European Kukai

Invitation to the EUROPEAN KUKAI 2019 (#2/22)

Cities of Green Leaves - 6 years later

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A blast from the past, soon after the Tohoku disaster and Fukushima nuclear plant immersion in sea water and other, more murky environments unrelated the Dao and earth's natural cycles. We at the Society chose to perform a ginko no kukai and simultaneous charity rally in support of the region, an endeavor taken up wholeheartedly by members of the Hailstone group, who we can always count on to choose the Noble path when confronted with matters of urgency and the heart ... A further attempt to link the city of Sendai and our own River City in empathy for people and majestic elms alike, and for the poetical aspirations that accompany both, then came to a failure, due to River City's guardian's historical affinity for opportunistic highlighting of their careers and propensities to speak out of both sides of their mouths.

Call that presumption redundant, poor grammar, what have you, though we blame Minnesota Nice and its more passive aggressive faults today. And, I will counter with "once a jive turkey, then twice so" when backed into a corner. Crude, I know, but well grounded in prior performance and mission objectives of the good 'ol' city's administrations, great and small, in stature or character, over its relatively short but colorful life time. As in,"I know you are, but what am I"? I apply that distinction pretty much across the board for occurrences in the city of thieves. I may have devolved into a person of ruthless character and merciless scrutiny in that regard. This is how movements occur, thrive, come to fruition, or simply die on the vine of indifference.

Hide the eyes of the children. It's not going to get any prettier, as this marvelous tree always was, and will remain, in our hardened hearts. It's icons such as these that stir the senses to action sometimes, always in ways that bring new knowledge and interest. By the way, the willow pictured met its demise a few short years ago. Unfair, considering the circumstances - the tree with more character than most sentient beings in office that we know of today. There may be a lesson involved after all.

far too often
the carrot and the stick --
rabbits

Cities of Green Leaves Kukai 2011: Revisited

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Aoba Festival --
a yakuta's posh pattern
of sparrows and leaves




Here are the results for the Cities of Green Leaves Ginko No Kukai

A good turnout was had, and votes were well dispersed across the board. I'm not certain of the amount we raised for tsunami relief, although many pledged to contribute funds or their own personal time. Here are those charitable sites again:


Architecture for Humanity

Japanese Red Cross Society

Ngo Jen Official Website

Salvation Army in Japan


Thanks to our many friends in the global haijin community for sharing your poetry with us and helping to make this event a success.




9 points:




Under this bridge
weeds grow from the walls
an old flame

Paul Conneally / England









Spring’s beginning
a violet
the first to know

Lorin Ford / Australia





8 points




kite weather
the wind’s new music
on strings of light

Lorin Ford / Australia





6 points




After the tsunami
a dog comes home
from the sea

Rhonda Poholke / Australia









wide blue sky-
a lone swift traces
the curve of a cloud

Diana Webb / England




visiting each inlet
a monk’s sutra to the sea- -
bird’s return to north

Eiko Yachimoto / Japan





5 points




Suburban ginko
on every mailbox
a tree-cutting brochure

Tzetzka Ilieva




No more leaves
reflected in this pond
the moon

Rhonda Poholke / Australia









green river –
a sparrow flits
from leaf to leaf

Diana Webb / England






4 points




The sacred camphor tree –
The stream glares in the evening sun
Time and place all blur

Masako Fujie / Japan




the spring thaw
awakens primroses
valley dawn

Hidenori Hiruta / Japan









Spring evening
the moon
is my Yoko Ono

John Merryfield / USA



Writing the word
“haiku”
on a haricot bean

Tito / Japan



a breeze -
on the water
sky appearing . . .
under purple irises

Keiko Yurugi / Japan




3 points




spring walk –
four, five, six patches
on my dog’s back

Valeria Simonova-Cecon / Italy









Out of muddy water
iris in thick profusion –
see, the kami smiles!

John Dougill / Japan




Call it an iris or flag,
Elegance blooming
By the pond of singing frogs

Kyoko Norma Nozaki / Japan




Morning sunlight –
the first new leaves ;
on the pollarded Plane

Diana Webb / England




2 points




Thousand prayers drift down
Kashima grows stronger—
each sakura petal

Yousei Hime / USA









Imitating frog croaks
soon, they imitate me:
Green Festival Eve

Mari Kawaguchi / Japan




four bright planets
pulsing in the eastern sky . . .
solo ginko

Barbara A. Taylor / Australia




The rise of full moon –
the May darkness
of my mulberry tree

Eiko Yachimoto / Japan




Portable shrine
beneath a verdurous tree –
the roof decorated
with copper flying swallows

Keiko Yurugi / Japan




1 point




At Ota Shrine
iris bow their pretty heads
while frogs croak prayers

John Dougill / Japan











Rosanjin’s hometown
new green upon the mountains
celadon color

Sharnice Eaton / Japan




seasonal mood swings –
young tea-leaves
in Fukushima

Lorin Ford / Australia




Like a stranger to life :: who will not be renewed :: my green shall be split in two

Grant Hackett / USA



catfish ripples –
one turtle plunges,
one endures

Yousei Hime / USA




Peering through new maple,
sunlight falls on purple flags;
their green blades shake

Michael Lambe / Japan









old ginko tree-
tiny new leaves
a mountain welcome

shanna / USA




In Ota Shrine’s brooklet
tago-frogs welcoming visitors;
“comf, comf, comf!”

Hisashi Miyazaki / Japan




from my land
I walk with you
Japan

Rhonda Poholke / Australia




A single teacup -
winter’s icy breath
through skeletal trees

Barbara A. Taylor / Australia









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Cities of Green Leaves Ginko no Kukai

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a bounty gathered
in the grocery sack
new green leaves



Tonight is our deadline for submissions to Cities of Green Leaves Ginko no Kukai. You may send your poems HERE, and then expect a return mailing of the page of all participants numbered and anonymous offers to vote on.
Choose your three favorites: 3 points for first, 2 for second, and 1 for third. We'll post the results when we have received all your responses.
In addition, I'll attempt to post a reader's poll of the verse's to vote on. Good luck!
Thank you for your kind-hearted consideration for your contributions to our charitable sites in aid of the people of the Tohoku region of Japan. I've posted the list again below.



Charitable Donations


Architecture for Humanity

Japanese Red Cross Society

Ngo Jen Official Website

Salvation Army in Japan


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