.

 

 

sunset floating

with a single cherry blossom

over green stones

夕焼けの緑石の上桜花

yuyake no  ryokuseki no ue  sakurabana 

 

 

in the rain

cherry blossoms start

falling faster

 雨の中散り急ぐかな桜花

ameno naka  chiri isogu kana  sakurabana

 

 this first hike of spring

following another’s shadow

resting on my own

初ハイク人の影追ひ我に依る

hatsu haiku  hito no kage oi  ware ni yoru

 

an empty house

only pictures on the wall

spring rain

 春の雨空き家の壁に絵画のみ

haru no ame  akiya no kabe ni  kaiga nomi

 

  sudden gust  opens my front door  into spring

 玄関を風吹き開けて春と化す

genkan wo  kaze fukinukete  haru to kasu

 

 turning  the curve of her waist  in spring light

春光に腰の曲線向き変わる

shunkou ni  koshi no kyokusen  muki kawaru

 

 april rains

all－white stones of many shades

rushing water

四月の雨影のある白石走る水

shigatsu no ame  kage no aru hakuseki  hasiru mizu

 

back from a walk

the fresh scent of weed

on tattered blue jeans

 散歩から帰る草の新鮮な匂ひボロボロの青いジーンズ

sanpo kara kaeru  kusa no sinsen na nioi  boroboro no aoi ji―nzu

  

spring rain  futon on tatami  mozart faintly

春の雨畳の上の布団モーツアルト微かに

haru no ame  tatami no ue no futon  mo―tsuaruto 　kasukani

 

 Last of all, I post some pictures of cherry blossoms I took this spring, because Professor Kirby Record’s haiku and Dogen Zenji’s waka reminded me of my visit to Kakunodate（角館）.

Kakunodate（角館）in Akita flourished as a castle town. The attractive view of the many remaining samurai premises surrounded by black fences and cherry trees gives the town an appearance similar to that of Kyoto and is called “Little Kyoto”.

 

 

 

Cherry Trees Along the Hinokinai River Bank

 

 

 

The bank of Hinokinai River is designated as a scenic spot of Japan. At the end of April, residents and visitors enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms under the tunnel of cherry blossoms of the Somei Yoshino cherry trees that stretches for two kilometers along the river bank.

 ―　Hidenori Hiruta