We are sometimes in awe but also, a little, out of fear, of these delightful creatures.
wasps nesting
over the front door –
autumn equinox
—MARY GUNN
I remember walking through a wasp swarm, at a residential haiku event, and it was the only exit to leave after a fine weekend. Of course nothing happened, I'm just a human, a speck in the eye(s) of those magical creatures.
Out of many wasp haiku I've written, and loved from others:
wasp nest
the boy in a corn field
becomes a maze
Alan Summers
Right Hand Pointing (low sky issue ed. Eric Burke Issue 95, 2016)
.
All Souls’ . . .
a wasp returns?
to the lintel
Helen Buckingham
The Heron’s Nest vol. VIII no. 1: March, 2006
.
What a wonderful gift at a change of season. Thank for your wasp haiku!
Sadly that's the effect of wordpress, as I typed it in correctly, and darn it, the edit option isn't there.
And it took me ages to find the haiku. At first I thought it was by Martin Lucas, then David Cobb, and should have realised it was a "Helen Buckingham"! :-)
Alan, thanks for your comments. I didn't know that color mattered to wasps but the door was mahogany color. They nested under the white fascia board which was very close to the porch door. Thankfully, wasps never nest in the same place twice!
Certainly great to have a wonderful insect to start the season. I just donated (again) to fight the powers to be who are determined to eradicate wasps and bees. Fingers crossed!
Really enjoyed your ku, Mary – and it did bring back the one of mine that Alan has quoted – thanks for including it, Alan – I think my favourite 'wasp' ku of yours is still:
an attic window sill
a wasp curls
into its own dust
Alan Summers
Woodpecker Special Issue, Extra Shuttle Issue, ISSN 1384-6094 (1997)
I checked your website for the credits and there are way to many to cite here, so I've just given the earliest!
Ah, yes, my favourite credit is:
Haiku of Merit: Ginko & Kukai event, London, England with Professor Hoshino Tsunehiko (1997).
As Professor Hoshino Tsunehiko politely but adamantly defended every single word in that haiku about wasps and sills, which I will never forget, and helped me so much.
September 23rd, 2019 at 3:18 pm
We are sometimes in awe but also, a little, out of fear, of these delightful creatures.
wasps nesting
over the front door –
autumn equinox
—MARY GUNN
I remember walking through a wasp swarm, at a residential haiku event, and it was the only exit to leave after a fine weekend. Of course nothing happened, I'm just a human, a speck in the eye(s) of those magical creatures.
Out of many wasp haiku I've written, and loved from others:
wasp nest
the boy in a corn field
becomes a maze
Alan Summers
Right Hand Pointing (low sky issue ed. Eric Burke Issue 95, 2016)
.
All Souls’ . . .
a wasp returns?
to the lintel
Helen Buckingham
The Heron’s Nest vol. VIII no. 1: March, 2006
.
What a wonderful gift at a change of season. Thank for your wasp haiku!
What color was your door painted, by the way? :-)
warm regards,
Alan
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Might seem obvious but, just for the record, there is no break between the last two lines (pedantic does happen to be my middle name!)
All Souls'…
a wasp returns
to the lintel
September 24th, 2019 at 1:22 am
Sadly that's the effect of wordpress, as I typed it in correctly, and darn it, the edit option isn't there.
And it took me ages to find the haiku. At first I thought it was by Martin Lucas, then David Cobb, and should have realised it was a "Helen Buckingham"! :-)
Apologies for spacing, definitely not intended.
Alan
September 23rd, 2019 at 7:38 pm
Alan, thanks for your comments. I didn't know that color mattered to wasps but the door was mahogany color. They nested under the white fascia board which was very close to the porch door. Thankfully, wasps never nest in the same place twice!
September 24th, 2019 at 1:20 am
I guess color vibrates and what is more pleasing, attracts. :-)
the sound dome of bees
how many shades of color
can a human see
Alan Summers
Mainichi Best of Haiku 2015 Selected by Isamu Hashimoto
September 23rd, 2019 at 3:51 pm
What a beautiful and apt image to pair with the autumn equinox. Perfect!
-Marianne
September 23rd, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Marianne, glad you liked my seasonal haiku.
September 24th, 2019 at 6:34 am
Yes! :-)
September 24th, 2019 at 1:27 am
Certainly great to have a wonderful insect to start the season. I just donated (again) to fight the powers to be who are determined to eradicate wasps and bees. Fingers crossed!
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:17 pm
Really enjoyed your ku, Mary – and it did bring back the one of mine that Alan has quoted – thanks for including it, Alan – I think my favourite 'wasp' ku of yours is still:
an attic window sill
a wasp curls
into its own dust
Alan Summers
Woodpecker Special Issue, Extra Shuttle Issue, ISSN 1384-6094 (1997)
I checked your website for the credits and there are way to many to cite here, so I've just given the earliest!
September 23rd, 2019 at 7:55 pm
Thanks Helen. I'm glad you enjoyed this autumn haiku.
September 24th, 2019 at 1:25 am
Ah, yes, my favourite credit is:
Haiku of Merit: Ginko & Kukai event, London, England with Professor Hoshino Tsunehiko (1997).
As Professor Hoshino Tsunehiko politely but adamantly defended every single word in that haiku about wasps and sills, which I will never forget, and helped me so much.