Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (5)

 

On March 11, 2011, we had the most powerful earthquake since records began, which struck the Pacific coast of Northeastern Honshu, Japan, triggering a massive tsunami.

 

Since then I have received e-mails and messages from haiku friends worldwide, in which they have sent their condolences and prayers through haiku, haiga, tanka, short poems, or pictures.

Some of my haiku friends took up the earthquake in their blogs or journals, and others started the movements to uplift their brothers and sisters in Japan on the Internet.

 

I have clearly realized how my friends’ contributions are helpful in feeling encouraged, and consoled, and giving relief.

They eventually lead us to hope.

 

Here is a photo of haiga and haiku in collaboration between Gabi Greve and Origa , both of whom are haikuist friends of mine – in prayer for Japan.

 

 

 

As you see in the photo above, Origa in USA painted the haiga, and Gabi Greve living in Japan from Germany wrote the haiku.

 

god of earthquakes –      地震の神
what does it take　　　    何が必要なの
to keep you quiet ?　　　あなたを静めておくのに

 

 

Dr. med. Gabi Greve, who lives in Okayama prefecture, started the blog Japan-after the Big earthquake as JAPAN DISASTER-RELIEF DONATIONS.

 

According to Dr. med. Gabi Greve, the earliest historical record of an earthquake in Japan appears in a poem included in Nihongi’s account of Emperor Buretsu, but the first record of an earthquake kami and its worship comes from Nihongi’s records of the reign of Empress Suiko.
In summer of the seventh year of her reign (599 C.E.), a temblor struck the capital regions, and an order was issued to offer worship to the kami of earthquakes, although no title is given to any specific kami to be worshiped.

Nai no kami 地震神
The Japanese god of earthquakes.

nai no kami ないのかみ / なゐの神【地震神】
deity of earthquakes
and what we need most, an earthquake talisman
地震御守

Here is a photo of the earthquake talisman.

 

 

 

Here are the other two photos and haiku by Dr. med. Gabi Greve

 

 

 

plum blossoms—　　　　　梅の花―　

the mind still wanders　　心ここになく彷徨う

in Northern Japan　　　　北日本に

 

 

 

Mother’s Day　　　　　 　　母の日

white carnations float　 白いカーネーションが浮かぶ

in the waves　　　　　　   　波の中に

 

Please visit the blog by Dr. med. Gabi Greve, and you will learn more about the earthquake. http://japan-afterthebigearthquake.blogspot.com/

 

 

T. A. Smith, a haikuist friend of mine, in USA, also took up the earthquake in the blog Shiteki Na Usagi as follows:

 

Japan, Earthquake, Tsunami

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Yousei Hime

I am stunned by the news of this earthquake and subsequent tsunami in northern Japan. I have made acquaintances and friendships in Japan through blogging. Though this is not the first country to experience a recent earthquake disaster, it is the first for which I have strong connections and deep love. I pray for everyone’s safety and quick recovery.

let us walk　　　　　　　　　　歩きましょう
safely together　　　　　　 一緒に安全に
Basho’s path 　　　　　　　　芭蕉の細道を

 

 

Robert D. Wilson in the Philippines and Saša Važić in Serbia, haikuist friends of mine, started the blog WE ARE ALL JAPAN.

http://wearealljapan.blogspot.com/

 

Here is a photo by Saša Važić.

  

 

On April 8, Buddha’s Birthday, the chief priest Shunsai Takayanagi (高柳俊哉住職） at the Shouhei-ji temple (勝平寺), in Akita-city (秋田市), held the memorial service for those who passed away in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

 

Here is a photo of the memorial service, which I attended and wrote haiku..

 

 

 

spring earthquake

Buddha prays

in tears

 

春の地震祈る仏陀の涙かな

 

I posted the photo and haiku in the blog : http://akitahaiku.blogspot.com/.

 

 

Origa (Olga Hooper) wrote haiku as a comment on my haiku above.

 

souls of the dead …
floating into eternity
sakura petals

死者の魂
桜の花びらが
永遠に飛ぶ

Shisha no tamashī… Sakura no hanabira ga eien ni tobu.

души погибших …
улетающие в вечность
лепестки сакуры

 

 

Origa also started the blog Prayer for Japan. — Молитва о Японии.

Please visit her blog too : origa: Prayer for Japan. — Молитва о Японии.

 

Last of all, let me post a photo of an apple orchard in Yuwa (雄和), Akita-city, and my haiku.

 

 

りんご園枯れ木を飾る花大根

 

apple orchard ―

the withered tree remains

in radish flowers

 

 

The next posting ‘Haiku about the Great East Japan Earthquake (6) ‘ appears on June 4.

 

―　Hidenori Hiruta