Yugen Haiku

https://pixabay.com/en/grasshopper-viridissima-green-193721/

the rain stops

leaves reach up

grasshopper hides

~~~

© Carol Campbell

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/

From Chevrefeuille:

Yugen is usually defined as “mystery” and “unknowable depth“. Somehow Yugen has avoided the controversy of Wabi and Sabi. But since deciding which haiku exemplifies this quality is a judgmental decision, there is rarely consent over which verse has it and which does not. One could say a woman’s face half-hidden behind a fan has Yugen. The same face half-covered with pink goo while getting a facial, however, does not. But still, haiku poets do use the atmosphere as defined by Yugen to make their words be a good haiku by forcing their readers to think and to delve into the everyday sacredness of common things.

Here is an example of a “yugen-haiku” by Basho:

Souvenir paintings
what kind of brush first drew
the image of Buddha

© Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold)

~and~

from a treetop
emptiness dropped down
in a cicada shell
the soothing sound of spring rain
makes the silence stronger

© Chèvrefeuille

~~

Don’t you love the idea of emptiness dropping down? ❤

❤ ❤ ❤

 

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