第1348期：My Goodbye to 2021

Another year. What a year!

Nothing has got any better than two years ago — even worse, in a way.

I have nothing to say.

To wrap up my 2021, I have written 8 Haikus representing the four seasons that have just become history.

I got to know Haiku not long ago.

The 17-syllable poetry genre struck me at first sight. I fell in love with its brevity, conciseness, and power instantly.

Haiku is not always sad; it’s not only short and not necessarily elusive – it is brief, sensitive, and ethereal.

Reference books for Haiku beginners:

• Haiku: An Anthology of Japanese Poems, by Stephen Addiss

• The Heart of Haiku, by Jane Hirshfield

• The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology, Edited by Faubion Bowers

• 《这世界如露水般短暂：小林一茶俳句300》作者：小林一茶；译者：陈黎（台湾著名诗人）、张芬龄

My Haikus: Farewell to 2021

Spring (01)

Pour me a plum wine,

leave me with budding osiers —

swallows chirp and tweet.

Spring (02)

Cordial, whimsical,

monkey mind, heart thumping in

fever — young and old.

Summer (01)

Three months are too short —

SAKE is not even cooled,

high time to drink beer.

Summer (02)

Blizzard’s gone, gales bate —

not even a gentle breeze,

in this cool night air.

Autumn (01)

The cowboy lost his

cow — the cow wept in the field.

Who is lonelier?

Autumn (02)

Why can’t a tree or

mountain taller than the sky —

yellow leaves littered.

Winter (01)

Under a banyan,

I buried a seed for the

squirrel ere it snowed.

Winter (02)

I can’t find a twig,

so I grab a handful of

snow to wave goodbye.

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Thank you for reading, for every comment you left, every thumbs-up you gave me, every sharing and retweeting. Your delight in reading my essays delights me indeed.

In 2022, I will read more, write more, say less, or better yet, say nothing, and do more house chores (in case my wife reads this.)

In September, we adopted (virtually) a koala. Her name is Yarrabee. We wish her all the eucalyptus leaves in the world and good sleep every day.

Thank you for reading, again. See you tomorrow (next year).