Sultry Summer

Leaf 229 – Reflections

 

Namiki Hajime - Tree Scene 96 (1999)

The large hedge in the lane behind our home here in Tokyo – which is essentially a leafy mansion block for sparrows – is often abuzz with chirping conversation (see Leaf 8). The following haiku was penned at the height of a very sultry summer:

 

 

Sparrows –

chattering about

this incessant heat.

 

 

 

 

Cri de Coeur

Leaf 228 – Reflections

 

Kilmar Tor (Geograph)

Another poem, reflecting upon sights commonly seen and closely felt in the far southwest of Cornwall.

 

 

CRI DE COEUR

 

A buzzard’s cry –

circling far across fields,

piercing a granite tor.

 

 

 

 

This poem was originally written and posted on Bluesky in response to a #haikufeels writing prompt: 'cry.'

Summer Solstice

Leaf 227 – Reflections

 

Max Alexander STFC SPL - Sunrise Solstice at Stonehenge (2008)

A haiku which I wrote to mark the Summer Solstice on 21 June 2025:

 

 

Broken stones –

centuries meld into

a single sunlit morn. 

Jon Britton - Stonehenge (1801)

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Plus – two, slightly less-reverential, senryu:

 

SOLSTICE

 

Summer not yet begun,

already the nights

are drawing in.

 

***

 

Falling a foot shy,

street bollards almost

aligned on the solstice.

 

 

 

 

Lukáš Lehotský - B&W Bollards

The first and last of these three poems were originally written and posted on Bluesky in response to different writing prompts, see: #vssdaily & #whistpr.

Cormorant

Leaf 226 – Senryu (or witty, tom-foolery)

 

Tim Chamberlain - Cormorant on Shinobazu Pond (2004)

I’ve always thought that ‘Bela Lugosi’ might be a good nickname for these birds …

 

 

Dracula silhouette –

a cormorant airing

water-soaked wings.

 

 

 

Bela Lugosi as Dracula (1931)

This poem was originally written and posted on Bluesky in response to a #dailyhaikuprompt: 'soaked.'