a friendship renewed
with butter chicken and rice
then into March wind
3.13.18
for K
///
finger hurts, pulsing
Builders Tea is nearly gone
worse yet, it’s snowing!
3.13.18
Leave a CommentCategory: Haiku
Bashō was my age
when he walked the narrow road
in drawings he’s old
3.8.18
///
“Such Great Heights” playing
in this café as I work;
our freckles aligned
3.8.18
Leave a Commentone drop of water
falls into the hotel sink
I am far from home
3.6.18
Butler PA
///
raspy laughter comes
through the wall from the next room
in (one) out (two) in…
3.6.18
Butler PA
cold wind like a slap
boys, biking, do not feel it
I wait in the car
3.3.18
Phillipsburg PA
///
car zooms by outside
rain spatter on rubber tires
while upstairs: zazen
3.3.18
State College PA
wind ruffles my sleeves
“every wall is a door”
:confusing sign reads
2.28.18
///
wind ruffles my sleeves
“every wall is a door”
— so says an odd sign
2.28.18
version 2
///
wind ruffles my sleeves
“every wall is a door”
(I go around though)
2.28.18
version 3
///
sign flapping in wind:
“every wall is a door”
I go around though
2.28.18
version 4
all written in Pittsburgh PA
Leave a Commentmorning bird’s sharp chirp
pierces the predawn darkness
spring cannot be rushed
2.27.18 (5:30 a.m.)
Leave a Comment
feet sore from walking
back sweaty from early warmth
jump in shower — ah!
/ / /
Jason Crane
25 February 2015
State College PA
I go through periods of reading and writing haiku. I’ve done it ever since I moved to Japan in 1991 and picked up a copy of Basho’s Narrow Road To The Deep North in a bookstore in Sendai. Today I listened to this talk from Upaya Zen Center (where I almost ended up living in 2013) and decided it was time to start writing haiku again.
In the past I paid little to no attention to the 17-syllable rule, given that in Japanese it’s not even syllables that are counted. But Craig Strand’s part of the talk changed my mind. He said that focusing on three elements — form, season and present mind — frees the mind to express exactly what is there. In other words, the restrictions allow for true freedom. So I’m going to try sticking to 17 syllables.
One Comment
