橋 Bridges

A few Haiku to go along with the latest addition to the photo album.

No Bridge
And the sun goes down
spring currents
-Yosa Buson, "The Essential Haiku", Robert Hass. Harper Collins; 1994, 109.

Does this Autumn trek
Begin with the step onto
Or off of the bridge

橋で
まずの歩みがさいごの歩み
秋の辛い旅を始めてる


Can I use a bridge
To span this great divide, that
Has come between us

この峡谷は
わたしたちの間になる
橋をつけるかな

Which of these crossings
Will carry me onward to
Those bright memories

りっぱな思い出すに
どちら交差点は僕を
連れて行くだろう。



I've found it very difficult to come up with Haiku on the spot, Rattling off Poetry is not one of my strong points. -All the more reason this 'Blog' is so entertaining! So, I've left the first Haiku to Buson, and followed it up with three of my own.

Unwittingly, I've taken loads of photographs of bridges. Partly, I think, because American bridges tend to be so similar to one another....rectangular. So enjoy the tour and see where it takes you.

Click here to start


All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Kansai Ben 関西べん

This will be the first posting of mine on Japanese Language. Not too dramatic or technical. Here's a list of some Kansai-ben (Osaka Dialect) I've picked up. Please add comments with your own! (Some of them aren't exactly Kansai ben....but I learned them in Kansai...so they will also be added here. Kansai ben is like Southern Drawl is to New York 'ese... Different!

Never mind - kinishinaide - きにしないで
Bike - Chyari - ちゃり
Blah blah blah - nanchyara kanchyara - なんちゃらかんちゃら　(My favorite!)
wrong! - chyau - ちゃう　- Short for Chigau
Interesting.... - Omoroi - おもろい　- Short for Omoshiroi
No Way! - nan de yanen - なんでやねん！ -This one is hard because the emphasis is on de


-So here's where you come in..... If you have any Kansai ben.... I'm curious! Leave a comment!

これは私の最初の日本語のポストです。　わたしはこの名簿が関西べんを知っている。　　たぶん、それはとても易しい日本語ですね。　　たぶん、あなたはもう関西弁を知っているか教えて下さい?　　あなたは新しい単語が知ってるならその単語でコッメントをポストしてください！　　ありがとう!　　

まきこさん、あなたはわたしにべつのNevermindを教えた。。。でも。。。ええと。。。忘れていた。。。ごめん！もう一度下さい!!!



All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Main Event

My lap the bleacher
To the evening's main event
Summer thunder shower


かみなりで
主イベントのために
膝は長椅子になる


All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No Throwing pebbles in my pool o


-Video of thunder shower summer '06.


f zen.

Falling Blossoms

Certain that I saw
The Cherry Blossoms falling
From my snowy tree

必ずに見た
ぼくの雪の木から
さくらを落ちた


-Okay, So this isn't a natural event... I had to 'encourage' the snow to fall.... Dec. '08.

All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No Throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Solitary Tea

An afternoon tea
Cool breeze passes the pagoda
Friend's voices distant.

昼のお茶
涼しい風は塔を通過する
友達の音は遠い

-Photo taken at Dragon's Well Hanzhou China '06....While drinking tea of course!


All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No Throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

The Distant Bridge

A distant bridge, There
through a persistent rain. My
spirit doesn't dampen.

遠い橋、向こう、
しつこい雨の中、
気持ちーよい!

-Photo taken at Kyoto Imperial Palace, 京都御所, June'08. Haiku Written after returning home.

All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Winter Cherries

In winter, my
Evergreens have bloomed
A mighty white

冬で、僕の
もみの木がましろ
に花咲いた




-Written in '07 during a near record snowfall....Of Course now in '08 with a record snowfall in a 24 hour period... it seems fairly relevant.


All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.

Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.

Filling the Pool of Zen.

So this website is specifically for family and friends to get an inside and up to date look at what's going on. Also it may provide a refuge for anyone interested in stopping by. The target Launch is Christmas day '08. With more to follow!

家族と友達のためにサイトを作った。　　それから、　新しい出来事を見ている。　　たぶん、誰でもはサイトを楽しんでいるだろう。　１２月２５日にサイトを出すつもりです。楽しんでくださいよ!　　コッメントを書いてください！