Haiku – to sooth a kayaker’s soul

Sometimes at work I get the need to paddle away my stress.  Unfortunately, I cannot just up and leave to go kayaking.  So, I walk away from my desk and read a book or magazine.  If I do not have the time for that I reflect on the freedom that I experience when I am outdoors.  To help with my reflection I sometimes pray or I think about a poem.

There are several poems that I enjoy.  I meditate on  “The Vacation” by Wendell Berry, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas, and then there are these following Haiku.  I enjoy reading haiku because of its brief and visually simple format. Each poem conveys a new meaning every time it I read it. This poetic format helps me relax at work. I hope you enjoy these poems as much as I do. —Jeff

Basho

At the ancient pond

a frog plunges into

the sound of water

Buson

In seasonal rain

along a nameless river

fear too has no name

Shoha

When the bush warbler

sings, the old frog belches

his reply