2012—a haiku odysseyneilblacknell.com/library/haiku.pdf · 2015. 3. 30. · 2012—a haiku...
TRANSCRIPT
2012—A Haiku Odyssey
One hundred haiku;
Seventeen-hundred syllables;
Stones to ford the Styx.
A gap in the clouds;
Luring buds to bloom again;
The return of Spring.
1
Missing from the breeze;
The kiss of the North Country;
A stab in the heart.
2
End of a tunnel;
Gloom becomes light becomes warmth;
Your smile and your breast.
3
Shadow in your eyes;
Shying at the stable door;
Scared of straw and peace.
4
Lip-red, blood-red bus;
Chariot and prison cell;
Kiss me soon my love.
5
Smouldering nighttime fire;
Quenched by love and happiness;
Embers of desire.
6
Fortunes rise and fall;
Natural and graphical;
Outline of the hills.
7
Summer promises;
Hillside heather, golden gorse;
Sunlight on your breast.
8
Summer promises;
Breakers crashing on the shore;
Ice-tipped solitude.
9
A beat of your heart;
Lightning strike from cloud to earth;
A beat of my heart.
10
Reflection of the stars;
Færies dancing out of reach;
The perfect sword stroke.
11
The delight of Færie;
Just beyond the ken of Man;
Catch me if you can...
12
Delight in failure;
The same clouds, the same sunshine;
Pleasure in success.
13
Luminescent disc;
Mystical and magical;
Stabbing through the pines.
14
Pleading skyward eyes;
Harbinger of summer warmth;
The swallow's return.
15
Ramshackle garden;
Consequences of neglect;
Will love bloom again?
16
Sapling in each hand;
Both demanding my surrender;
Who will take me first?
17
Flower that you brought;
Sprinkled dewdrops on my breast;
Taste my gratitude.
18
Cancer in April…
Jewel missing in the crown;
A daughter’s love lost.
19
Oasis of love;
Storytelling round the fire;
The screech of an owl.
20
Island and beacon;
Splash of rain stains parched grey ash;
Phœnix rise again!
21
Mottled clumps of snow;
Tissues lying by the bed;
Pools of melted love.
22
Seeds that sprout nightmares;
Ivy climbs my rose trelis;
Infidelity.
23
The orchid’s strange allure;
Primitive and decadent;
Madonna and whore.
24
Your cold, stony face;
Hardness, wetness, roles reversed;
Penetrate my tears.
25
Executioner;
Scribe my crime upon my heart;
With pen or with sword.
26
Call of the chaffinch;
Timpani roll and thunder;
Oblation of larks.
27
The point that you touch;
Attack, caress—an interface;
So shall I respond.
28
Life in harmony;
Melodic and discordant;
Shönberg and Bach.
29
Promotion ahead;
By sepulchre Jesus wept;
Fear of ascension.
30
Renaissance unfold;
Man’s achievements limited;
The demise of faith.
31
A perfect pleasure;
Neither too great nor too small;
Lucifer's revenge.
32
Germinal darkness;
Of celestial chaos born;
Love at last declared.
33
Your gentle caress;
My vainglorious empty angst;
The poppy's petals.
34
Yesterday’s embrace;
Shoe on a bus shelter roof;
A lost memory.
35
Early evening rain;
Washing, cleansing, nourishing;
Tears of gratitude.
36
Smoking volcano;
Lava coursing through my veins;
Begging to be cut.
37
Willow behind glass;
Beautiful, your love for me;
Beautiful, your pain.
38
Rose through the window;
Beautiful, my love for you;
Beautiful, my pain.
39
Lonely companions;
Together, never touching;
Tramlines in the wheat.
40
Victory divine!
If I loathed my enemy;
As I hate myself.
41
Speak Thee Not to Me;
Deliberate and silent;
The river remains.
42
Swirling energy;
Man and woman, yin and yang;
Eddies in the stream.
43
Sometimes it is me;
Sometimes it is someone else;
Stranger in a bar.
44
Summer evening chill;
Oats amongst the swaying corn;
My elusive guilt.
45
Precipitation;
Rocks awash, colours ablaze;
Moist, expressive eyes.
46
Evaporation;
Desiccated eyes and rocks;
Rainbows faded grey.
47
A four-leafed clover;
Singular deformity;
Blessing or defect?
48
Seagull, goose and crow;
Barred from splendor by numbers;
Daisies on the lawn.
49
Saint Peter’s contempt;
Weeping at the Pearly Gates;
Forgotten password!
50
Obsidian black;
Mocking silence, false alarms…
Waiting for your call.
51
Flowers in a vase;
Attacker lying at my feet;
Complete perfection.
52
Innocent the hills;
Black cock, shag, chough and beaver;
Hurry Home My Love!
53
An outsized marrow;
Neighbours shamed and friends outstripped;
An Olympic Gold.
54
Kindle or kindling;
Can technology ignite
The Eternal Flame?
55
Visions all extinct;
Capitalism remains;
The Eternal Flame.
56
Capitalism;
Possession of capital;
Man’s only escape.
57
Sun-bleached skull and spine;
Mangy gelding euthanised;
Leftovers of Man.
58
Bike frame chained to post;
Rusty triangle stripped bare;
Leftovers of Man.
59
Doppler red and blue;
Past me, lashed by God and self;
Running through the rain.
60
Cooperation…
Shaking hands with your clenched fist;
Dancing on my own.
61
Horizontal rays;
Sun now beating overhead;
Half a day slips by…
62
Fuchsia, avocado,
Emerald and robin’s egg;
Hues bestowed by God.
63
Gods into battle!
Celestial gladiators;
Temporal disputes.
64
Sprightly and erect;
Drooping shyly, slightly shamed;
Lilac… buddleia…
65
River without rocks;
Sky, but clouds obscure the sun;
Life without your love.
66
Rift Valley sunset;
Sunrise over Mount Fuji;
Glencoe in the rain.
67
Looking at the world;
Disney-tinted spectacles
Help to keep things real.
68
Touch me if you dare!
Appearance, reality;
Nettle, dead nettle.
69
Menacing letters;
But coercion cannot draw
Blood out of a stone.
70
Bankrupt exodus;
Humiliation… failure…
Touch me if you dare!
71
Contemplate my fate…
Robins singing in August!
Am I blessed or doomed?
72
Folds of whipping cream;
Softly undulating hills;
Pleasure peak ahead!
73
Solitary oak;
Too much earth meets too much sky;
Broken horizon.
74
Tangle of Autumn;
Winter's teeth comb Summer's fronds;
Stark cold twigs remain.
75
Felt I was alive;
With youthful intensity;
Just for a second.
76
Moss-covered tombstones;
The passing of the famous;
Time keeps rolling on.
77
Pillow of content;
No resentment, no regrets;
A well-made death bed.
78
So much left undone!
A winter with no autumn;
Death bed poorly made.
79
Downfall of Mankind;
Elevation of the Beast;
Nature’s knowing sigh.
80
Promiscuity;
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Ripples blur the pond.
81
Passing of summer;
Robins singing winter song;
The White Witch returns.
82
The tears of children;
Irrigating adult pride;
Raindrops from Heaven.
83
Snowflakes from Heaven;
Melting, dampening childlike cheeks;
God’s will overturned.
84
Eyes across the bar;
Flashing headlight gratitude;
Wordless empathies.
85
Insecurities;
Meteorites from distant space;
Raindrops on the roof.
86
Effervescent pains;
Inhale light, exhale darkness;
Summer never fades.
87
Tesco bag and leaf;
Earth-born, wind-borne fluttering;
The Autumn of Man.
88
One stress too many;
The habit of worrying;
Terminal winter.
89
Sunshine to snowflakes;
Briefer than a turning page;
North Country autumn.
90
Simultaneous;
Past and present, every point;
Inhale, hold, exhale.
91
Invasive species;
The root of my jealousies;
Violates my mouth.
92
Mr. Micawber;
Wed to Mrs. Gargery;
A match made in Hell.
93
The limits of Man;
Arctica, Antarctica;
Relentless toothache.
94
Gazing at the stars;
Nodes in pictures that expose
Human vanity.
95
Ever-changing sea;
Aston Martin, Dr. Martens;
Islands in the storm.
96
Crystal winterscape;
Colours stark against the snow;
Highlights of your face.
97
Annual milestones;
Sakura and Santa Claus;
Stepping stones to death.
98
Elf-made mobile phones…
Equally infeasible:
Reindeer in the sky.
99
Follow the leader;
Footprints on a narrow path;
Matsuo Basho.
100
Contents1. A gap in the clouds
“Gap in the Clouds” © Neil Blacknell2. Missing from the breeze “Weathercock—Spring” © Neil Blacknell3. End of a tunnel Photo © Carolyn Cowan4. Shadow in your eyes5. Lip-red, blood-red bus6. Smouldering nighttime fire7. Fortunes rise and fall Photo © Chris Mann8. Summer promises (Sunlight on your breast) Photo © Valeria Evdokimova9. Summer promises (Ice-tipped solitude)10. A beat of your heart Adapted from “Dean Calligraphy” © Neil Blacknell11. Reflection of the stars12. The delight of Færie Photo © Valeria Evdokimova13. Delight in failure Photo © Valeria Evdokimova14. Luminescent disc Photo © Carolyn Cowan15. Pleading skyward eyes16. Ramshackle garden Photo © Carolyn Cowan17. Sapling in each hand Adapted from “Dean Calligraphy” © Neil Blacknell18. Flower that you brought Photo © Carolyn Cowan19. Cancer in April
Photo © Pete20. Oasis of love “Owl” © Neil Blacknell21. Island and beacon Photo © Carolyn Cowan
22. Mottled clumps of snow
23. Seeds that sprout nightmares Photo © Ron Eibel24. The orchid’s strange allure Photo © Valeria Evdokimova25. Your cold, stony face26. Executioner27. Call of the chaffinch Photo © Carolyn Cowan28. The point that you touch29. Life in harmony
“Colourscapes” © Neil Blacknell30. Promotion ahead “Airport” © Neil Blacknell31. Renaissance unfold Photo © Carolyn Cowan32. A perfect pleasure Detail from“Long Hair, Short Hair” © Neil Blacknell33. Germinal darkness “Body” © Chris Mann34. Your gentle caress Photo © Carolyn Cowan35. Yesterday’s embrace36. Early evening rain Detail from “Colourdrops—Plum” © Neil Blacknell37. Smoking volcano
“Body” © Chris Mann38. Willow behind glass Photo © Penny Maycock39. Rose through the window Photo © Penny Maycock40. Lonely companions Photo © Carolyn Cowan41. Victory divine42. Speak Thee Not to Me “Heron” © Neil Blacknell
43. Swirling energy “Paradise” © Neil Blacknell44. Sometimes it is me Adapted from “Dean Calligraphy” © Neil Blacknell45. Summer evening chill “The Sinner” © Neil Blacknell46. Precipitation Photo © Carolyn Cowan47. Evaporation Photo © Chris Mann48. A four-leafed clover49. Seagull, goose and crow Photo © Carolyn Cowan50. Saint Peter’s contempt Adapted from “Five Gates” © Neil Blacknell51. Obsidian black Photo © Carolyn Cowan52. Flowers in a vase Detail from “Colourdrops—Parasol” © Neil Blacknell53. Innocent the hills54. An outsized marrow55. Kindle or kindling56. Visions all extinct Photo © Valeria Evdokimova57. Capitalism Picture © Adrian Miler58. Sun-bleached skull and spine Photo © Carolyn Cowan59. Bike frame chained to post60. Doppler red and blue “Doppler” © Neil Blacknell61. Cooperation62. Horizontal rays “Half a Day” © Neil Blacknell63. Fuchsia, avocado Photo © Carolyn Cowan
64. Gods into battle Picture © Momo Ueda65. Sprightly and erect66. River without rocks67. Rift Valley sunset68. Looking at the world69. Touch me if you dare Photo © Valeria Evdokimova70. Menacing letters71. Bankrupt exodus72. Contemplate my fate Detail from “Life in Bars” © Neil Blacknell73. Folds of whipping cream
Photo © Carolyn Cowan74. Solitary oak “Oak Fen” © Neil Blacknell75. Tangle of Autumn Photo © Chris Mann76. Felt I was alive “Alive!” © Neil Blacknell and Chris Mann77. Moss-covered tombstones78. Pillow of content79. So much left undone80. Downfall of Mankind Picture © Adrian Miler81. Promiscuity82. Passing of summer “Turqoise” © Neil Blacknell83. The tears of children Picture © Adrian Miler84. Snowflakes from Heaven Photo © Carolyn Cowan85. Eyes across the bar86. Insecurities “Colourdrops—Black” © Neil Blacknell87. Effervescent pains
88. Tesco bag and leaf89. One stress too many “Stress” © Neil Blacknell90. Sunshine to snowflakes “Weathercock—Autumn” © Neil Blacknell91. Simultaneous
Adapted from “Dean Calligraphy” © Neil Blacknell92. Invasive species93. Mr. Micawber Picture © Paul Fleming94. The limits of Man Photo © Carolyn Cowan95. Gazing at the stars Photo © Chris Mann96. Ever-changing sea97. Crystal winterscape Photo © Carolyn Cowan98. Annual milestones99. Elf-made mobile phones 100. Follow the leader Photo © Carolyn Cowan