Mainichi-Haiku in English

Annual Selection:

BEST OF 2012

Selections and comments by Isamu Hashimoto

Jan. 18, 2012

Thanksgiving day -

the first letter from
the wandering son

Vasile Moldovan (Bucharest, Romania)

Comment: Thank God, there will be a happy reunion sooner or later.

......................

April 16, 2012

Melting snow -

in each puddle
the full moon

Vasile Moldovan (Bucharest, Romania)

Comment: I have seen a lot of puddle haikus, and this full moon is shining anew.

.....................

April 20, 2012

moon above the mosque

the door is closing
stars and whispers...

Paul Dicu (Constanta, Romania)

Comment: The first line excites the traveler's sentiments.

.......................

April 25, 2012

spring thaw -

my right glove lost
in the subway

Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu (Bucharest, Romania)

Comment: For right or left, up or down, north or south, etc., the final decision of choosing the most appropriate words or phrases is very, very important. It's OK to exchange actual situations with other real ones for haiku perfection.

.....................

June 6, 2012

power break -

how clear the sound
of my baby's colic

Cezar F. Ciobica (Botosani, Romania)

Comment: After the huge tsunami disasters, I had a few power cuts in Chiba near Tokyo. In the dim light of a candle, I was forced to pass a few hours remembering the dark nights after World War II and felt rather relieved in using no electric power from the nuclear reactors. In the above haiku, "clear" implies the restoration of human nature.

.....................

Sept. 14, 2012

Customs house -
the sun is setting
in another country

Vasile Moldovan (Bucharest, Romania)

Comment: A taste of real haiku.

.................................

Oct. 20, 2012

night fishery -
a lone swan pecking
the stars

Cezar F. Ciobica (Botosani, Romania)

Comment: Pecking one by one.

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