the world
surrounded by water full moon
John Daleiden
H2O. Water!
On earth water is a common chemical substance—it
is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. Water
covers 71% of the Earth's surface; the oceans contain 97.2%ofthe
Earth's water. 90% of all fresh water on Earth is contained in
the Antarctic ice sheet, visible at the bottom of the image
below.
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The earth
seen from Apollo 17
NASA Photo
in the public domain
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The human body is anywhere from
55% to 78% water depending on body size.
Water is ever present in human
lives and this is clearly celebrated in the 151 water haiku
written by 24 poets from 9 countries.
The haiku submitted reflected two
large subject matter divisions: 1, water as it appears in the
natural environment interacting with life forms, and 2, water as
it impacts with human lives.
I have selected one group of
haiku because they are well written verses that demonstrate
water interacting with life forms we commonly see in the natural
environment:
sea wind
a gull picks a spot
for take-off
# 77. Ella Wagemakers, NL
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her brood scatters
an unexpected gust
troubles the water
# 65. Gerry Bravi, CA
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catlings*
abandoned at the pond—
dawn mews
# 148. Maria Tirenescu, RO
*Kittens
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in the depth
of the lily pond
the moon halo
# 36. Vasile Moldovan, RO
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A brook to cross—
the ants build a live bridge
out of themselves.
# 117. Zhanna P. Rader, US
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shorter days
a floating oak leaf
in the rock pool
# 16. Barbara A. Taylor, AU
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local swimming hole
riding the current
river trout run
# 17. Kristin Reynolds, US
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the waterfall
a frozen cascade
ragged sky
# 128. Catherine J. S. Lee, US
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Polar ice cap
melts into the ocean—
August heat wave
# 100. Daniela Bullas, UK
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driving rain—
the cries of a heron from
the wind-torn pine
# 92. Jon Davey, UK
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rippling wind
a seagull
skims the lake
# 68. Bill Kenney, US
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storm's end—
gorse buds drenched
in moonlight
# 81. Jon Davey, UK
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the morning star
reflects on the pond—
a lotus blooms
# 82. Jacek Margolak, PL
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Each of the haiku in the three
sets I have selected (above and below), expresses a unique
relationship between water and the environment. The poems
portray common experiences, observable time capsules captured
as a haiku moment. The poets have used the fragment and phrase
technique with skill; sometimes the water image is in the
fragment; other times the water image is in the phrase. The
second image is a well chosen juxtaposition of a living aspect
of the environment—together, the fragment and phrase
combine artistically to form a well expressed haiku moment for
readers.
I have selected a second group
of haiku because they too are well written verses; in this
group the haiku portray the impact of water and human life:
The destructive force of water
and other natural forces is formidable—tsunamis, tornadoes,
cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes have the power to kill—the
power to destroy both human and natural habitats on an immense
scale:
massive waves
crashing against the rocks:
a hurricane
# 99. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
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In absolute
contrast, water can provide a placid and relaxed
atmosphere:
summer’s end
tossing pebbles in the pond
to hear the sound
# 74. Bill Kenney, US |
Humans and water
have co-existed side by side since the dawn of time; man has
used water as a means of transportation—for practicality,
pleasure, profit, and long distance traveling:
criss-crossing the
Nile
white sails of a felucca
the wind on her tail
# 02. Barbara A. Taylor, AU
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moonlight
on water
the wake of a distant boat
slips into the reeds
# 03. Gerry Bravi, CA
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sultry
night
the rhythm of oars
stroking the lake
# 64. Bill Kenney, US
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tears in her eyes:
the ship setting out
for a distant land
# 59. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
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For many humans
their contact with water is that of a land lubber standing near
the vast reaches of the five oceans—Pacific, Atlantic, Indian,
Arctic, and Southern; these oceans occupy 71% of the world's
surface:
cries of the seagulls—
the taste of the ocean
in my mouth
# 80. Jacek Margolak, PL
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musty smells
of winter coats
we walk the beach
# 89. Trish Shields, CA
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However, inland dwellers also
experience water in its many roles bringing both pleasure and
distress:
fraying rope swing
at the river
out of towner’s
# 04. Kristin Reynolds, US
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lakeshore
a pond skater zigzags
between my fingers
# 90. Jacek Margolak, PL
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a rickety bridge
over a raging river:
two friends reminisce
# 08. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
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a rain storm
blows around the chalet...
strains of Wagner
# 20. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
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torrential rain falls
on a steamy tin roof
under attack
# 09. Kristin Reynolds, US
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The absence or shortage of
water—draught,
brings its own unique conditions:
Water shortage—
she dotes on her roses: each drop
used to quench their thirst.
# 102. Zhanna P. Rader, US
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A rare rain—
the children run outside,
faces upwards.
# 115. Zhanna P. Rader, US
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Because three is
a magic number, I have selected a final group of water haiku
that have on additional and unique characteristic—laughter!
One of the great
joys in life is laughter! The world does not need to
be a somber or sober place with relentlessness. There is joy
and humor in life. Senyru is the haiku equivalent of writing
about this segment of life experience. Friedrich Nietzsche
(1844–1900) said, "Laughter means: taking a mischievous
delight in someone else’s uneasiness, but with a good
conscience". These senyru are a reflection of this
sentiment:
shoveling snow
so I can leave
—my neighbor
# 45. Ed Baker, US
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flooded
river
a house-for-sale sign
gets washed away
# 75. Ella Wagemakers, NL
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a quiet
cove
just beyond my reach
a beer can bobs
# 63. Gerry Bravi, CA
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Now
that grandma's old,
she has a bidet installed:
"My fountain of youth!"
# 93. Zhanna P. Rader, US
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"Man is the only animal that
laughs or weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck
with the difference between what things are, and what they
ought to be. We weep at what thwarts or exceeds our desires
in serious matters; we laugh at what only disappoints our
expectations in trifles"—William
Hazlitt (1778–1830). The boarder between laughter and
weeping, between self-criticism and self-praise is a narrow
path; balance with care, otherwise you will fall to certain
destruction.
full moon
behind her Azalea Bush
peeing
# 43. Ed Baker, US
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