humpback whale!
for a split-second
the sky steps back
(Originally published in Presence Haiku Journal #76, July 2023)
Published by
Kala Ramesh
Kala Ramesh co-edited the award winning Naad Anunaad: an Anthology of Contemporary World Haiku (Vishwakarma Publication 2016) and co-authored an e-book with Marlene Mountain one-line twos (Bones 2016). She is the author of two books: haiku (Katha Books 2010, reprint 2017) and beyond the horizon beyond (Vishwakarma Publication 2017) and a tanka e-chapbook unseen arc (Snapshot Press 2017). Kala's initiatives culminated in founding IN haiku in 2013. She teaches haiku and allied genres at Symbiosis International University Pune. To bring haiku into everyday spaces, Kala initiated HaikuWALL, haikuTRAIL, haikuTALK, haikuWORKSHOP, haikuYOUTH, haikuUTSAV, haikuDHYANA and haikuSAATSANGATH, the last being a stage performance with dancers and actors. View all posts by Kala Ramesh
Impressive verse! Entirely evokes the moment.
🙇🏻♂️
Kala.
the transformation of the viewer, sky, whale–all one. A vivid description of Zoka, and your response by writing the haiku.
Jo
So so wonderful! I could see it!
Wonderful expansive and thrilling haiku!
Thanks, Mike,
I’m happy this ku evokes the moment for you.
Thanks a lot, Mary.
Nice to read what you’ve said: the transformation of the viewer, sky, whale–all one.
Thanks a ton, Debbie.
Dear Mary, Mike and Debbie,
Thanks a lot for your positive comments.
I felt good.
The exclamation point works so well here to capture the sense of amazement and creates that “split second” of thrill. The haiku takes us there. Congrats!