Naviar Haiku

At daybreak— the crickets fall silent beyond the roof.

Akutagawa Ryunosuke is one of the most well-known Japanese authors of short stories: his works include Rashomon (1915), A Fool’s Life (1927), and Spinning Gears (1927). He was also a prolific poet.

Haiku by Akutagawa Ryunosuke

Picture by Austin Schmid

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

coolness as a mass— midnight moon

Yasuhara Teishitsu was a Japanese haiku poet of the early Edo period. He was one of the most famous disciples of Matsunaga Teitoku, the founder of the Teimon school.

Haiku by Yasuhara Teishitsu

Picture by Ankit Pai N

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

through the keyhole the sea fog quietly flows in

Akito Arima (1930–2020) was a Japanese haiku poet, physicist, and politician from Osaka, who started publishing haiku in 1946 through the journal Hototogisu. A prolific author, Arima blended traditional haiku form with references to his travels, world history and mythology.

Haiku by Akito Arima

Picture by Juho Luomala

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Delicate light upon the lake— Buddha's Birthday.

Nanako Washitani (1923–2018) was a Japanese haiku poet from Osaka. She joined Mizuhara Shūōshi’s journal Ashibi 馬酔木 in 1942, and from 1946, studied under Yamaguchi Sōdō. She later became a regular contributor to the journal Nanpū 南風 (“South Wind”), serving as its editor from 1984 to 2004. The Complete Haiku of Nanako Washitani was published by Kadokawa Shoten in 2013.

Haiku by Nanako Washitani

Picture by Thao Nguyen

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Autumn sunset— is there something of mine left undone?

Fusae Fubasami (1914–2014) was a Japanese poet from Tokyo. In 1944, she became associated with Dakotsu Īda and the haiku journal Unmo (雲母), later joining Yatsuka Ishihara’s group Aki (“Autumn”) in 1961.

Haiku by Fusae Fubasami

Picture by Florin Beudean

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Looking back, cold in the evening dusk— mountain cherry blossoms.

Konishi Raizan was a famous haiku poet of the Genroku period (1688-1704). He was a disciple of Nishiyama Sōin, and after his death, his works were anthologized in Imamiyagusa, which was published in 1734. He wrote this poem after the death of his only son.

Haiku by Konishi Raizan

Picture by Alexandra

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Leaning on my crutches, I look up— the vast starry sky.

Eitarō Shimoyama (1879–1935) was a Japanese poet who moved to San Francisco in the early 20th century, where he promoted haiku. A strong advocate of free-style haiku, he published extensively in Sōun 層雲 (“Layered Clouds”), the journal founded by Seisensui in 1911. Shimoyama dealt for most of his life with severe osteomyelitis in his left leg, a condition that required him to use crutches.

Haiku by Eitarō Shimoyama

Picture by Jack Taylor

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

In the sky, the sound of a mountain stream — blossoming cherries.

Yatsuka Ishihara (1919–1998) was a Japanese poet and co-founder of the journal Aki 秋 with Akira Matsuzawa. He also served as an advisor to the Modern Haiku Association (Gendai Haiku Kyōkai) and the Association of Haiku Poets (Haijin Kyōkai).

Haiku by Yatsuka Ishihara

Picture by asagi

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

wind from the sea butterflies in embankment weeds never resting

A wandering poet and ascetic Zen priest, Santōka was a disciple of Ogiwara Seisensui, one of the first poets to discard the traditional use of the 5-7-5 structure in haiku.

Santōka’s poetry emphasizes the necessity of sabi (solitude) in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment and serenity.

Haiku by Santoka Taneda

Picture by Ankith Choudhary

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

A white ship moves to the heart of a lake - an autumn breeze

Sawaki Kinichi (1919–2001) was a Japanese poet and essayist from Toyama. He founded the haiku journal Kaze 風 in 1946 and later was president of the Haijin Kyōkai. Sawaki was among the leading proponents of shakaisei haiku (“social haiku”), a postwar movement that aimed to connect haiku with contemporary social and cultural change. He was married to famous poet Hosomi Ayako.

Haiku by Sawaki Kinichi

Picture by Juan Manuel Sanchez

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

practice — no end in sight just this

halF unusuaL (Darren Bourne) is "an evolving space inspired by play in the spirit of ‘hai’ (meaning “fun” or “unusual” in the word haiku). Here, improvisation connects the unexpected, mining the boundary between music and non-music to shape sound worlds that feel oddly familiar in their oddity."

You can find Darren’s music on Soundcloud and Youtube, and check out his website to find out more about his publications and merchandise.

Haiku by Darren Bourne

Picture by Jp Valery

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

a sound of something! the scarecrow has fallen down on its own.

Nozawa Bonchō was a haikai poet and disciple of Basho who worked as a doctor in Kyoto. Later in life Bonchō distanced himself from Basho’s school and was imprisoned for a crime. He died in 1714.

Haiku by Nozawa Bonchō

Picture by Pourya Gohari

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

October dawn the flicker of lights at the river mouth

Here's another beautiful haiku by Martin Lucas. I found this one in a blog post by poet Matthew Paul.

Martin Lucas (1962 – 2014) was an important figure in English-language haiku for over two decades, as a poet, essayist, critic and editor. He was the founder and editor of the haiku magazine Presence.

Haiku by Martin Lucas

Picture by Erik van Dijk

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

a moment before sunrise – ice singing beneath the swans’ feet

Martin Lucas (1962 – 2014) was an important figure in English-language haiku for over two decades, as a poet, essayist, critic and editor. He was the founder and editor of the haiku magazine Presence.

Haiku by Martin Lucas

Picture by Joyce Hankins

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

idyllic nights and quiet days: spring rains.

Miura Chora (1729-1780) was a Japanese poet from Toba (present-day Mie Prefecture). Early in his career, he came into contact with the Teimon School, and bonded with the great Yosa Buson. An admirer of Matsuo Bashō, he strived for a return to the simple tones and spirit of the latter's poetics, criticizing the vulgarization of haiku of his era and advocating the so-called "return" to a Bashō's style.

Haiku by Miura Chora

Picture by Liana S

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

Migrating alone Solitary sandpiper Against a headwind

This haiku by John Wright is part of the Stay Cool project - a collaboration between Naviar Records and Red Earth Ecology that aims to promote techniques for Japanese-inspired prose and foster international collaboration.

John Wright is a musician and electronic music producer in Detroit who has been a frequent participant in the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge. Inspired by his involvement with Naviar Records projects, he has published haiku poems on his blog - https://write.as/thgirwnhoj/

Haiku and picture by John Wright

Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge

This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.

You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.

nobody home one after another the visiting stars

This haiku by m&k is part of the Stay Cool project - a collaboration between Naviar Records and Red Earth Ecology that aims to promote techniques for Japanese-inspired prose and foster international collaboration.

m&k is the nom de plume of Marisa Fazio and Kieran Carroll, who live in Naarm/Melbourne. They usually write separately but sometimes together. The Stay Cool project has prompted their first haiku/senryu collaboration.

Haiku by m&k