Do animals and insects have an insight into the world that we don't? Maybe it pays to listen to them more often. I was doing so the other night, and this haiku was the result.
tell me
change is coming
kōrogi no oto ni kanjiru utsuroi o
This was right after the US election, I should say. By the time I was preparing for bed, the final results still weren't in, but most States had been called and Trump was the projected winner. I am not a Trump fan, so I wasn't very happy. As I often do at night in autumn, I found myself with the balcony window open and listening to the night insects.
I've written at length about how listening to the night insects is a very traditional activity in Japan in autumn. It dates quite far back. Here is a recent post mentioning it. It seems like a traditional quaint activity, and it is. Simple, yet pleasant. It's a good way to relax in the evening before bed—or to get ideas for haiku!
The other day I mentioned the idea of divining the future from the wind. What if the insects themselves could give us hints of the same?
❦
 |
David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon. |