World Haiku Series 2019 (70) Haiku by Janak Sapkota

World Haiku Series 2019 (70)

Haiku by Janak Sapkota

 

stillness of fresh snow

over the scar

of chopped trees

 

Credits:  Iafor Vladimir Devide Haiku Award, 2017

 

新雪の静けさ

たたき切られた木々の切り跡の上

 

spring snow

only bird tracks

show the way

 

Credits: Whisper of Pines, Original Writing, Ireland, 2012

 

春の雪

鳥の足跡だけが道を示す 

 

geese by the lake!

waterlilies!

such whiteness

 

Credits: A Firefly Lights the Page, SanaSato, Finland, 2012

 

湖のそばの雁！

スイレン！

そんな白さ

 

ash from the ghat –

in the moonlight, a shadow

crosses the river

 

Credits: Whisper of Pines, Original Writing, Ireland, 2012

 

川岸の火葬場からの灰 –

月明かりの下で、影が川を渡る 

 

stroke of luck –

lodged in my wallet

a strand of her hair

 

Credits:  A Firefly Lights the Page, SanaSato, Finland, 2012

 

運の訪れ –

私の財布にあった

彼女の髪の撚り

 

early morning sun –

a shadow walks

in silence

 

Credits: Winter Lights, Cló, Ireland, 2004

 

早朝の太陽　–

影が歩く

無言のまま 

 

midnight

a snail paints

the moonlit canvas

 

Credits:  Shamrock Haiku Journal, Volume 20

 

真夜中

カタツムリが色を塗る

月明かりのキャンバス に

 

a busy ant

loses its way

among my haiku

 

Credits:  Lights Along the Road, Bamboo Press, Kathmandu, 2005

 

忙しいアリ

道を失う

私の俳句の中で

 

long days of rain –

the gurgle of frogs ripen

my little rice field

 

Credits:  Winner, Smurfit Samhain International Haiku Prize, Ireland, 2006

 

長い雨の日–

カエルののどを鳴らす音が実らせる

私の小さな田んぼを

 

leafless tree-

yet the bird flutters

as if was green

 

葉のない木　–

それでも鳥が羽ばたきする

木が緑であるように

 

— Translated by Hidenori Hiruta

 

 

Brief Bio:

 

Janak Sapkota (born 1987) is a Nepalese haiku poet who works mainly in the English language.

He is currently based in Finland.

Sapkota’s recent collection include Whisper of Pines [Bilingual edition, Irish versions by Gabriel Rosenstock] (Original Writing, Ireland, 2012); A Firefly Lights the Page [Bilingual edition, Finnish versions by Arto Lappi] (SanaSato, Finland, 2012) and Long Days of Rain (The Onslaught Press, United Kingdom, 2017).

His haiku have appeared internationally in poetry journals and magazines such as The Shop, Frogpond, Shamrock, Chrysanthemum, Ardea, Fri haiku, Notes from the Gean and The Living Haiku Anthology.

In 2006 he won the Smrufit Samhain International Haiku Award and in 2009 Ukiah Haiku Award.