Friday 11 September 2009

Haiku in English(9)


(photo) the great gate, in Kohyasan, Wakayama prefecture, Japan



the homeless man
takes off his shoes before
his cardboard house


Penny Harter, US

I was very surprised to read this haiku first. It succeeds to express cultural essence Japanese people have through a homeless man. Most Japanese haiku poets don't think a homeless man is the theme of haikus. In this way, this haiku is new. Actually, I've tried to craft homeless haikus as follows:

feeling deeply moved by
the back of a homeless man―
a sneeze

barefoot sandals of
a homeless man―
Christmas

presenting sake
to a homeless man―
December

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