the grass sparkles
under a layer of frost
morning sunshine

. 
light rain–
a blackbird’s sub-song
shares the evening



During the winter, Blackbirds can often be heard quietly "singing to themselves" within undergrowth, this is called sub-song.  Blackbirds quietly practise these songs in the run up to the courting season.

.

sandy beach
striated by wind and frost
seagulls cry

When the ice pools melt,
dark quagmires of mud and silt
suck at careless feet.

holy transitions—
wayside puddle congealing
then thawing again

Nephiliads
cavorting in blue
magpies scatter

icy moon -
a white shape escapes
from a chimney

***

lune glacée -
une forme blanche s'échappe
d'une cheminée

dark, ancient forest

endless, snow covered branches

as I drive to work

after the snow
trees bent nearly double
but not broken

dawn already...
the old Moon is still
courting Venus

snow day
helping neighbor with her car
while shoveling mine out

a calm forest
single snow-crusted pine
swaying silently

* * *

hiljainen metsä
yksi luminen mänty
huojuu ääneti

dry leaves crackle
in their brown winter drifts
patches of blue

drifts of white
lace the windows --
pearled edge of lunacy

solar light come on
in the night-time garden
next door's dog, barking

the salt stains
in the elevator show
where to stand

perfect rime can stay
unphotographed —
hands capture warmth

the yip yip of a fox
in the midnight velvet street
two cats, shouting

clouds rise
like bubbles in the blue
roadworker grumbles

winter winds
red from the nandina's berries
spills over the leaves

stratus clouds
claw in from the horizon
a cat slinks past the fence

a bitter wind
drives away the sparrows
dogs argue at the fence

morning commute
the moon and I take turns
leading the way

the moon
in a puddle
- nearly full


***

la lune
dans une flaque
- presque pleine

clouds form
a cold blanket above
dogwood stems rattle

thunder snow
the school's whiteboard
matches the sky
.

snow falls
through the tall pines
wanting to stay

* * *

sataa lunta
hiljaa honkien alle
jäisin tähän

glacier of tail-lights
flowing imperceptibly
envy the bikers

rose-gold
gilds the altostratus
gulls on streetlight

In full Moon
frozen branches
strange tales from faraway

rather tired
of my baking
both the blue jay and I

a dog's bark
echoes from brick walls
freezing air

monring commute
tailpipe fog lurches forward
with the green light

the lady next door
dressed to the nines to walk her dog
frosty pavement

bleary solar orb
 still gummy with last night's mists
barely sees the day

cyan sky
bleached white by the sunrise
cat on the windowsill

playing with the dog
in the fresh snow
two kangaroos

* * *

koiran kanssa
uudessa lumessa
kaksi kengurua

a chill breeze, damp
cat at the open window
freezes the whole house

the last drop
from the icicle
the sun inside it

a bitter wind
bends the trees almost double
sparrows huddle

Three Kings Festival
the battery goes flat
on the 4x4
.

melting snow -
pieces of bread scattered
on the lawn

***

neige fondante -
des morceaux de pain épars
sur la pelouse

chocolate cake
uneaten on the bird table
wet leaves

mirrors in the garden
only reflect grey clouds
a thrush looks for snails

summer's blue
now, a shoulder's scab
a wintry haze
-------------
-------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
----------------

wrapped in white quiescence
stillness adheres to the world
my breath alone moves

snowing
through the blizzard
particles of me

.

soft clouds whisper
across a powder-blue sky
blue tits return

raindrops
hang from bare cherry branches
ribbons for good fortune

icicles align
with tree trunks - flawless
winter asana

I hear it
through the whispering pines-
winter's song

(First posted on my blog, Softspoken)

bitter winds
dry the night's puddles
abandoned nest

blackbird
makes a nest in the hedge
sparrows scatter

he asks Santa
for a ticket to Mars
and a suitcase

Not a haiku but a renga verse

fluttering shadow
on the snow-covered driveway
American flag

sweet, creamy goodness
of a proper tea
poured in the morning darkness

edges of sunshine
creep around skulking clouds
two magpies

Full moon
Behind the old tree ...
Fantastic sight !

Through the window
The wise old white owl
And shadows of darkness

With the blizzard
Fills the winter evening
Melancholy

old letters
whisper thin --
sunlight through a veil of snow

Snow

it’s white out there
falling flakes
angels still beating duvet

crunchy snow -
a truck of frozen food stops
at the neighbor's house


***

neige craquante -
un camion de surgelés
s'arrête chez les voisins

a brightness of clouds
next-door's snowman
becomes a rabbit

bare branches,
outside my window,
say you're not an omen
----------------
----------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
-------------------------

another snowfall
monochromes the fields
magpies flicker

the birdtable
has been left unvisited
the bare trees empty

morning rain
patters against the window
ticking clocks

sky shift　　　　　　　　　　　空の変化
a Chinese lantern　　　　　　　  中国のランタン
hits the moon　　　　　　　　　月を打つ

original haiku by Alan Summers

Japanese translation Hidenori Hiruta

. 

Penitential soup
Full of vegetables and beans
Post Christmas diet

the sun brightens clouds
but the eclipse remains obscured
sparrows chatter

snowed in again
I watch the streetlamps glow
and dream of Narnia

Blithe Spirit vol. 20 no. 4 December 2010  

A goodbye to snow, although I enjoyed every second. ;-) 

across the road
white goods are delivered
black clouds scuttle

icy path -
moon and stars try
to distract me


***

allée verglacée -
la lune et les étoiles
cherchent à me distraire

this holiday
I feed my soul
with snow and Europe

my eyes do not blink
my lungs don't exhale

every bit of me
hungry and greedy
fills up with memories

a scrap of orange balloon
on the roof of the shed
hollowed-out apples

raindrops fall
beneath the viburnum
next door dog, squatting

To a fresh breeze
I open my window
New year's first caller