A new haiku challenge – ‘The rays of the setting sun’.
Once again the Carpe Diem site has come up with an interesting prompt. Its inspiration is a classic haiku by Kikaku, a contemporary of Basho.
This is a translation of the poem:
in the rays of the setting sun
there flutters along the city street
a butterfly
I think it is a lovely image. Mine however leaves the butterflies and concentrates on the sky:
Red-rimmed clouds gather
in the west. Behind them,
today’s sun sets.
As I roamed around the house and garden mulling the haiku and trying different versions in my head, I felt it should be expanded into a tanka.
Red-rimmed clouds gather
in the west. Behind, today’s
sun sets. My neighbour
passes me in the street.
‘Nice day tomorrow,’ he says.
e a m harris 