In Japan, there exists a concept known as bunbu ryōdō, which can be translated as “the dual way of the pen and the sword.” This philosophy teaches that to embody true strength as a warrior, one must not only master martial arts but also cultivate a profound appreciation for life and human nature through literature and the arts.
In this spirit, I share haiku that I have written on this blog. Many of these poems draw inspiration from my experiences living on a mountain in Chile, capturing moments of nature, humor, and introspection. One of the profound lessons of haiku, which is applicable in business, is its ability to reveal profound depth and potential in the smallest of spaces.
The English translations of haiku written in Japanese are not literal but aim to convey the essence of the original verses.
135.
雪と風 (Yuki to kaze) Snow and wind
石鉢の中 (ishibachi no naka) inside the stone basin
冬の反響 (fuyu no hankyo) echoes of Winter
134.
A tunnel of trees
light through the crisscrossed branches
wakes the sleeping owls
133.
Raindrops on leaves
memories of the Spring rain
that left before dawn
132.
Hang in there pine tree
the snow filling your branches
will melt soon enough
131.
春の風 (Haru no kaze) the Spring breeze
走る川沿いに (hashiru kawazoi ni) running along the river
とべら垣 (tobera gaki) a fence of Australian laurels
130.
Puzzle in the sky
patches of white, blue and grey
carry the birds south
129.
The hidden moonlight
peering through the marching clouds
rocks the sleeping boats
128.
Rain lifts from the earth*
singing birds shake the wet trees
the Spring storm has passed
*The phrase “rain lifts from the earth” is a rough translation of the Japanese phrase “ame agaru” (雨あがる) which literally means “the rain rises.” It is a poetic phrase that evokes not only the end of the rain but the sense of renewal and possibility after the rain has passed. “Ame agaru” is interestingly also the name of a very famous Japanese movie about a Japanese samurai. A description of the movie is here.
127.
Eclipsing the sun
the shark misses the seagull
and falls to the sea
126.
Light on the mountain
the snow on the path reflects
the first day of Spring
125.
Rain on the dark pond
the lightning illuminates
a school of red fish
124.
Rotted boards of wood
empty frame of a treehouse
children once played in
123.
The flight of the hawk
knitting the sky to create
a patchwork of clouds
122.
Free fall toward the waves
a spear cuts the green water
the Great Cormorant
121.
(Oomurasaki) (大紫) (the Japanese emperor butterfly)
(neru neko no ue) (寝る猫の上) (above the sleeping cat)
(asa odori) 朝踊り (morning dance)
120.
Cats race through branches
trees applaud with
a shower of leaves
119.
A black winter storm
above the drums of rain clouds
a floating mountain
118.
Spring arrives at last
two crisscrossing butterflies
race the flowing stream
117.
Ame no oto (雨の音) (the sound of rain)
kuroi na eda ni (黒いな枝に) (on the darkened tree branch)
Yama arashi (山嵐) (a mountain storm)
116.
A contest of strength
the howling Spring storm versus
the red ladybug
115.
The circling wind
lifts the moth into the sky
and then sets it free
114.
The mountain in flames
armies of golden flowers
attack the East slope
113.
Invisible birds
a Spring garden symphony
the first light of dawn
112.
The endless current
a boat sunk in a river
refuge for a crane
111.
A motionless sword
my heartbeat drowns out the sound
of crickets chirping
110.
A distant mountain
streaks the sky with light blue shades
to wake up the birds
109.
the fat bumble bee
hanging from a tiny rose
this must be a joke
108.
All this sword swinging
must look a little funny
the moon keeps watching
107.
Let this one flower
indifferent to beauty
serve as my mirror
106.
Light through the forest
and somewhere in the winter
the sound of voices
105.
The old pine tree shakes
the owl begins its last flight
towards the gray moonlight
104.
The tiny garden
unwelcoming host to
a flock of pheasants
103.
The black battlefield
the scattered swords and helmets
reflect the moonlight
102.
A sword cuts the darkness
it is hard to know for sure
if you are alive
101.
Waves crash against waves
a family of turtles
sleep on the dark sand
100.
Don’t worry flower
when the spring comes back next year
I will still be here
99.
The soul of the sword
left on the cold battleground
is already gone
98.
I hated those flies
but now that winter is here
somehow I miss them
97.
The nimble black bird
races through the ghosts of trees
chasing the starlight
96.
Ladders of mountains
a tiny spider is born
and begins its journey
95.
The summer puddle
was not designed for swimming
but in the bird goes
94.
One cricket is fine
but one thousand complaining
is more than enough
93.
The meadow at dusk
is not dark enough to hide
a lone firefly
92.
Don’t tell the snowflake
at the end of its journey
is a robin’s nest
91.
Welcoming the sun
weaving through the spring green trees
a white butterfly
90.
One thousand sixty five!
the times I told the robin
not to eat the plums
89.
Black trees and black sky
nothing to guide the bird home
but the creaking gate
88.
A river of stones
the hawk circles the parched sky
waiting for Spring rain
87.
The pale white spring worm
the cat is about to claw
is my bare big toe
86.
The blue morning sky
a fisherman’s line in flight
Still eddies of trout
85.
A splash in water
that frog on the wood railing
is no longer there
84.
On the river’s floor
the frog wins the contest
of holding our breath
83.
For the ladybug
the moth could just as well be
a bright white dragon
82.
Hidden though it was
the discarded apple core
was found by the ant
81.
The hydrangea
will grow old and pale
before the last days of spring
80.
The spotted beetle
traverses the flour can
filled with spring snow
79.
The sudden summer shower
a brief peaceful interlude
for the fighting cats
78.
The one small warm spot
on the winter morning roof
is where the cat sleeps
77.
The small red spider
on a tight rope between leaves
will never touch ground
76.
Good morning rose bush
the friend that wakes you up today
is called the spring wind
75.
Let’s make a deal vine
you won’t stop trying this year
and I won’t either
74.
The swirling red leaves
on the path in the garden
chase the summer rain
73.
In the dead of fall
chickens huddle together
Waiting for the sun
72.
Patterns of burnt brown
framed in a transparent case
the dragon fly’s wings
71.
Yesterday morning
the lavender in that field
did not yet exist
70.
Fire cuts through the field
the galloping last red rays
of the setting sun
69.
The broken stone vase
how many ghosts of flowers
do you see at night?
68.
A shower of leaves
the cry of a hawk stops me
from counting them all
67.
The old empty shed
a refuge for rusted tools
guarded by flowers
66.
Frog in a stone bowl
gives me the told-you-so look
then, SPLASH, dives below
65.
Ducks land on water
the shifting rowboats reflect
the light from the inn
64.
The night moth dances
following the silver arc
the sword’s flashing light
63.
A light rain at dusk
a farmer walking his cows
through the endless field
62.
Clouds cover the moon
the first autumn wind arrives
the cat is not pleased
61.
Birds huddle with birds
the dawn light is awoken
by the flashing sword
60.
The heat of summer
touches the night’s parting cold
in the morning dew
59.
The old gate opens
and welcomes to the stone path
the first autumn rain
58.
The tarantula
climbs through a mound of wet leaves
to sit in the sun
57.
The caterpillar
dangles from the lemon tree
but just won’t let go
56.
The bird realizes
I am running to race it
and then speeds ahead
55.
There is only room
for three frogs in the bird bath
yet one more jumps in
54.
Don’t look now flower
but floating above your head
is a white snowflake
53.
In the winter wind
on the gray boulder
the butterfly clings
52.
The sound of a flute
comes from an old thatched cottage
that I once called home
51.
Without a warning
the sun silently sneaks up
on the dark rain cloud
50.
Dogs howl in the night
a lullaby to comfort
the black freezing stars
49.
I was gone for weeks
but the spider on the wall
accomplished nothing
48.
Don’t worry flower
the wind shaking the shutters
is just passing by
47.
The rain’s drop drop drop
not one misses its green head
yet the frog stays still
46.
Early riser hah!
the rooster is still asleep
at five after ten
45.
The baby crayfish
bites me as hard as it can
I pretend it hurts
44.
Steps to the temple
the first rain storm of autumn
turns the white stones black
43.
Wind from the mountain
and the small garden is filled
with floating red leaves
42.
The bell is silent
but the ringing in my heart
does not seem to stop
41.
Just like the oak tree
today I have fewer leaves
then the day before
40.
The autumn red leaves
create a swirling castle
for the scorpion
39.
The gray white rabbit
runs, then freezes by the shed
caught by the moonlight
38.
Lying on the grass
a kaleidoscope of leaves
fill the morning sky
37.
Light crosses the sky
millions of stars were just there
a moment before
36.
The castle is gone
one thousand warrior dreams
echo through the night
35.
First storm of winter
the cat sees its reflection
in the hanging ice
34.
Don’t worry sparrows
the wind shaking the bushes
is just passing through
33.
Wind from the mountain
the sword cuts an upward arc
through the falling snow
32.
One crash and then two
cats race after a rabbit
under the white moon
31.
They race each other
swirling over the meadow
departing red leaves
29.
Next to the fire
a sleeping white mouse rests on
a sleeping white cat
28.
Today is the day
the sparrow calls to the world
and flies from the nest
27.
Clouds freeze in the sky
birds overwhelm red berries
the first day of Spring
26.
Wait a minute cat
my glass was filled with warm milk
one minute ago
25.
Seven years have passed
but the wisteria tree
has not missed Spring once
24.
Summer bakes the ground
the sweating red ladybug
dives into the pool
23.
With all the places
the white butterfly could land
it chooses my head
22.
The old red rooster
cries until I am awake
and then falls asleep
21.
Two hungry brown trout
take turns nibbling the white light
the moon on the waves
20.
Missing the firefly
The trout flips twice and then falls
Back in the water
19.
A strange dance of white
up, down, to the left and right
snowflakes in the spring
18.
Meadows of twilight
a monk sleeps by an old stream
fireflies count the stars
17.
I have never been
to the temple in these woods
yet it feels like home
16.
Come on little vine
if the ant can climb that wall
you can do it too
15.
The white sword flashes
in the rain cloud’s opinion
not fast enough
14.
Laugh if you want to
but a band of poor crickets
calls that old shed home
13.
The moving tree branch
the shake that dislodged the cat
was no accident
12.
Silent explosions
10,000 busy raindrops
wake up the garden
11.
The drowning spider
fighting the small stream’s current
saved! By floating leaves
10.
Three white shooting stars
sneak softly over the head
of the sleeping owl
9.
Swim for it beetle
the dry side of that puddle
is inches away
8.
Just wait mosquito
the next time you are asleep
out comes the trumpet
7.
the hot, sweaty bird
drops from the hot, sweaty sky
into the birdbath
6.
Off the sofa cat
that old sound asleep routine
is fooling no one
5.
A gift from the cat
just two minutes earlier
that bird was alive
4.
Somewhere a bell rings
the freezing pine trees welcome
dawn’s first ray of light
3.
Practicing zazen
my arm becomes a dance stage
for two butterflies
2.
The bird holds its breath
so as not to awaken
the sleeping cats
1.
The hut is empty
but ten thousand peonies
guard it just the same