first snow
a passing child
sticks out her tongue

Published by

Keiko Izawa

I started composing haiku last year inspired by the work of my American penpal. Ever since I have encountered and been impressed by so many beautiful English language haiku made by poets from all around the world. I feel very happy and honored to know as a Japanese this poem that originated in Japan is loved this much in the world.

51 thoughts on “”

  1. Keiko, you are good. Two instant responses from me–the insult of sticking out the tongue instantly replaced by the wonder, the taste of the cold, the innocence of a child! Bravo!

  2. Great haiku..I believe the snowflake is the universal snack of children.

    Christmas tree-man..
    slowly, walking toward…
    his severed forest

  3. Love the haiku!

    It reminds me of when I rushed out recently to catch the snow before it became slushed up by traffic.

    No one poked a tongue out at me though!

    snow flurry
    a child thrusts his anorak
    into it

    Alan Summers
    Simply Haiku (Sept. 2003)

  4. Keiko, thanks for thr memories invoked_! I can hardly wait ’till the next snow fall_!
    snow flake;
    tongue flick.
    flurry flavored.

  5. great. exactly what a haiku should be. keep writing
    keiko. your’s is a very refreshing voice. from here in
    the land of snow ( it’s snowing right now ) a compliment
    to your wonderful poem…

    white out…
    the crow’s caw
    crystal clear

  6. hi keiko . . .
    greetings from hongkong!!

    great one again!
    they say all great art is simple – or rather it seems simple.

    love,
    kala

  7. Never thought this poem would be received this way — so many encouraging words… Thank you all – Arigato!!!!!

    Keiko

  8. Keiko . . . your poem evokes memories for so many people. For me, I remember a fuzzy, black puppy experiencing her first snow. Looking out my window, I could see her, mouth open, snapping at the elusive snow flakes. And I thought . . . how many of us in our lives are trying to catch the snowflakes.
    Judith

  9. this haiku brims with joy & innocence.
    a true masterpiece of simplicity. here
    in munising, michigan, there’s 31
    inches of snow on the ground. it snows
    early and often & we love it!

    yooper nils

    halloween snow
    the olympic skier
    skis to the porch

  10. if this is the end of tiny words, it’s a grand way
    to end it! if not, hopefully more poems of
    this caliber will appear.

    yee hop choi

  11. This latest contribution to
    tinywords is a delight. But, isn’t it time we all moved on? Missing a daily dose therefore must create vis-a-vis on my own:

    pale heavenly pond
    sometimes full yet often not
    visible above

    Best of 2006 to you all!

  12. Mixx, thank you for speaking out, and dear editor, please move on to a new poem. I too look forward to reading other poets’ work as soon as possible. Thank you.

  13. Dear Keiko Izawa,

    I would love you to submit any new haiku to this literary pamphlet:

    HAIKU & PHOTOGRAPHY – CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!
    *********** OPEN TO ALL COUNTRIES ************

    Birmingham Words literary pamphlet:
    The Poetic Image: Haiku and Photography

    FULL DETAILS :
    BIRMINGHAM WORDS
    http://www.birminghamwords.co.uk

    all my best,

    Alan

  14. Nice. Very Nice.
    On my second read I pictured the child sticking (her) tongue out at the snow. Wishing for summer as she walks by the first sign of winter.

  15. With no disrespect intended, Keiko’s great SnoKu is as effervescent as it was when first read_!

    But… it has been snowing for a month now ; against my vagrant and glum thoughts… I, [as do we all, I expect] hope all is well with the site-boss.

  16. wonderful haiku, thanks again, but please, don’t let this one be the last!
    thanks to everyone for sending in their haiku, and giving me something to read almost daily.

  17. Mixx, you go!! Bravo to comment in haiku. And to add my voice, it’s time for new entries. Truly, I am worried about our editor; did his roof strike him down or perhaps the flu.

  18. Ed, I like the first version best. Is that okay? Both of them, however, give the flavor of the moment.

    I too, am concerned about our editor. Every day, I turn to tinywords looking for a new poem. I hope he is not sick but off on vacation somewhere, having a WONDERFUL time !

  19. Judith, thank you for your feedback.

    My first post above refers to our editor. His name is Dylan Tweney and he is well. See his blog at http://chaosandcon.blogspot.com/ He’s been building(rebuilding) a house under some very trying circumstances.

    Perhaps, in the future, he would hire an assistant or find a volunteer to take over the running this wonderful site when he is unavailable.

  20. i agree with yee. if this is the end of tiny words
    it’s ending with the best haiku posted in
    a long time.

    lifting th snowman’s head
    into place…
    winter moonlight

  21. ice coated basin—
    a wren faces east as if
    waiting for the sun

    I check back here every day as if tinywords might once again warm my spirit. Hey Dylan, lets get ‘er done””!”

  22. Hi tinywords readers,

    Is there no one who stays in the same town- city as Dylan?

    It looks like there is some serious trouble here. . . maybe we should try to talk to him or some thing?
    I stay too far away [ in India] to be of any use in this situation.

    He has been silent for a long time. . .
    -kala

  23. I agree, Kala. If we could just know what is going on????? I am so glad, however, that many continue to send their poems.
    I do wish that when people sign their names, they would also list where they come from. This, I believe, would give us a better insight as to where they are coming from in every sense of the word.
    Judith Ingram, Philadelphia, PA USA

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