November 2022 - January 2023
winterberry
the first holiday
alone
fallen snow
the garden
underneath
farm chores
this frost-fringed hole
in my mitten
the gardenias
in father's mind . . .
winter moon
Winter Challenge Kigo: Narcissus, suisen
i force myself
to get out of bed . . .
paperwhites
Honoured that "winterberry" was chosen for commentary in the subsequent issue:
Dojin's Corner:
The winterberry, a bright red, holly-like berry sets up this poem to be a poem of joy. This sense of joyfulness carries through the second line. Then the one-word third line tells us this poem is not about joy, but about sadness in the midst of everyone else's joy. The way this poem is constructed is very effective in creating how feelings of isolation and loneliness are deepened when the outside world in its merriment is oblivious to one's individual pain.
—Patricia J. Machmiller
"Winterberry" is a form of holly, a plant with deep spiritual meanings in many different cultures. As a kigo it matches well with the feelings of celebrating a holiday alone for the first time. The "winter" in "winterberry" evokes the solitude and desolation of the season while the bright red berries bring to mind the joyful aspect of winter holidays. This is an effective choice for conveying the poet's complex emotions.
—Phillip R. Kennedy
The author spends the New Year's holiday alone, with bright red shiny winterberry, a plant in the holly family. The tone of the haiku is not so lonely; however, there is the sense of missing someone who was there before. "The first holiday" can be interpreted as the New Year's holiday and the first holiday to be alone.
—Emiko Miyashita
Also honoured to know that Dojin Patricia J. Machmiller included "winterberry" among her favourites, and Dojin Emiko Miyashita included "farm chores" among hers!
