The yearly pamphlet Akita – the Land of Poetry『詩の国秋田第６号』, whose 6th volume is posted as an e-pamphlet, features haiku special from the English haiku submitted to the 3rd Japan-Russia Haiku Contest in 2014.
A great number of haiku fans willingly sent their haiku in English to the contest from 46 countries including Japan.
They compose haiku, the shortest form of poetry of three lines, catching the haiku moment through their observation or insight.
They write haiku, seeking for “pure present”, which might express “the eternal now.”
We sincerely hope that haiku will be shared with each other, which helps us realize the pleasure of writing haiku again.
We also hope that haiku could deepen mutual understanding and enjoyment of different cultures between those people who read or compose the poem, helping make the world peaceful.
Haiku Special
Bilankov Smiljka（Croatia）
at the patient’s bed
a rose has leaned a little
feeling sympathy
Bogovic Zlata（Croat）
murmuring stream
a blossoming almond bough
sails under the bridge
Danica Bartulovic（Croatian）
White wings
Of the albatross embarcing
Restless ocean
Djuretic Nikola （Croatia）
pitch dark
then flash of lightning
– there’s the road!
Funda Željko（Croatia）
dusk
between the sky and the sea
silence spreading
GATALICA GORAN（Croatia）
the space roulette
of the rejected pieces –
the asteroids
Jacmenica Nada（Croatian）
an eye clinic-
instructions on the wall
in small letters
Korbus Dubravko（Croatia）
warmth of the sun
calmed down the crows
autumn, nevertheless
Kovačić Nina（CROATIA）
A line in the sand
moving the edge of waves
up and down.
Ludvig Štefanija （Croatia）
flood
only water doesn’t respect
the borders
Ludvig Vladimir（Croatia）
mirror burst
a fatal meet of
two mad dogs
Maretić Tomislav（Croatia）
summer shower –
the hammock instantly
left empty
Marija Pogorilic （CROATIA）
dead of the night
from the flooded land
a cry for help
Matas Dusko（Croat）
green apple twig
covered with silence
and belated snow
MIJOVIĆ KOČAN STIJEPO（CROATIAN）
Ship made of paper.
Child with him circumnavigate
the whole world.
Mrsic Ljudmila Milena（Croatia）
withered field flowers-
colors for the birds only
hidden in the seeds
Primorac Vera（Croatia）
summer time
tree tops lowering
their shadows
Rozic Stjepan（Croat）
bread on the lawn-
each bit spun by its own
circle of sparrows
Ruzica Soldo （Croatian, Bosnia and Herzegovina）
Downy blossom of
Japanese cherry-tree
Crowns my face and soul
SMAŽIL PEJAKOVIĆ MIRJANA（CROATIA）
Blind man on a bench.
On the prostrate palm fall
the spring sun
Stipcic Vesna（Croat）
with the first light
silent they stretch out
the petals of lily
Tomislav Maretić（Croat）
a dove alights –
cherry petals lift
from the roof
Vladimir Šuk（CROATIA）
these two frogs
compete croaking
deep into the night
Vukelic-Rozic Djurdja（Croatia）
riverside cherry –
a bank of clouds lulling petals
through the vale
Ulla Conrad （DENMARK）
The incence waving
in front of Buddhas dark face –
Kerouac´s book ”Wake up”
John McDonald （Edinburgh Scotland）
beating
on two shores
the one heart
Buckingham Helen（England）
spray art . . .
the cherry knows
no bounds
Abad Anne Carly （Filipino）
darkening sky
the bamboo weeps over
the sun
Keith A. SIMMONDS (France)
hope for cosmic peace…
precocious cherry blossoms
in outer space
PHAM Minh-Triêt（FRANCE）
autumn mist —
beyond the riverside
half of the old bridge
Pottier Nicole（France）
Fleeing clouds –
lost in the distance
the train whistling
We are now holding the 4th Japan-Russia Haiku Contest.
Readers are invited to send haiku about “lake” to Hidenori Hiruta at the Akita
International Haiku Network by e-mail to (shhiruta@nifty.com).
By Hidenori Hiruta
Akita International Haiku Network 