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
English Haiku from Adjei’s haiku collection Afriku (2016)
Dedication
My pleasure for your leisure –
It’s for you, Africa –
Celebrate!
11.
egrets in formation
a young one
breaks the rule
若サギの隊形乱す飛行かな
12.
lonely
as I canoe by …
the moon
一人漕ぐカヌーに月の付き添へり
13.
dawn –
the distant sound
of my neighbor’s broom
夜が明ける遠き隣家のホウキ音
14.
full moon –
the scarecrow watches
its own shadow
満月や案山子見守る我が影を
15.
dark moon –
the shriek of an owl
unsettles a dream
暗い月梟の声夢乱す
Turkson Adu Darkwa (Ghana)
after the storm
the homelessness
of fallen leaves
Winner of Akita International University President’s Award, in the English section of the 5th Japan-Russia Haiku Contest, 2016
嵐過ぎ家を失う落葉かな
Five English Haiku
After a fight,
a snail shell lying on its own side
of the riverbed.
かたつむり戦ひの後横になる
Most soaring lark,
Be sure to glide with care –
The earth is watching
揚げ雲雀用心深く滑空を
From the springboard
In spring
Summer on my mind
我が心春から夏へ飛びにけり
Ponderosa pine –
songs of warblers linger, like
memories on old fields.
ポンデロサ松の木にムシクイの歌古い野原を思い出す如
Frostbite –
a stone buddha
blanketed in snow
霜やけや石仏覆ふ雪の布
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, one of the English haiku by Turkson Adu Darkwa was 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.
Hidenori Hiruta
Akita International Haiku Network
Akita International Haiku Network 