Wonderfully wry, Bob. And such a great observation of human nature.
As many haiku enthusiasts know, moon viewing recurs frequently in the work of Basho, Buson, Issa and even Shiki. To the Japanese, the moon is one of the three "great beauties" of the natural world, which every cultivated individual, and even ordinary Japanese, seek to experience at their aesthetic "greatest display" (the others being blooming cherry blossoms, and stars).
Your poem recalled for me some of the less "lyrical" (but therefore more "human") moon haiku of Basho and Issa:
occasional clouds
one gets a rest
from moon-viewing
– Basho (trans. Reichhold)
on harvest moon night
greeting the moon…
with snores
– Issa (trans. Lanoue)
I really enjoyed the humour in your meteor-viewing tonight Bob – but I also savour the deeper reflections it prompts – especially in an age where flashy and fleeting fads appeal to the more superficial sky-watching enthusiasts, when every night the sky unveils a constantly lovely object of wonder and fitting icon for lovers.
I have long been a fan of you haibun Bob, and here too there is a story in the narrative. deftly told with a subtle but effective sense of humour. Its also such a wonderful comment on society as a whole… how quickly can we fall from grace. beautifully done…thank you so much for this treat.
I'm with Alan as this also made me think of that song. But it also seemed quite ironic – everyone complains about the moon, but they should really be worrying about earth. I really like this one because it is slightly unsettling.
Ah…..but both are gifts to be enjoyed! Thank you for this all-to-true capture of human nature. I will think of it every time I hear someone complain about the weather – something else humans love to harp on…..endlessly.
September 17th, 2014 at 9:48 am
You won't find me complaining!
It's more clouds that annoy me when there's a meteor storm to be watched. :-)
electrical storms
the Methuselah star finds
its birth certificate
Alan Summers
Publication Credit: Scope vol. 60 no. 3 (April 2014)
But I do love that phrase:
"everyone complains
about the moon"
It also somehow reminds me of that haunting song about everyone having gone to the moon.
Terrific haiku!
.
September 17th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
moon complaints
are no more
moving stuff beware
Your poem makes me worry what's going on up there Makes you think. Ron
September 17th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Such great irony!
Here's my own biographical take on the moon:
dark cliff walls
except in the narrows of our canyon–
that moon
(first pub. in three line poetry)
September 18th, 2014 at 4:08 am
Wonderfully wry, Bob. And such a great observation of human nature.
As many haiku enthusiasts know, moon viewing recurs frequently in the work of Basho, Buson, Issa and even Shiki. To the Japanese, the moon is one of the three "great beauties" of the natural world, which every cultivated individual, and even ordinary Japanese, seek to experience at their aesthetic "greatest display" (the others being blooming cherry blossoms, and stars).
Your poem recalled for me some of the less "lyrical" (but therefore more "human") moon haiku of Basho and Issa:
occasional clouds
one gets a rest
from moon-viewing
– Basho (trans. Reichhold)
on harvest moon night
greeting the moon…
with snores
– Issa (trans. Lanoue)
I really enjoyed the humour in your meteor-viewing tonight Bob – but I also savour the deeper reflections it prompts – especially in an age where flashy and fleeting fads appeal to the more superficial sky-watching enthusiasts, when every night the sky unveils a constantly lovely object of wonder and fitting icon for lovers.
Strider
September 18th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
meteor shower
everyone complains
about the moon
I have long been a fan of you haibun Bob, and here too there is a story in the narrative. deftly told with a subtle but effective sense of humour. Its also such a wonderful comment on society as a whole… how quickly can we fall from grace. beautifully done…thank you so much for this treat.
September 22nd, 2014 at 1:45 pm
I'm with Alan as this also made me think of that song. But it also seemed quite ironic – everyone complains about the moon, but they should really be worrying about earth. I really like this one because it is slightly unsettling.
marion
September 27th, 2014 at 7:12 am
Ah…..but both are gifts to be enjoyed! Thank you for this all-to-true capture of human nature. I will think of it every time I hear someone complain about the weather – something else humans love to harp on…..endlessly.
September 29th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Beauty is not always easy to see. In this case you can’t see it. But obviously we know it’s there.