Adjei Agyei-Baah (1977-2023)
leafless tree –
lifting a cup of nest
into the sky
裸の木巣の空杯を天に上ぐ
Winner of Akita Chamber of Commerce and Industry President’s Award,
in the English section of the 3rd Japan-Russia Haiku Contest, 2014
Five English Haiku from Adjei’s haiku collection Afriku (2016)
Dedication
My pleasure for your leisure –
It’s for you, Africa –
Celebrate!
6.
season of migration
the lightning dash
of a late egret
渡る節遅れるサギのダッシュかな
7.
gust of wind・・・
the crow takes off
in a zigzag line
突風やカラス飛び立つジグザグに
8.
honeymoon night
the horn of a midnight train
initiates another round
夜に立つ新婚旅行汽笛鳴る夜汽車は走る新ラウンドへ （短歌）
9.
river bank –
two swallows compete
dipping tails
川の岸尾を下げツバメ争へり
10.
morning dew –
perhaps heaven weeps
for mankind
朝露は天の涙の如きもの人類のため涙を流す （短歌）
Turkson Adu Darkwa (Ghana)
after the storm
the homelessness
of fallen leaves
嵐過ぎ家を失う落葉かな
Winner of Akita International University President’s Award, in the English section of the 5th Japan-Russia Haiku Contest, 2016
HAIKU to Akita’s “Haiku Beyond Earth”
Autumn rails –
a caterpillar crosses with a name
longer than mine
横断す秋のレールの毛虫かな
On the way to winter,
a red carpet is laid,
red oak leaves.
冬支度赤き絨毯オークの葉
Fading day –
the falling and rising journey
of a bullfrog
日が暮れる浮沈の旅のウシガエル
Oh, little rising swallow,
What think you of the swallowing
Hazy sky?
小燕や霞の空を呑むが如
His fingertips
Dipped in a note
Of a banjo
バンジョーの音符に浸る指の先
Note: Short Japanese Poetry of 17 phonetic Units of 5, 7, 5 Pattern
Inspired by ten English haiku by Adjei Agyei-Baah and Turkson Adu Darkwa, Hidenori Hiruta translated them literally into ten Japanese short poems first of all.
As a result, the interpretative Japanese poems of 5, 7, 5 pattern are added to the English haiku as above. Some of them might be haiku（俳句）, and others senryū（川柳).
Surprisingly, two of the English haiku by Adjei Agyei-Baah were interpreted into Japanese tanka （短歌） poetry of 5,7,5,7,7 pattern. This is because English is different from Japanese.
Bio:
Turkson Adu Darkwa, born on October 7, 1987, in Ghana, is a dedicated educator and accomplished poet. With a teaching career spanning both Ghana and China, he brings a global perspective to his work. Turkson’s passion for creative writing, particularly poetry, is evident in his numerous accolades. He has received prestigious awards from the Ghana Poetry Foundation and excelled in international haiku competitions, winning the English section of the 5th Japan-Russia Haiku Contest in 2016 and earning the Akita International University President Award. His haiku, including the poignant “after the storm / the homelessness / of fallen leaves” and “long afternoon / a mango hangs / on a ripe sun,” garnered recognition in the 19th Mainichi Haiku Contest in Japan. As a proud member of the Mamba, an African Haiku Magazine, and a published haiku poet in renowned international magazines like Heron’s Nest, Turkson continues to contribute to the global haiku community. Currently, he is working on his own anthology of haiku, showcasing his distinctive voice and profound observations. Beyond his literary pursuits, Turkson enjoys hiking, fishing, and shaping young minds as a teacher.
Akita International Haiku Network 