雨
春かがやく竿にならびて雨雫 正子
春の朝呼気のうるおう雨であり 正子
鞆の浦の保命酒
雛の日の保命酒甘酒熱くして 正子
●朝、窓を開けると物干し竿に雨の雫が並んでいた。昨日と変わって、気温が下がって冷たい。久しぶりの雨に雨の良さを知る。
●岩手の大船戸の山林火災が６日になろうというのに、まだ消えない。このまえのロスアンジェルスの山火事といい、あちこちで山林火災。鎮火は雨しかないのかもしれない。
●子供英語俳句の「まえがき」や「あとがき」の英文が難しいと言うので、やさしい英文に書き換えた。対象は小学高学年にしているが、やさしくし過ぎると本文の中身をあまり考えずに読む心配があるので、塩梅がむずかしい。今日も何度も書き直し、最終稿をここに書き留める。
私が初めて小説を読んだのが、６年生のときに伯父の家の本棚にあった漱石の『三四郎』。「三四郎」という名前がおもしろそうなので、引っ張り出して読んだのだが、内容はまるで分っていなかったと思う。それまでは、江戸川乱歩の『怪獣二十面相』とアンデルセンやグリム童話を面白がっていた。本は読んでいなかった。それから判断して、小学高学年から自分とては、少し難しい本を読み始めるのではないかと思ったりした。
Revised:
Preface
This book contains 50 haiku written by my daughter, Kumiko, from ages 4 to 18 in Matsuyama, the birthplace of haiku master Masaoka Shiki. Kumiko has been writing haiku poetry for nearly 37 years and now lives and works in Tokyo after graduating from Keio University, where she studied mathematics.
Fortunately, Japan has experienced no war for almost 80 years. However, in recent years, we have endured severe earthquakes and natural disasters. I translated my daughter's haiku for children of all ages, praying that they live in peace and happiness, finding inspiration and solace from these poems.
I am publishing this book to mark the 41st anniversary of the first publication of Haiku Magazine Kakan, on the birthday of our dear father and husband, Professor Nobuyuki Takahashi, also a haiku poet. He faced hard times after the end of World War II and passed away on May 24, 2023.
March 10, 2025, Masako Takahashi
Afterword
Kumiko’s haiku in this book are from Chapter 1, "Kaigara（Seashells）" of her haiku collection "Tebukuro no Iro （Colors of Mittens）", published in 2012. Her haiku collection "Tebukuro no Iro" contains 208 haiku poems. Usually, ｈer haiku have 5-7-5 syllables, but the English-translations are shorter. Keeping haiku brief is important.
Enjoy Kumiko’s haiku and try making your own. It’s easy to make haiku. Just use short sentences, like talking to a family member, school teacher, or friend when you are happy, sometimes sad, or when you see something interesting or pretty flowers. You can make haiku anytime. I believe your haiku will bring you joy and help you feel refreshed.
I also want to thank the many foreign haiku poets who sent their haiku to “”Haiku Spotlight“ and influenced my English haiku. ”Haiku Spotlight” was published weekly by Prof. Nobuyuki Takahashi, helped by Masako Takahashi (née Ombe) , from 1968 to 1970. Here are the names of these poets, even though some poets may now in heaven:
Eric W. Amann, William J. Higginson, John H. Wills, J.C. Williams, Sydell Rosenberg, Mabelle A. Lyon, Thelma Finefrock, Ossie E. Tranbarger, Irma Wassall, Edmund Miller, and other poets.
March 10, 2025, in Yokohama, Masako Takahashi
About Nobuyuki Takahashi
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About Haiku Spotlight
"Haiku Spotlight" was published weekly by Prof. Nobuyuki Takahashi in Matsuyama from September 1968 to April 1970 (Issues No. 1 to No. 70). The publication style involved printing haiku on postcards in English. These haiku were sent to Prof. Nobuyuki Takahashi from various countries, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, Israel, and Japan, with the majority coming from the USA. The collection includes 335 haiku by 57 haiku poets, both foreign and Japanese. Issue No. 13 featured special haiku for Holy Night by Japanese haiku poets, gathered to greet the foreign haiku poets. Sometimes, individual poets' haiku were compiled, while other times Prof. Takahashi expressed his view of haiku.
★Some Haiku from "Haiku Spotlight"
Winer sunset:
the red faces of skaters
burn on the ice.
Eric. W. Amann
＊
Ranks of clouds,
silver etched, stream on beyond
the winter sun.
William. H. Higginson (Hian)
＊
Dakota landscape ―
even the evening sun
the color of wheat.
John. H. Wills
＊
Over the road
water overflowing ―
tadpoles flow too!
Nobuyuki Takahashi
The fire
is too large for me
to warm alone.
Nobuyuki Takahashi
Ein Bächlein nicht tief
im Herbst; so fließt das Wasser
schell und lebendig.
Nobuyuki Takahashi
—————————————————
★ December 21, 1968
No.13
Holt Night
The boughs of a fir
before decorating;
they’re leaned against.
Gafu Kawamoto
＊
At Holy Night I bathe,
and get tapwater into
a red vessel.
Toshiko Yokoyama
＊
At Holy Eve
the freesias all slender
And just open out.
Masako Ombe
＊
The moon wanes a little
at the end of the street:
This Holy Night.
Nobuyuki Takahashi