Tag Archives: Matsuo Bashō

virtual friends . . .

Posted on October 4, 2014 by Margaret Dornaus

  Lately, I’ve had the good fortune to have my work showcased by two virtual friends. The first, Marjorie Buettner, is one of three new editors at the helm of the recently revamped Contemporary Haibun Online. Although I’ve never met Marjorie in … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemporary Haibun Online, Graceguts, Haibun, Haibun Today, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Marjorie Buettner, Michael Dylan Welch | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Poem in your pocket . . .

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Margaret Dornaus

Poem in Your Pocket Day is coming–April 26–and I’m asking readers to send their favorite haiku (no more than 3 please) to me by Tuesday, April 24, for my Thursday post.  The idea is to share a poem with others … Continue reading →

Posted in Basho, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, National Poetry Month | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Fallen blossoms . . .

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Margaret Dornaus

cherry blossoms– we visit the graves of the unknown      –Honorable Mention       Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational 2011 Two weeks ago I found myself in Oklahoma City as part of a gathering of travel writers from all over the country.  Having been born … Continue reading →

Posted in 9/11, Basho, Cherry blossoms, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Oklahoma City Memorial, Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Toad Suck . . .

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Margaret Dornaus

at Toad Suck I contemplate syllables and old ponds like a child puddle-jumping loudly through soft falling rain                         Ribbons, Spring 2011, #1 It’s raining here tonight (again!), just as it was the evening I drove myself through Toad Suck … Continue reading →

Posted in Basho, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Old Pond, Spring, Tanka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Homage: Frog-age . . .

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Margaret Dornaus

Recently, Melissa Allen of Red Dragonfly posted a string of brilliant “afters” inspired by some of the master Bashō’s haiku.  As a translator, I know how difficult (impossible?) it is to translate either French or Spanish poetry into English, but Japanese . . … Continue reading →

Posted in Basho, Haiga, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Old Pond | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

But is it haiku? . . .

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Margaret Dornaus

     The jars of octopus– brief dreams      under the summer moon.                                                   –Bashō (trans., Robert Hass) Much of what I’ve done so far on this blog is not, strictly speaking, haiku.  After all, where’s the obligatory season word–the kigo?  For that … Continue reading →

Posted in Basho, English language haiku, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Kigo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

All Souls Tributes . . .

Posted on October 30, 2010 by Margaret Dornaus

the whole family all with white hair and canes visiting graves                          –Bashō (trans., Jane Reichhold) As Halloween and El Día de los Muertos approach, once again I look to Bashō for inspiration on how to best remember those who’ve traveled down the ancestral road … Continue reading →

Posted in All Hallow's Eve, Basho, Haiku, Haiku-doodle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

More from Bashō, et. al. . . .

Posted on October 24, 2010 by Margaret Dornaus

Thank you to those who responded with their inspirations from Bashō’s autumn haiku.  From Melissa Allen, author of the haiku blog Red Dragonfly, a favorite translation: The road here– No traveler comes along this autumn evening.                                      —trans., Makoto Ueda                      And Melissa’s version: night … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Basho, Haiku, Haiku-doodle, Kikaku | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Autumn epigram . . .

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Margaret Dornaus

Kono michi ya! Yuku hito nashi ni, Aki no kure.                       –Bashō 17th-century pilgrimage poet, Matsuo Bashō, wrote that haunting haiku in the autumn of his travels.  The poem’s shape shifts effortlessly in the hands of different translators as they try to walk down Bashō’s  road.  Here … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Basho, Haiku, Haiku-doodle | Tagged , , | 7 Comments