For Real Toads: Grace's haiku challenge

Grace has told me more than I ever wanted to know about haiku, but I'm glad she did. Today's challenge for the members and for those who care to make a submission to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, is to write haiku using the key ingredients: a seasonal reference (kigo) and a cutting word or turning point (kireji).

Wikipedia photo

© Photo by Kay Davies, our yard, 2011

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haru meku is

the lilting japanese phrase

for the signs of spring—

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the word sakura

meaning blossoms of cherry

is a sign of spring—

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song of kawazu

is the chirping of the frogs—

a sure sign of spring

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Then Grace blew me out of the water by saying haiku doesn't always mean 17 syllables (5, 7, 5) in each 3-line verse. It doesn't?

No, apparently the number 17 came from the 17 on or sound units in the original Japanese haiku,

but these 17 on ふるいけやかわずとびこむみずのおと 

or sound units, equal only 12 English syllables. However, here is the translation:

"old pond...

a frog leaps in

water's sound"

So, the resulting haiku in English is 2, 4, 3, which doesn't add up to either 17 or 12, but only 9, so I am confused. Not for long, though. I did three 17-syllable haiku with a common thread, and now I'll try some 9- and 12-syllable verses.

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Wikipedia photo

hana,

japanese blossoms,

are sweet

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haru,

the japanese spring,

is warm

~

therefore,

the japanese heart

is pleased

~

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melting snow

might mean spring is coming—

Canada

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growing shoots

are frozen in the night—

not spring yet

*

sunshine days

all over Canada—

spring at last

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© Photo by Richard Schear, our yard, 2010

ABC Wednesday: B is for Brugge, Belgium

My intrepid photographer and his long lens capturing other tourists in a small boat.

© Photos by Kay Davies and Richard Schear

Theatrical release photo from Wikipedia.

After seeing the 2008 comedy crime drama In Bruges starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes, we were determined to visit this lovely city in Belgium. We enjoyed the movie but we enjoyed the scenery even more.  It was actually one of the reasons we chose last year's Tulips and Windmills Cruise with Viking River Cruises. The reality did not disappoint, but unfortunately I was very ill the day we visited. Nevertheless, I took more than 150 photos and I don't know how many Dick took. The canals...the medieval architecture...the skies in varying shades of blue...we loved it all.

The English spelling Bruges was used in the movie, but the Belgian spelling is Brugge, which is now more familiar to us. A longtime friend from the Netherlands told me, before we went, about the port city called Zeebrugge, some 15km away. However, river cruise ships don't go to sea, but stop in Antwerp, about 100km distant. The Viking Pride tour-guides took passengers to Brugge by bus. I still think I would have felt better if it hadn't been for that hour or more traveling by bus. Give me water travel any time.

Posted for

ABC Wednesday

Mrs. Nesbitt's alphabetical meme, hosted by her capable team.