Haiga 726 Snowman haiku 12

Haiku by Peter Newton (USA). Artwork by myself.
Peter san sent me a nice haiku book the other day. Its cover design is by myself. Its layout and overall desgin are very good. A handsome publication indeed.

The last day of 2011 here. My son and his wife have some last minute errande to attend to in the morning so I am baby-sitting two grand kids. There is no snow to play with. We would go to the park nearby and catch some minnows.

Haiga 725 Snowman haiku 11

Haiku by Dorothee Lang (Germany). Artwork by myself.
From olden days in Japan, children were called "Kaze no ko", meaning children of wind. No matter how cold and windy outside, they go out and play, often with snow. Dogs follow the children. Older folks and cats, however, are the ones who stay warm indoor.

No snow fall yet in my area hence no snowman, except on my blog.

Haiga 724 Snowman haiku 10

Haiku by Kent Dorsey (USA). Artwork by myself.
Kent san learned about this snowman haiga series through Mena san, and sent me this environment-conscious haiku.

Haiga 723 Snowman haiku 9

Haiku by Paul David Mena (USA). Artwork by myself.
This haiga has already circulated on the web a few days back, like on Facebook. When I received this haiku from Paul san, a guy's face flashed in my mind, Daisuke Matsusaka, a great pitcher of Red Sox. Though his accomplishments have been wonderful, for the season of 2011, he was in the disabled list due to Tommy John Surgery. He is probably like the snowman in this haiga now. Hope he will be back in good shape for the next season.
------
Going to Osaka this afternoon to have a meeting with my friends about the coming haiga exhibition there. The flyer is already done. All the works to be exhibited have been printed out already. We are going to check the video today.

Haiga 722 Snowman haiku 8

Haiku by @JGCheseney (Canada), and by @OldeHippi. Artwork by myself.
I received these haiku via Twitter almost at the same time, and thought both could share similar image so I made this haiga. That is the thing about image, it has broader interpretation.

Children have wonderful imagination. They can see life in almost anything and talk to them. Some even talk to stones. I guess the animism comes naturally to children.

Haiga 721 Snowman haiku 7

Haiku by Akito Arima (Japan). Artwork by myself.
Snowman lives short time in winter. When snow falls, children eagerly go out and make snowman, who receives much attention then, but soon gets forgotten.That is Arima san's observation, and it is rather sad. However, there's more to the story. When the next winter comes, snowman pops up everywhere, making children happy again.

We are like snowmen. We are born into this world, live the life, and pass away. Some belief thinks it is the end of the story. Some other belief thinks that one will reborn, born into this world again, just like snowman. I am one who believes the later blief.

Haiga 720 Snowman haiku 6

Haiku and artwork by myself.
Ever since I started the snowman haiga series, I am getting good response from people on the net. This prompted me to write my own snowman haiku.
In Japanese, snowman is Yuki-Daruma, and also from olden days, snowman is often called Yuki-botoke (snow-Buddha). Kobayashi Issa and other masters wrote haiku about Yuki-botoke.

ashamed--
even a child has made
a snow Buddha
(Issa)

One characteristic of Buddha's statue is ushnisha, the protruding thing on top of his head. So, in this haiku and haiga, I portrayed just that. Interestingly, ordinary snowman suddenly assume the aura of some sacred being.

And it is the Christmas time, hence this haiga below. This morning (already 25th here), my grand kids woke up to find what they wanted from Santa san.

Haiga 719 Snowman haiku 5

Haiku by Stella Plerides (Germany & UK). Artwork by myself.
When I was making this haiga, I imagined what the snowman was thinking.
Snowman seems to be saying:
"So things happened between he and you, and eventually he left leaving only his hat, which ended up on my head. You did not want to keep something that reminded him and all the quarrel between you two. I do not mind wearing the hat. When the spring thaw comes, though, I will be gone, but not the hat. I just hate to see the hat rot on the ground.
I know you keep glancing at me and the hat every time you pass by the window. I am sure he keeps on thinking about the hat he had left behind. The winter chill cools your heads little by little.
I am just hoping he will return, maybe on the Christmas Day, with a nice present for you. On the way, he would pick up the hat, put it on his head again, and just pop up at your door. So, let's keep the fingers crossed.

Haiga 718 Snowman haiku 4

Haiku by Alexis Rotella (USA). Artwork by myself.
Alexis san sent me this haiku. I wonder what the eyes are made of...something that fit into pocket. Anyway, haiku is always a starting point in making a haiga. I came up with a scene of image that may have followed the scene of haiku.

I exaggerated the size of the snowman, but I have been to a place in Japan, where snowfall often goes more than 4m deep, and there, snowman of this size is certainly possible. Only people there are too tired fighting with snow to enjoy it.

Haiga 717 Snowman haiku 3

Haiku by Winona Baker (Canada). Artwork by myself.
-----
I went to a Japanese calligraphy show at a museum by the Todaiji Temple, where big Buddha statue is enshrined. The large calligaraphies were done by a 26-year-old lady with Down's syndrome. Very powerful works. Her mother is a calligraphy master and taught her challenged daughter the skill. Both of them were at the show, and we chatted a little.



The calligraher's name is Shoko Kanazawa.The kanji on the screen is "Hope".

Haiga 716 Snowman haiku 2

Haiku by Vladmir Devide (Croatia). Artwork by myself.
I just noticed that there is only snowMAN, no snowWOMAN in the western world. Here in Japan though, we have snow-woman, who is not as jolly as the snowman. She is more like a ghost, supposedly very beautiful, but vicious and does some harm to people. Superstition has it that people who get lost in the winter mountains are said to be caused by snow-woman's doing.
No wonder that snowman is always alone and there is no married couple of snowman and snow-woman.
-------
A man in the north passed away. A new man is plump, and looks like a snowman. Will he melt as a new season comes? Time will tell.
-------
I wrote that I was looking for good snowman haiku, and already I received a batch, from which I made a haiga. I will post it on this blog soon.

Haiga 716 Snowman haiku 1

Haiku by Dimitar Anekiev (Slovenia). Artwork by myself.
The snowman is something of a special treat for me in the winter time ever since my child days. Here where I live, it does not snow much though the temperature goes down quite low. The snow falls occasionally but not enough to make a good clean snowman.

Last year was different, we had days with heavy snow. Kids and adults (me included) were out in the field, eagerly making snowmen. We were all happy to have great winter friends, the snowmen
------
I will be posting snowman haiga for a while. I am looking for good snowman haiku. Anybody?
------
New year is approaching, and everybody's busy writing Nenga-jyo (New Year postcard). For my mother-in-law, I made this postcard, printed it out on 20 Nenga-jyo cards, and sent them to her.

Haiga 715 Andres Ehin haiku

Haiku by Andres Ehin (Estonia). Artwork by myself.
Andres san recently passed away. He was born in Estonia in 1940. He has been awarded many prizes for his poetry, including the Estonian National Prize 2001 for his poetry collection Subconsciousness is always jolly. He has travelled extensively and read his poetry at many international festivals.

I met him several times at World Haiku Association Conferences. He was a large man, but always had quiet and gentle manner. His soul is probably whiter than the swans, and will return to this earth in the future as a baby to resume walking on his haiku path.

Haiga 714 Peter Yovu haiku 2

Haiku by Peter Yovu (USA). Artwork by myself.

Last night was one of several year-end parties for me. After finishing long editorial meeting for a magazine, we moved to a nearby Nomiya (eat and drink place). Good party last night, and no so good hangover today. I know what she is smiling at.

Haiga 713 Peter Yovu haiku 1

Haiku by Peter Yovu (USA). Artwork by myself.
Actually, as you can see, the painting is by some master in Europe. I know it is a famous painting, but I forgot the painter's name. I think some Flemish painter.

I used a part of the painting, manipulated digitally one arm of the lady so it looks as if she is waving to someone. I do not think she is pregnant, just holding her skirt, but she does look like pregnant, doesn't she?

My mother who bore 12 kids, of whom I am No.2, had in the end big belly and when twins were in her, she used to put both arms on her plump belly and swaggered in the house. Two years later she bore another twins.

Haiga 712 Mikajo Yagi haiku

Haiku by Mikajo Yagi (1924~, Japan). Artwork by myself.
Dr. Yagi lives in Sakai, Osaka, and is an eye doctor. She is quite well known in haiku circle, which includes Kaneko Tohta. She writes avant-garde haiku, but this haiku here is an easy one. I think it is befitting for this season.

Haiga 711 Vincent Tripi haiku 3

Haiku by Vincent Tripi (USA). Artwork by myself.
Since Christmas is approaching, I am posting this haiga.

Thinking back, I am amazed that it is already the end of this year, which started with the death of someone I really liked, and then the big 3.11. My mother-in-law decided to move into a nursing home, leaving her own home unattended. This necessitated getting our second car back (580km drive). I had a two-month long haiga exhibition in the summer, and am in the process of planning another one for coming January. I just hope there will be more of good things happening in the next year.

Haiga 710 Vincent Tripi haiku 2

Haiku by Vincent Tripi (USA). Artwork by myself.
When I started living in Honolulu, I lost my Seiko watch. I had to get another one but I did not have money. Then I found a Timex at a drug store and the price was affordable. The Timex did not look as good as my lost Seiko, but I was happy to have time on my wrist again.

In college days, I drifted into a stage where I no longer care about keeping time. I was an art student and time was simply irrelevant. And besides, I was living in a paradise island of Hawaii.

At about the time I got married more than 35 years ago, I became in need of a watch to be on time for dates with my fiance. I bought a Seiko watch, which according to the store owner, had been sitting around more than 5 years in the showcase. I got discount on it. I still use the watch time to time, and it ticks fine. Good watch really lasts.

Haiga 709 Vincent Tripi haiku 1

Haiku by Vincent Tripi (USA). Artwork by myself.
When I was making haiga for Vincent's haiku, I received several chap books he compiled. Quite handsome ones. Many of his haiku inspired me to do many haiga. It works that way for some collaboration.

Autumn here is quickly moving away, more and more trees are becoming without leaves. Chilly wind has taken the color of leaves away. And warm spring wind will bring back new colors to the leaves.

Haiga 708 Ron Riddell haiku 2

Haiku by Ron Riddell (NZ). Artwork by myself.

Haiga 707 Ron Riddell haiku 1

Haiku by Ron Riddell (New Zealand). Artwork by myself.
Ron is one of New Zealand’s most widely published poets. Also, a painter, a musician and the author of a number of plays and novels, he has published 15 collections of verse. At present, he lives in Wellington, where he is Director of The Wellington International Poetry Festival.
-------
Final trip to Tokyo this year is done. It was cold and snowed in some area. My stay in Tokyo in March ended with the big earthquakes on 3.11, which made me like a strayed dog in a big city. I am grateful that nothing unsafe happened in the subsequent trips. Hope it will remain so for the coming year.

Haiga 706 Kanon Sakaishi haiku

Haiku by Kanon Sakaishi (Japan). Artwork by myself.

Kanon san lives in the same area as I do, only her place a bit into the mountain, and closer to Iga Uneno, where Basho was born. Though she is an ordinary housewife, she has won some big haiku awards and is a dedicated haijin.

I watched a YouTube document last night. Interesting story about the money, about government issued money and bank issued money. The economy worldwide is waning like the setting sun in the haiga now. The answer to the problem may rest on who issue the money.

--------
I am off to Tokyo again for several days. Will resume posting when I am back so please stay turned.

Haiga 705 Kikko Yokoyama haiku

Haiku by Kikko Yokoyama (Japan). Artwork by myself.

Here and there on the web, there were mentioning of roadside haiku traffic sign. It is a nice collaboration of haiku-like message and artwork.
I sent an email of praise to the NY artist, John Morse, and informed him that there is a genre called haiga. I got reply back from him.

Pictographs for direction and loacation are ubiquitous in our life, namely the toilet sign. They are simple and convey message visually so everybody can understand. If haiku is put together with them, they may make a haiga.

This haiga here is using pictograph for emergency exit, which you find everywhere in Japan.

Haiga 704 R.K.Singh haiku 3

Haiku by R.K. Singh (India). Artwork by myself.

Now, this is a challenging haiku. The more challenging, I get more inspired, letting my imagination work in full force. The resulted haiga is the representation of my own interpretation.

Challenging haiku often contains layers of meaning, resulting in many interpretations depending on the readers. Just as anything in this world has multiple sides, haiku does the same. One needs to have clear and calm mind to appreciate many sides of the things.

Haiga 703 R.K.Singh haiku 2

Haiku by R.K. Singh (India). Artwork by myself.
The first thing that came to my mind when I read this haiku was sensuous figures carved on temple walls in India. From that imagination, I made this haiga.

The first time I visited India was more than 30 years ago. I stayed in Kolkata (then called Calcatta, typo?) for about a month. My firends and I were there to do some missionary work. We visited many homes, and time to time, played games with children too. Later in the stay, we had chance to visit Varanasi, New Delhi, and amazing Taj Mahal. Fond memory.

The second time was about 17 years ago. I made short stop over at Kolkata and Mumbal (then called Bambay) to give Tenrikyo lectures. Each time, India made strong impressions on me. Recently, I even wrote a short story (in Japanese) based on what I had seen in India.

Haiga 703 R.K.Singh haiku 1

Haiku by Prof. R. K. Singh (India). Artwork by myself.
Dr. Ram Krishna Singh is a professor and a head of Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian School of Mine. He tweeted me some haiku the other day, and I suggested haiga collaboration. He then sent me a batch of haiku and I made several haiga from them. This is one of them. A few more coming later.

Poetry has been a big thing in India from before, and now there are more and more haiku writers appearing there. This is a good thing for world haiku.
My blog is been visited from many countries around the world: Rumania, Greece, Italy, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Ukraine, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, England, UAE, South Africa, India, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, Laos, Mexico, Brasil, Australia, USA, Canada, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago.
Haiku population is steady increasing indeed.