George Klacsanzky’s Seagull

On By Nicholas KlacsanzkyIn HaikuLeave a comment

dead seagull
on the beach—eyes still
looking for fish

Haiku Zasshi Zo (winter/spring, 1988)

© George Klacsanzky (USA)  (1956-2003)
George Klacsanzky has captured a moment that is hard to forget. When applied to our human lives, this haiku conjures up subtle feelings of devotion. Even after the passing of the seagull, the continuous desire for fish lives on.

There is also a double meaning in “eyes still”: the eyes are actually not moving, yet it also implies the continuation of looking. In that light, through the eyes of a neuroscientist, even at the time of human death, there is still 6 to 12 minutes of brain activity. Additionally, a dream second is infinitely longer than a waking second. This allows the reader to contemplate the sheer possibility that a seagull can still have brain activity and look for fish in a dream, even though (through our human eyes), it is clearly dead on the beach.

The pause in the second line achieved through the dash allows the reader to effectively contemplate the 2 parts of the haiku, without creating too much distance between them.

This haiku ultimately sparks conversation about life, death, and dreams. At the time of death, what will we see? What desires will remain in the mind? Will we simply enter a dream world fabricated by thoughts? Will the seagull enter a dream where he/she continues to look for fish? George Klacsanzky’s haiku urges us to ask ourselves what is most important to us in this lifetime, and what will remain within us when we take our last breath.

– Jacob Salzer (USA)

Garry Eaton’s Cold Marble

On By Nicholas KlacsanzkyIn Haiku3 Comments

his everlasting love’s cold marble Taj Mahal

© Garry Eaton (Canada)

Specifics in haiku are quite important, as they can add nuance and layers. As the poet mentions “cold marble” and “Taj Mahal” we get definite specifics about the location and substance of the haiku. Taj Mahal is a famous mausoleum at Agra, India, constructed by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his favorite wife. It was built with white marble, which reflects in a pool flanked by cypresses.

The Taj Mahal is a monument of love and dedication, and a wonder of the world. But the poet brings out a direct truth about it: the coolness of the marble itself. Coolness can have many meanings. One meaning is despite that the emperor believed his love would carry through the Taj, now the only thing that lingers is the coolness of the marble. Another interpretation of coolness can be that his love for his wife is still felt through the cooling sensation of the marble on bare feet, and in the atmosphere.

Another entirely different reading of this is “his everlasting love’s cold/marble Taj Mahal” which highlights the possible sickness emperor’s wife died from, and being contrasted with the coolness of the marble.

In one line haiku, as in this one, there are so many readings available that one might get confused. But this confusion, I believe, is part of the philosophy of haiku–that truth can be approached at many angles and that the connection between things can seem endless.

Look at the sound of the haiku, as well. The “o” sound in “love’s cold” makes it that much cooler in effect. The “a” sound which runs through the haiku makes it heavier, which is appropriate for the subject.

This is a haiku that is at once charming and melancholic. This mixture makes it all the more intriguing.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

Jacob Salzer’s Sound

On By Nicholas KlacsanzkyIn Haiku2 Comments

how many
become one
sound of rain

Frogpond 38:3, and VerseWrights 2016

© Jacob Salzer (USA)

Though this haiku has only seven words, there are at least three readings of it.

One is the haiku acting as a question. It can be read as two different questions: “how many become one sound of rain?” or “how many become one? sound of rain.” They have a drastically different meaning, but lead us to introspection and imagination.

Another reading involves metaphor. Jacob is saying, “this is how many becomes one: the sound of rain.”

In these readings, it is important to note that the poet says the sound of rain instead of rain itself. It is the aftereffect of the rain that is the focus. What is the aftereffect of our actions? Do we become one as a humanity through the aftereffect of our actions?

Now let’s turn to the sound. The “o” sound is the most prominent sound in the haiku, imitating, I believe, the song of far-off rain. The “a” sound of “many” and “rain” emphasize these two words, bringing more importance to them.

Though there are many readings of this haiku, I believe by the mood it conveys, it is a sober message of paying attention to the wonder of how many can become one, even though each individual has his or her own trajectory. What we leave behind with our actions can create unity in a fragmented world.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)