MITSUAKI KOJIMA

　It seems to be raining all over the world according to our haikuists, Michiko Oishi in Vermont, Udo Wenzel in Germany, and Lorne Henry in Australia.

Spring rain
some with umbrella
some without

Morning rain
even cherry blossoms
gray

Autumn day
building bonsai shelves
between showers

　Prayers for rain have also been answered in Japan where the rainy season is about to begin. Mana Okauchi penned her very first haiku about an amphibian in her ``Haiku in English'' class at Tezukayama Gakuin University. Murasaki Sagano, author of ``Flowers and Trees'' that is set to hit bookstands this month, was less enamored by a sudden shower in Kyoto.

Spring afternoon
finding a dried up newt
I stop to pray

This spring rain
spotting these new shoes
from mother

　Twenty-seven species of rain-loving frogs inhabit Japan, the amphibians belonging to the Anura order. The amagaeru tree frogs are most common in lowland areas, but Reiko Nishimura likely heard the tonosamagaeru which prefers wet paddies. Her 2-5-3 syllable soliloquy refers to the end of winter when mating calls can be heard over chilly ponds and swamps. Andrew Grossman also creates a unique narrative poem set in springtime Virginia. His words stretch along a 6-8-6 syllable form.

come along, Mary Smith
float with us to the live river,
the frogs also sing hymns

　Michael Corr may have been searching for the Nihon akagaeru, used for medicinal purposes, when he wrote the following spring poem in Kasadera near Nagoya.

Looking for
temple rooster frog
splash was heard

　Corr wrote ``To Leave the Standing Grain,'' a book of poetry and woodcuts printed by Copper Canyon Press in Port Townsend, Washington. Thirty-one poems of varying style share his views on Zen and Kyoto.

　He notes what inspired his block print and seal reproductions that complement his poetry.

　My favorite poem, ``Corner Headlights,'' takes off with these 3 juxtaposed images, and the final poem in his chapbook groups 5 haiku stanzas each ending with the sound of the bush warbler.

Moon
Orion
Frost bit ears

Kyoto
temple sweeping
uguisu calls

Old
gone mad with singing
uguisu calls

Want to try composing haiku ?

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