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!
31.
harmattan winds…
crossing the border
with leaves
ハーマタン国境越える木の葉かな
32.
sleepless night
caught between her snore
and my toothache
眠れぬ夜彼女の鼾我が歯痛
33.
black coffee
white sugar
I stir the world into oneness
白糖に黒き珈琲世は一つ
34.
smiling pond…
a dragonfly dips
its tail
笑ふ池一羽の蜻蛉尾を浸す
35.
end of the road –
a railway track runs
into the erath
道の端地球へ走る線路かな
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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
***
嵐過ぎ家を失ふ落葉かな
***
Four English Haiku
Harmattan pathway –
Floating dust defies
Gravity
ハーマタン風吹く道に浮遊する塵は逆らひ重力を越ゆ
Heatwave –
the koel feather cruising
on the birdbath.
熱波来て鬼郭公の飛び回る鳥の水場に羽を浴せり
Sunset –
Toward an unfinished nest,
Pigeon with white rose
日没に白薔薇運ぶ鳩一羽巣作り目指しひたすら向かふ
Contemplations –
The eagle on a high cliff,
Between earth and sky.
天地間高崖の鷲黙想す
***
Note: Short Japanese Poetry of 17 phonetic Units of 5, 7, 5 Pattern
Inspired by nine English haiku by Adjei Agyei-Baah and Turkson Adu Darkwa, Hidenori Hiruta translated them literally into Japanese short poems first of all.
As a result, six 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, three of the English haiku 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 