A series of micro-seasonal haiku, awakening to the ordinary
6th Sekki: Grain Rains (April 20-May 4) – ‘Kokuu’
reeds start to emerge (April 20-24)
last frost, and rice sprouts growing (April 25-29)
peonies blossom (April 30-May 4)
Similar to the use of a ‘season word’ in haiku, each of the 72 micro-seasons (kō) provide a short phrase as a trellis around which to form a haiku. Above are the phrases for this particular micro-season and below are the inspired verses we have received.
Kō 16:
peonies blossom
as golden dawn awakens—
blushing petals stretch
MADISON WILLIAMS,
Charlottesville, VA
Kō 17:
though beautiful, shō
always pales to the song of
fresh wind through young reeds
JOSEPH PALMER
South Carolina
Kō 18:
river cane sprouting
in the lakes dun colored sand . . .
unsatisfied thirst
COLEMAN DAVIS
Berea, KY
To submit haiku for our Kō series, visit our submissions page.
To read more about Kō, and to view the seasonal calendar, click here.
To explore a haiku workshop offered by Upaya Zen Center, click here.
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