Touch of willow leaf
On the surface of the pond;
Something stirs beneath.
"Learn about pines from the pine, and about bamboo from the bamboo. Don't follow in the footsteps of the old poets, seek what they sought. The basis of art is change in the universe. What's still has a changeless form. Moving things change, and because we cannot put a stop to time, it continues unarrested. To stop a thing would be to halve a sight or sound in our heart. Cherry blossoms whirl, leaves fall, and the wind flits them both along the ground. We cannot arrest with our eyes or ears what lies in such things. Were we to gain mastery over them, we would find that the life of each thing had vanished without a trace."
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) From his treatise on poetry, LEARN FROM THE PINE
About the Creator
Rob Angeli
sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt
There are tears of things, and mortal objects touch the mind.
-Virgil Aeneid I.462
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Keep reading
More stories from Rob Angeli and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (15)
Literally genius! 👏🏼👏🏼
A phenomenal haiku. The quote is very moving as well.
Gorgeous! I sat with the imagery you created for a while. I like the thought that something is stirring within a person and not the pond!
Rob, this is such a deep and beautifully written haiku!! I love the quote you added below, it lends another layer of complexity to this piece! Great work!
Whoaaa, this was so stunning and profound! I loved it!
beautiful.
Beautiful and deep.
Love this What lurks beneath the surface and is the willow summoning it as an incarnation of Gia's wrath?
Love it! Makes me wonder what's under there, something real or imagined...? hmmm
Nice ❤️💙 Anneliese
It may be generic, but it's a real haiku! Loved it.
I could spend 30 minutes researching the symbolic nature of willow trees, yet I think I like what you've done here too much to distract myself. I can take it as it is, leaf reaching toward pond, perhaps a fish moving beneath... But I like to dive deeper, lol. A leaf touching the water...almost like the weeping willow has wept so much as to create a pool beneath her. She is touching it, contemplating her grief, which is now dried up. What stirs beneath? Perhaps her own reflection? Perhaps the monster that caused it? Perhaps, the glint of the sun, come out now. Wonderful haiku. I think you nailed it, Rob.
Powerful nature poem!!! Loving this!!!
Stunning simplicity. Beautiful! 🤍
Generic? I think not! I would say classical, an excellent example of the archetypal haiku. This imagery has staying power.