New Year’s Day

The following “Haiku from Index Cards” celebrate Japan’s “fifth” season. See also “Seasonal Haiku.”

New Year’s Day—

a team of seagulls

on the wet infield

             (written 1993, published 2006)

new year’s day—

I turn a page

of the self-help book

             (written 2017, published 2018)

New Year’s Day—

I write the same list

as last year

             (written 1994, published 1996)

New Year’s Day—

still a few persimmons

in the neighbour’s tree

             (written on New Year’s Day, 2001, published 2015; a memory of Minokamo, Japan; see “The Mended Shōji” sequence)

New Year’s Day—

the computer keeps working

I feel about average

             (written 2000, published 2000; after Issa; see “Introduction to Countdown”)

New Year’s Day—

the fresh snowfall

as white as my diary

             (written 2013, published 2014)

New Year’s Day—

the phone ringing in time

with the temple bell

             (written 2010, published 2011)

New Year’s Day—

the weatherman

with the same old tie

             (written 2015, published 2024)