The Lighter Side of JzB

Here you will find photos, poetry, and possibly some light-hearted foolishness. For the Heavier Side
of JzB
see my other blog,
Retirement Blues. (There be dragons!)

I claim copyright and reserve all rights for my original material of every type and genre.


Every day visits*
From Moose, Goose, and Orb Weaver
All seized by Haiku


"Why moose and goose?" you may ask. Back on 2/04/13 Pirate wrote a haiku with an elk in it, and I responded with
one with a moose and then included him every day. A few days later in comments Mystic asked "Where's the goose?"
So I started including her with this post on 2/07. A week later on the 14th, Mark Readfern
asked for and received a spider. The rest is history.

*Well, most days, anyway. Grant me a bit of poetic license.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Carpe Diem #651


Kristjaan tells us --

On the morning of January 7, or the night before, people place the nanakusa, rice scoop, and/or 
wooden pestle on the cutting board and, facing the good-luck direction, chant "Before the birds of the continent (China) fly to Japan, let's get nanakusa" while cutting the herbs into pieces. The chant may vary.

 tōdo no tori to,
nihon no tori to,
wataranu saki ni,
nanakusa nazuna,
te ni tsumi-ire te,
kōshitochō to naru       

China-land's birds and
Japanese birds,
earlier than bring on their coming,
seven species wild herb,
I pluck them to the hand and
it becomes Neck, Turtle Beak, Dipper and Extended Net.

By the way "Neck", "Turtle Beak", "Dipper" and "Extended Net" are all Chinese constellations.



~~:~~

for long life and health
constellations in my bowl
sprigs of seven herbs

~~:~~

before birds arrive
in spider’s extended net
seven fresh green flies

 ~~:~~

seven types of weeds
wildly growing in the marsh
food for moose and goose

4 comments:

  1. Oh the goose and moose are right on this. Happy to have them back.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A little something for everyone..moose and goose included.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great series JzB all in a way connected through the number seven ... well done!

    ReplyDelete

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JzB