Zen haiku have a sense of ordinariness; a common effect is to dwell on an ordinary object once something extraordinary has been and gone. In this case, the ordinary church tower after a beautiful and graceful white dove has flown away. What did it leave behind? We are left to think about the church tower itself, perhaps still warm in the immediate absence of its beautiful guest.
My choice of the white dove has some symbolism for church towers, as I'm sure you're aware. However, it so happened that this was an image from my everyday life, as I cycled past a church tower on the way to my lab. White doves are a rarity in our city; perhaps they have special significance when they are found around church towers...
The bird in the image of this haiga has not flown anywhere for some time, hence the platelet fungii, but has instead become part of the structure itself. I rather liked the graphical opposite that it holds to the words of the haiku. The photograph comes from our local park, where we took Xiaohu to play on the swings. This particular bird was one of his favourites.
Before reading your comment, my first thought was "that owl isn't/hasn't going/gone anywhere for a good long while!"
Kind of wish we had white doves here. Closest we can manage are rock pigeons and mourning doves. Delightfully dumb little creatures - some may say pests.
Meant to ask if the writing shown on your 'about the half-dipper' tab is yours? If so - wow - very beautiful.
Thanks for the comment; the text on the About the Half-Dipper page is from a book called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind", by Suzuki-roshi. Every time I go back to it, throughout my life, it speaks to me in a different way. I thoroughly recommend reading it - as books go, it is unique. I can't recommend it enough.
Ahh, well, I had meant the handwriting. It looks to be either tea notes, or a review - but gorgeous handwriting, and had the fleeting question on whether it was yours. Thanks for the info on the book, though - may be something to look into! I assume it's still in publication, then?
Hah - silly me. I had entirely forgotten that there was another photograph at the bottom of that page.
That image is of an old diary of mine - it was unique, in that it was made from hand-made paper, and was most rustic. The binding was with leather straps. Unfortunately, its rustic construction and materials meant that one can only fit a small amount of text on each page. It looks pretty, though!
My usual diaries, of which I just started my 47th (!), are A5 hardbound, narrow-ruled books. I use them for writing my thoughts and scribbles, and, if I happen to be at the tea-table, I put my tea notes into them, too.
I started writing my diaries when I was 18, and leaving home for university. The diaries back then are so wonderfully naive - they are a pleasure to revisit. The thoughts of a young man who seems familiar yet remote.
Given that I only publish a small selection of those which I consider to be "the best of the bunch" (relatively speaking) of the haiku that get scribbled into my diary, you can imagine some of the crimes against poetry that are being committed!
7 comments:
Zen haiku have a sense of ordinariness; a common effect is to dwell on an ordinary object once something extraordinary has been and gone. In this case, the ordinary church tower after a beautiful and graceful white dove has flown away. What did it leave behind? We are left to think about the church tower itself, perhaps still warm in the immediate absence of its beautiful guest.
My choice of the white dove has some symbolism for church towers, as I'm sure you're aware. However, it so happened that this was an image from my everyday life, as I cycled past a church tower on the way to my lab. White doves are a rarity in our city; perhaps they have special significance when they are found around church towers...
The bird in the image of this haiga has not flown anywhere for some time, hence the platelet fungii, but has instead become part of the structure itself. I rather liked the graphical opposite that it holds to the words of the haiku. The photograph comes from our local park, where we took Xiaohu to play on the swings. This particular bird was one of his favourites.
Haiku can be very personal things.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Good morning, sir.
Before reading your comment, my first thought was "that owl isn't/hasn't going/gone anywhere for a good long while!"
Kind of wish we had white doves here. Closest we can manage are rock pigeons and mourning doves. Delightfully dumb little creatures - some may say pests.
Meant to ask if the writing shown on your 'about the half-dipper' tab is yours? If so - wow - very beautiful.
Peace, love, and tea -
Jess
Dear Jess,
Thanks for the comment; the text on the About the Half-Dipper page is from a book called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind", by Suzuki-roshi. Every time I go back to it, throughout my life, it speaks to me in a different way. I thoroughly recommend reading it - as books go, it is unique. I can't recommend it enough.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Ahh, well, I had meant the handwriting. It looks to be either tea notes, or a review - but gorgeous handwriting, and had the fleeting question on whether it was yours. Thanks for the info on the book, though - may be something to look into! I assume it's still in publication, then?
Hah - silly me. I had entirely forgotten that there was another photograph at the bottom of that page.
That image is of an old diary of mine - it was unique, in that it was made from hand-made paper, and was most rustic. The binding was with leather straps. Unfortunately, its rustic construction and materials meant that one can only fit a small amount of text on each page. It looks pretty, though!
My usual diaries, of which I just started my 47th (!), are A5 hardbound, narrow-ruled books. I use them for writing my thoughts and scribbles, and, if I happen to be at the tea-table, I put my tea notes into them, too.
I started writing my diaries when I was 18, and leaving home for university. The diaries back then are so wonderfully naive - they are a pleasure to revisit. The thoughts of a young man who seems familiar yet remote.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
The owl carving has a certain nobility to it, I think. Gazing on unfettered as fungus slowly consumes it.. :)
You Haikus lend the site a refreshing element, that certainly distinguishes The Half Dipper from most of the other tea blogs out there...
Too generous, but thank you :)
Given that I only publish a small selection of those which I consider to be "the best of the bunch" (relatively speaking) of the haiku that get scribbled into my diary, you can imagine some of the crimes against poetry that are being committed!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Post a Comment