Streetside Prostitute

Done for Carpe Diem Special #196 Hamish Gunn's 2nd "on the street corner"

caught in my headlight
the street prostitute lifts
her middle finger

full moon

throwing the prostitute

out of the dark

full moon
the street harlot hides
behind her makeup

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, 10^th February, 2016

inspired by:

the prostitute
on the street corner
never looks at the stars

the lonely prostitute
makes dolls
for the street children

for a while

the prostitute blows bubbles
a little girl again

© Hamish Managua Gunn

Bitter Sweet

Done for Carpe Diem #910 Bitterness/Sour

waning moon…

the sweet sour taste of

her once honey lips

(c) Adjei Agyei-Baah, 6th February, 2016

 

inspired by:

after sweetness

the sourness of children's candy

their sour faces

© Chèvrefeuille

Leaf falls

Done for Carpe Diem Vernacular #2 autumn rains (herfstregenbuien)

a leaf falls

into its shadow

onto itself

Asante Twi Translation:

ahaban tetɔ

ne sunsum mu

tɔ nankasa so

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 26, 2016

Hunt Call

Done for Carpe Diem #902 Kangetsu (cold moon)

rallying for hunt

 an alpha wolf howls

at the moon

(c) Adjei agyei-Baah, January 26, 2016

Inspired by :

howling wolves
giving me the shivers -
praying for strength

 praying for strength
as I see the bright Wolf Moon -
silent winter night

© Chèvrefeuille

Stone Buddha

Done for Carpe Diem Special #193 Revise That Haiku ... a trip along memory lane

On this episode, we were challenge to revise or re-write a piece of Shiki (1867-1902) , one of the five masters of the haiku art:

Stone Buddha

his shoulder pad of snow

lightening in sunrise

(c) Adjei Agyei-Baah, Jan 22, 2016

Inspired by:

the snow has melted
on one shoulder

of the Great Buddha

(c) Shiki (1867-1902)

Clearing Snow

Done for Carpe Diem #898 Yukibare (clear sky between (after) snowfall)

clearing snow

the spotted face

of brown earth

(c) Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 20, 2016

Inspired by the ff pieces:

after the snow
Mt. Fuji soars   
into the clear skies    
    
© Shinya Ogata

yukibare no ushi no chibusa no man no toki

blue sky after snow
a time when milk cow’s breast
is full

© Shikyo Tomooka

yukibare ni nodumi no toudo nioikeri

fine after snow,
a smell of the kaolin* laid
in the open air

© Takako Yana

yukibare ya hashira o yameru hitobashira

after the snow
spending the day watching
the clear blue sky

Takano Mutsuo (1947 - ) (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

Smoothening snow

Done for Carpe Diem #897 snow viewing

snowfall smoothening the edges of the mountain

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 18, 2016.

inspired by:

well then,
let’s go snow-viewing
till we all fall down

© Matsuo Basho

looking delicious
the snow falling softly
softly

© Kobayashi Issa

 

fresh fallen snow
the backyard looks like a fairytale -
on bare foot 

© Chèvrefeuille

Missing Brick

Done for Carpe Diem Special #192 Remember This Music? - The Wall by Pink Floyd

the eagerness

to patch up with a thought

missing brick in wall

  

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 16, 2016

Also inspired by:

tearing down the walls
giving room to wild flowers
to color the earth

© Chèvrefeuille

Dawning

Done for Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu #65 combining animals and seasons

a rooster’s call

directed at the moon-
waning dawn

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 16, 2016

inspired by the works of:

 

The harvest moon–

rabbits go scampering

across Lake Suwa 

   ~ Buson ~

in from the dark

and out into the dark–

that’s a cat in love 

   ~ Issa ~

First Light

Done for Carpe Diem #894 First Light

a warm smile

from an open bud

first light

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, Jan 12, 2016

Inspired:

first light
nudging frozen clouds
snow flakes

© Jane Reichhol

winter morning
the fragile light of the sun
reflects in the snow

© Chèvrefeuille

Frozen Rose

Done for Carpe Diem #893 Fuyusoubi (winter rose)

my readiness

to keep you warm

frozen winter rose

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 11, 2016

winter roses -
each petal has
its own spark

© Gabi Greve (2007)

a single
frosty rose
opens a year

© Mizuhara ShuoshiI (1892-1981)

a last rose
more fragile than ever
clothed in snow

© Chèvrefeuille

Fresh Sprout

Carpe Diem #889 desire for spring

fresh sprout---

my life picks up

a pigment of hope

(c) Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 5, 2016

*First Published in Frogpond  Issue 3.5

First Light

Done for Carpe Diem #888 Hatsuhikari (first light of the sun)

first light…

kissing dewdrops

into rainbows

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 4, 2016.

Inspired:

winter morning
first light of the sun … so fragile
reflects in the snow

© Chèvrefeuille

Cups of seashells

Done for Carpe Diem #887 Returning home: between the waves, a clam

shoreline…

cups of seashells wait

for ocean spill offs

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 2, 2016.

inspired by:

between the waves
small shells mingle with
bits of bush clover

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

Twilight Sky

Done for Carpe Diem Haiku Writing Techniques #25 The Technique of Narrowing Focus

twilight sky

watching migratory birds

vanishing into dots

© Adjei Agyei-Baah, January 1, 2016.

inspired:

the whole sky
in a wide field of flowers
one tulip

(c) Jane Reichhold

the short night ending--
close to the water's edge
a jellyfish

(c) Yosa Buson