A Tree in the Marsh

Born in the lowland
protected from the wind
this tree was living
a good life always...

blossoming out in the spring breeze,
giving shades to summer birds,
dressing up in gold in autumn,
sleeping in peace through wnter;

and now...
he is awake and content.

Many years have passed.
It has been an ordinary life
with happiness and sadness;

and now...
the lowland is sunk in water.

Standing there valiantly
is this old tree,
no more flowers and golden leaves;

and now...
only offering
proud silence
in the marsh.

t.m.s.

...........................................

Please turn to other sections for translation into
Japanese and Spanish.

Rainy season

The rain cloud still hangs over my area... and dampens
everything. Basho's following haiku reminds me of my
house in the rainy season.

さみだれや　色紙へぎたる　壁の跡

rainy season...
the wall shows
old shikishi that peeled off

"Shikishi" is a square piece of fancy paper for writing
poems on.

The following are my haiku :

daybreak...
softly tapping my dream
spring rain

暁闇の　夢を叩くや　春の雨

alborada...
golpecitos a mi sueno
lluvia de la primavera

gardenia
tight and molded...
no end to the rain

花の命　かびて開かず　長雨に

gardenia
blotes apretados...
lluvia interminable

Finally Summer!

Approaching mid June... cold days lingered on for so long
in New York area. But finally, the last Sakura turned to
leaves and the graceful Iris holds up the pods, promising
next year's return.

birds chirping
earlier than usual
forcast of a very hot day

小鳥まで　早起きするや　酷暑の日


ceiling fan...
afternoon nap,
a slow day of June

扇風機　眠りをさそう　六月の午後


It's been many years since Mother passed away.
But her Kimono still bears scent of camphor.

rearranging the closet
mother's kimono
bears camphor still

ころもがえ　母の着物の　樟脳のかおり

Husband died; the only son married;
a liberated woman am I?
No... loneliness creeps in
when I cook dinner.

　　　one cup
　　　of rice washed...
　　　the pot too large


夫は逝き、一人息子は結婚。
私は解放されて
自由な昔にもどれるだろうか？
いいえ.......　一人暮らしの淋しさが
夕餉の支度をするたびに
じわじわと寄ってくる。

　　　一杯の米　電気クッカー　大きすぎ

Wisteria Season (continued)

I am still struggling to learn about blogging. The second
part of "Wisteria Season" was cut off for some
reason
I don't know!

　　　　　. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The following haiku is mine.

evening walk...
following
the sent of wisteria

藤の香に　つられて歩く　ゆうべかな


distant thunder...
wisteria racemes
ripple

春雷の　とどろくゆうべ　藤の波

Wisteria Season

The wisteria season is about to end. I'm going to cite
a couple of haiku on fuji (wisteria) before the season is over.
The most famous may be the following:


草臥れて　宿かる頃や　藤の花　　　　　芭蕉

ehausted
looking for a place to stay...
scent of wisteria


風入れて　めざめかぐはし　藤の頃　　　　秋桜子

waked up...
the scent of wisteria
in the breeze

Town of Asakusa

Asakusa is located in north-east of Tokyo, and it is
famous for wholesale stores and the Asakusa Kannon*.
This heavily populated town reminds me of Saigon
and Hongkong. I was born and lived mostly in
the west side of Tokyo so that a visit to Asakusa
always stimulates my curiosity.

Noises...
cars
town folks
crows

騒音... 自動車 人声 町鴉

Clamores ruidos...
carros
voz-voz-voz
cuervos ciudadanos

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

tentative rain
street lamps
an umbrella for a pair

夜の街　相合傘に　雨が降る

la lluvia de pronto
por a calle a la noche
un paraguas de los amantes

* Goddess of mercy

Spring Rain

daybreak...
softly tapping my dream
spring rain


暁暗の　夢を叩くや　春の雨


la madrugada...
golpecitos a mi sueno
lluvia de la primavera

A Storm is Coming

The Sun comes up behind the premordial trees in Nassau County, NY. Over the shingle roofs, the sky streches out to the ocean.........

morning stillness
the sky abraze
a storm is coming

Evening Stroll

"Moonlight Sonata"
faintly traverses
the pavement whose house?

To my bloggers, walk with me and send me your poems!

tms

Cradle of My Life

I lived in Central California from 1989 to 2000, the most peaceful and artistically productive time in my life. Born a Piscean, the sea was a cradle to me, comforting, cleansing, and healing. The following haiku is from that period:

fogs sailing by my window...
the horn at the harbor
starts to toot

So much has happened in the past decade in my life. The glorious yamazakura still blooms when spring comes. But she stands alone now... a blessed freedom, maybe... nonetheless a life of a lone travelor.

Soy una peregrina... l'etragere... a stranger... maybe not destined to settle down anywhere. A tanka of Wakayama Bokusui comes to my mind:

幾山河　越えさりゆかば　淋しさの　果てなむ国ぞ　独り旅ゆく

"Crossing mountains and rivers, / I make a lonesome journey... / will there
be a place where / this loneliness dissipate?"

I shall keep going on this solitary road, knowing that there are other "peregrinos" like me all over the world.


Tei Matsushita Scott

Impersonal Summer

Breeze...
August...
the white sun...

The wheel of time
keeps turning without chiming.

Man is born and Man is gone;
the life keeps churning.

Impersonal summer...
September...

Adieus!

A passing rain

a passing rain...

crows in the woods

hush to listen

A green tomato

dried up vine
a green tomato hangs on...
an orphant in the Sun

Old Sakura Tree

Bloomed
and danced
through many rains and winds,
aged and
lying down now
this old sakura tree.

Dreaming to be
the Yoshino in full bloom,
shakes her limbs
to make blizzard of petals
to reach out gently
to adorn children's hair.

Spring again...
unexpected sign
of life in her too.

Collects her strength once more
to dance and sing
her last song.

let me live
to the end...
flowers in my song

Kaleidoscope

kaleidoscope...
holding hand
full of age spots

New Life

April Fool's Day...
beginning of
brunt new life