During my senior year at The Evergreen State College, I studied Asian-American Popular Culture, Celtic Folklore, Japanese, and Creative Writing. In class, I was introduced to, and fell in love with, the Japanese written form of Haibun. Japanese writers like Basho and Issa used prose and haiku to describe the world around them. My favorite book in that form was The Narrow Road to the Deep North for its concise, lyrical way of describing setting, plot, character, and emotion. It is truly the perfect book.

To briefly describe the book. Matsuo Basho is an old man who leaves his dwelling and belongings behind to travel across Japan on foot. While adventuring, he meets and describes in perfect, poetic detail the people, places, and spiritual elements of his journey.

I began to experiment with the form, but never went very far with it. However, I did start writing daily haikus to practice concise, descriptive writing and a way of uniting both subject and observer. For years I carried a notepad in my back pocket and wrote five haikus a day. It was not only a practice in writing but also a practice in consistency, mindfulness, and a fun way to keep a diary to later reflect on. Because let’s be real, who actually takes the time to read their old prose journals? Not this guy! But with haikus, it’s doable!

When Savanna and I first got together, she loved the fact that I wrote haikus everyday and thoroughly embraced the moments when I would read them aloud to her. (Romance Alert)

In honor of Matsuo Basho, this August I will read The Narrow Road to the Deep North and share some of my favorite passages. I will also write five haikus every morning and post them on our blog. It will be a fun way to spark the creative juices each morning, to be present, and to have fun with the written word.

Here goes the first day’s haikus.

8/1/26
Foggy morning dew
Wet clothes on line will not dry
Chimney billows smoke

Big girls with kittens
In yurt, babies harass dog
Wife on power walk

Pack of five ravens
Dig at compost for meat scraps
Still laughing at mom

Solar soaks in sun
Battery full of power
Apples on the vine

Table mess of art
Creations in work at home
I praise God for all.