"Autumn at Sankeien" Reflections on the challenges of translating a haiku by Akutagawa Ryūnosoke

ひとはかり浮く香煎（こうせん）や白湯（さゆ）の秋

Infused with white steam –
a pinch of spiced tea gently
drifts into Autumn

Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, 1915 三溪園
(trans. by Tim Chamberlain, 2025)

#俳句 #English俳句 #俳句inEnglish #haiku

Pink dahlias -
the butterfly
takes its frill.

#haiku #senryu 🦋
for @magedah.bsky.social

Marking time -
each drip
repeats.

#vssdaily spout
#haiku #senryu 🚰

Spinning a yarn
about silkworms
in her hair.

#dailyhaikuprompt silkworm
#haiku #senryu

No rush
to finish -
plaiting the reeds.

#dailyhaikuprompt reeds
#haiku #senryu

dog moving
fish-like -
sea of grass

#completethehaiga 171 #prompt #haiga #haiku #senryu #tanka @completethehaiga.bsky.social

Watching ions align -
sky stoops to
touch the earth.

#artinspired #haiku

Seeing red -
autumn’s ease
raking over the embers.

#artinspired #haiku

Waiting out the winter -
gossamer skeins
empty potting shed.

#PaintbyWords gossamer
#haiku #senryu

Each moment
unchanged -
and yet …

#haikuchallenge unchanged
#haiku #senryu 🕰️

The warm smell of
sunrise, after the
cinnamon is added.

#BlueSkyRemnant 11th Oct: after the cinnamon is added #haiku #senryu

Bunkered down -
deep within
our own dystopia.

#vssdaily cement #senryu

Bending
its bow -
the hunter’s moon.

#dailyhaikuprompt hunter’s moon
#haiku #senryu 🏹

Turning
about face -
new moon.

#dailyhaikuprompt new moon
#haiku #senryu 🌝🌚

Long day –
headed home
hopping puddles.

#haiku #senryu

Courage
quails quickly
taking flight …

#inkMine courage 🪶
sixword (-1) #haiku #senryu

Touch and go -
the comet turns tail
and runs.

#SciFaikuSaturday touch
#senryu #haiku 💫✨

Often
one
of ten.

#vssdaily ten
#senryu 🎲