Connecting to nature through poetry and prose
In June, the Northern Hemisphere transitions from spring to summer, marked by blossoming nature and specific seasonal observations. Birds play a key role in haiku, often serving as seasonal indicators or kigo, enriching the poetic experience.
January 15 - January 21 is the third week of 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. During this week, we complete the Solar Term of Minor Cold (Jan 05 - Jan 19) and enter the Solar Term of Major Cold (Jan 20 - Feb 03). The micro-seasons for this week are “The Springwater Holds Warmth (Jan 11 - Jan 15) and “The Pheasant First Calls” (Jan 16 - Jan 20). The haiku selected for this week are written by Basho, Issa, Buson, Reichhold, Fukio, and Spiess.
July 17 to July 21 is the micro-season of “The Young Hawk Learns to Fly ”. This is the third micro-season of the season of Minor Heat. To celebrate this season, we will learn about bird wings and read haiku by Basho, Issa, Shiki, Avila, and Reichhold.
We have entered the micro-season of “The Sparrow Builds Her Nest ” This is the first micro-season of the mini-season of Spring Equinox. To celebrate this season, we will learn about sparrows and read seasonal haiku by Basho, Issa, Buson, and Shiki.
We have entered the micro-season of “The Nightingale Sings”. This is the second micro-season of the mini-season First Spring. To celebrate this season, we will learn about the common nightingale and the Japanese nightingales. We will then read seasonal haiku by Kerouac, Issa, Basho, and Dr. Gabi Greve.
We have entered the micro-season of “The Pheasant First Calls”. This is the third micro-season of the mini-season Minor Cold. To celebrate this season, we will learn about pheasants and read haiku by Basho, Issa, and Buson.
We have entered the micro-season of “The Swallows Leave”. This is the third micro-season of the mini-season of White Dew. As a way to celebrate this season, we will investigate the swallow and its migration patterns. Then we will read haiku by Buson and Issa. This season, we also invite you to write your own migration-inspired haiku and share it with the community.
We have entered the micro-season of “The Young Hawk Learns to Fly ”. This is the third micro-season of the mini-season of Minor Heat. As a way to celebrate this season, we will explore what types of birds are considered hawks, the life cycle of birds, and then read haiku by Basho, Issa, and Shiki.
We have entered the micro-season of “Geese Fly North”. To honor this season we look at bird migration patterns and read haiku by Basho, Issa, Shiki, and Buson.
The micro-season of “The Sparrow Builds Her Nest” is the first micro-season of the mini season of Spring Equinox. To honor this season, we investigate the taxonomy of the sparrow and read a short poem by Emily Dickinson.
The red-winged blackbird is one of Vermont’s early migrators. Today, we are investigating the red-winged blackbird, its migration patterns, and reading parts of “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens.
“With a rare leaf for a roof in the rain,/With a rare cap for his cardinal hood,/The cardinal bird remains”-Orrick Johns. The Northern Cardinal is a striking bird that has captured the imagination of poets for generations. To honor this bird, we are reading cardinal related poetry for Orrick Johns, Nancy McCleery, and Alfred Noyes.
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