KALEIDOSCOPE
A waka (和歌) for ViviWinds of fall plucking
sere leaves from elms, thinning needles
from fir and cedar.
Her shade stares out, rain falling,
the chipped cup her hands entwine.
Rain and sleet pestering
the snow laden pines, hemlocks
drooped, puddles rimed.
Windows fogged with mist and time,
She kneels to kindle wood to flame.
Spring winds, ferns just green,
scudding clouds sprouting onions,
the flower’s laughter.
A ripple of river song,
perched content on warm flat stone.
Warm pillow of wind,
trickle of turbid water,
the egret’s short leg.
Boughs above her, swaddled in
bird song and murmuration.
和 wa: is a character for Yamato, the oldest name for Japan; its meaning, literally, is 'Great Harmony.'
歌 uta: means both 'song' and 'poem.'
和歌 waka: the meaning of the combined characters, then, is: classic Japanese poem.
Waka (and later tanka) were formed with 31 onji, which are Japanese phonetic syllables (wa, ka, u, ta, for example). In English, 31 syllables are used , and they are then arranged in five lines of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables.