I wrote this one about four years ago after visiting the facility for the elderly my mother then belonged to for the first time for a fun event for both the elderly and their families, a little concert of reed pipes.
In every household/
Is a good-hearted oldster/
Gourd flowers/
Translation and calligraphy by Chio
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My mother wrote these on postcards for her important friends. Both of them are from other countries. My mother is much more cosmopolitan than people would normally think.
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This has been my favorite haiku for many years. However, I learned quite recently that this flower, hibiscus mutabilis, only blooms for one day and withers at sunset.
The man I put a curse on/
Is the one I love/
Scarlet flower of hibiscus mutabilis/
Translation and calligraphy by Chio
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Excellent luck!
Today I visited the shrine called Himukai-Daijingu for the first time in three months. I got a written oracle there as I often do. Its title said “excellent luck” which made me very happy, however, as I read the next part, I found a message in the form of the Japanese traditional poem, saying “You might feel as if you are walking on a rustic bridge over a swirling brook in a valley in the evening.” And I wondered if this was really “Excellent luck”.
Then came an explanation that said as follows, “Although you at first have worries, you don’t need to dither. Everything will be all right at the end.”
I just hope this divination comes true!
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I am now trying to sort out my works from the past. And in doing so, I found this one, which I have completely forgotten. The movement of the brush gives awkwardness from youth. In fact, I don’t use this seal under my signature any more.
The letters mean poetic gracefulness.
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This wooden box cup for drinking sakéor Japanese wine was a souvenir for the hundreds of party participants that got together to celebrate longevity of my first calligraphy teacher, the late Mr. Akiyama Kodo （秋山公道）who enjoyed a long life. He himself wrote two Chinese characters of good omen on each cup.
So, again, here’s to the art and culture of calligraphy!
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Elderly people sometimes say the spirits of the ancestors come back home from the afterworld guided by the red Chinese lantern fruits. I hope they have already arrived here safely for the Bon Festival or the Buddhist Festival of the ancestral spirits.
Inside the Chinese lantern fruit/
Scarlet universe may exist/
Translation and calligraphy by Chio
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This is no “fancy” restaurant at all, but I was happy to chat with one of my good old friends who had been hospitalized for a considerable period because of a serious injury. The truth is, however, she still has pain in the leg. Despite this, I heard she resumed practicing ping-pong, her greatest pastime. And I admire her positivity.
Cicadas are out (and noisy)/
My friend is also out of the hospital/
We celebrated with red wine/
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As a little, humble present for the temple we follow and support, I asked my mother to write one letter on a paper fan, a hiragana (Japanese syllabary character). The letter is the first one of the temple’s name. As my mother turned 91 years old last month and is rapidly forgetting various things, I showed her what to write.
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Looking after an old parent is no easy task, even if you are dealing with your own mother.
According to the old lunar calendar, today marks the first day of autumn.
Unleashing love-hate/
To mom/
Autumn begins/
Translation and calligraphy by Chio
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