January is typically the coldest time of the year and today we look at the poetry of Helen Hunt Jackson, William Carlos Williams, Basho, Issa, and Shiki as they explore the impact of the winter winds.
Poems about January Winds
Micro-Season: “The Water Dropwort Flourishes”
We have entered the micro-season of “The Water Dropwort Flourishes”, which is part of the mini season of Minor Cold. The water dropwort, also known as Japanese parsley or Seri, is one of the key ingredients in seven-herb rice porridge that is eaten during the Festival of Seven Herbs.
Poems about Snow and Ice
Cold midwinter days provided plenty of time for poets like Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost, Matsuo Basho, and Kobayashi Issa to reflect on the snow and ice and our connection to it.
Single-line Poems about Birds?
“Write single-lines poems about birds”, the tweet said. How do you do that? It turns out in order to understand this form, we need to look at the foundations of haiku.
Poems about Trees in Winter
The forest transforms itself in the winter and to help celebrate the trees' persistence during the winter months we turn to the poets William Carlos Williams, Margaret Widdemer, and Issa for inspiration.
The Poetry of Ryōkan: Zen and Nature
Ryōkan (1758-1831) was Zen master who lived in northwestern Japan. Much of his poetry describes his experiences as a monk and demonstrates a life that is deeply connected to the natural world.
Seas the Day by Rachael Boughton
Seas the Day: A Year of Sea Swimming Poetry is Rachael Boughton’s first published collection of poetry and prose that she aptly described as “love letters” to the Sea. These poems are as much about Boughton’s connection to the ocean as they are a celebration of life.
Emily Dickinson’s Winter
Emily Dickinson wrote about 500 poems about the seasons. While a majority of those focused on the spring and summer, her winter poems convey a deep sense of reflection and introspection that should be highlighted.
Poems About Woodpeckers
In the winter woods the sound of a woodpecker resonates through the trees. This drumming or tapping behavior of the woodpeckers makes these birds both noticeable and unique. As a result there are many poems written about them. Today we have poems by Dickinson, Alling, Basho, Issa, and Silverstein.
Mini Season: Minor Snow
We have entered the mini season of Minor Snow. This season is marked by cold winds and regular snowfall. This season also brings to mind the concept of wabi-sabi.
Basho, The Narrow Road, and Haibun
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is Basho’s third book documenting his travels in Japan, and it is considered one of the major Japanese texts from the Edo period. This book, written in haibun, demonstrates Basho’s mastery of this form. Yuasa states that the “prose and haiku illuminate each other like two mirrors held up facing each other.”
Poems about Foxes
If you happen to be lucky enough to have an encounter with a fox, you may be inspired to write a poem about it. Today we have poems for Alice Oswald, Jane Hirshfield, Issa, and a story about Basho.
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