NaHaiWriMo

Sumo Haiku 4: Last (Kisenosato, Abi, Hakuho, Takayasu) (Sharing original poems.)

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With this last posting day of the month comes my final set of Sumo Haiku. If you’ve stuck with me for all four days of this little event, thank you!

In addition to devoting these days to haiku for NaHaiWriMo, I was hoping to make Sumo interesting in a novel way for those who aren’t fans. I’ve only been a fan for three years, so I know how different it can be to regard these guys as humans among us, out and about. Let’s face it: If you’re not a Sumo fan and you’ve no knowledge of Sumo’s traditions, what you likely see of the sport is a bunch of obese men in diapers trying to push each other out of a sandbox. I hope I’ve managed to bring some personality into this perception, if nothing else!

*****

If you haven’t seen it already, click here to read Sumo Haiku Day One with its introductory, explanatory opening text. I’ll go ahead and re-post the disclaimer part here, though:

[DISCLAIMER: In these haiku, you’ll read purely fictitious portrayals of the wrestlers, simple whims of my imagination as I considered each one. I actually know nothing of the inner lives and selves of these guys.]

I’ll introduce each haiku with the name and photo of the wrestler. The haiku about that wrestler will appear beneath his photo.

That being said, enjoy this last set of Sumo Haiku!

Sumo Haiku 4: Last (Kisenosato, Abi, Hakuho, Takayasu)

(by Kristi Garboushian)

Kisenosato:

  1. Kisenosato

Satisfying his
pressing need for clarity
requires nine days.

Abi:

2. Abi

Energy bound in
slim sheets of stationery:
changeability.

Hakuho:

3. Hakuho

He met a guy who
knows a guy who will purchase
his grandmother’s urn.

Takayasu:

4. Takayasu

Thunder clouds lifting
the earth on a planet turned
upside-down, shining.

The End, and Happy Friday Eve, my friends!

Sumo Haiku 3: Third (Ishiura, Ikioi, Sokokurai, Nishikigi) (Sharing original poems.)

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It’s my hope that you’re enjoying these sumo haiku as much as I’m enjoying writing them, even if you’re not a part of a cross-over, niche world of readers who are both haiku and sumo fans. Whether you’re one of those or the other (or neither), I’m happy to introduce you to some of these combat athletes as they appear out in the world – in actual clothing, no less! (Pun not intended.)

Today is the third day of my Sumo Haiku project. Thursday will be the last TALC posting day of February. NaHaiWriMo will be over, my next post will consist of February Favorites, and then I have some newsy-news for you that I can’t wait to share!

If you haven’t seen it already, click here to read Sumo Haiku Day One with its introductory, explanatory opening text. I’ll go ahead and re-post the disclaimer part here, though:

[DISCLAIMER: In these haiku, you’ll read purely fictitious portrayals of the wrestlers, simple whims of my imagination as I considered each one. I actually know nothing of the inner lives and selves of these guys.]

I’ll introduce each haiku with the name and photo of the wrestler. The haiku about that wrestler will appear beneath his photo.

Have at it!

Sumo Haiku 3: Third (Ishiura, Ikioi, Sokokurai, Nishikigi)

(by Kristi Garboushian)

Ishiura:

  1. Ishiura

Self-conscious, he keeps
room for flexibility
in his bright jacket.

Ikioi:

2. Ikioi

…obliviously
takes out-of-season fables
from spring libraries.

Sokokurai:

3. Sokokurai

Possesses secret
talent for dance instruction
willed to him at birth.

Nishikigi:

4. Nishikigi

Goal for the new year:
enchant beasts of granite strength
with handfuls of stars.

Sumo Haiku 2: Second (Terunofuji, Kaisei, Daishomaru, Okinoumi) (Sharing original poems.)

That Asian-Looking Chick Leave a comment

Whether you’re a faithful reader or just someone who stumbled into this space, welcome to the second day of my Sumo Haiku project!

I’m enjoying this project. I would love for others to see and appreciate the beauty of Sumo as well as that of haiku.

If you haven’t seen it already, click here to read Sumo Haiku Day One with its introductory, explanatory opening text. I’ll go ahead and re-post the disclaimer part here, though:

[DISCLAIMER: In these haiku, you’ll read purely fictitious portrayals of the wrestlers, simple whims of my imagination as I considered each one. I actually know nothing of the inner lives and selves of these guys.]

I’ll introduce each haiku with the name and photo of the wrestler. The haiku about that wrestler will appear beneath his photo.

Enjoy!

Sumo Haiku 2: Second (Terunofuji, Kaisei, Daishomaru, Okinoumi)

(by Kristi Garboushian)

Terunofuji:

  1. Terunofuji

Ancestral fighter
redolent of sandalwood:
the older brother.

Kaisei:

2. Kaisei

No expectations.
He doesn’t want to offer
anything that asks.

Daishomaru:

3. Daishomaru

…adores reading and
inviting consequences
into rooms of art.

Okinoumi:

4. Okinoumi

He looks in their eyes
like he’s gazing at his death.
He rarely wears gold.

Sumo Haiku 1: First Four (Mitakeumi, Endo, Tochinoshin, Asanoyama) (Sharing original poems.)

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In February 2016, I started writing a series of haiku, some of which I posted here in TALC. I didn’t post all 76 of the haiku I wrote between February and August that year, but I did share a few, each accompanied by a photo.

It’s now February four years later. Considering that February is National Haiku Writing Month (NaHaiWriMo) and that the next Grand Sumo Tournament (basho) is less than three weeks away, I wanted to write some haiku about Sumo. Haiku is a Japanese poetic form. Sumo is Japan’s national sport. I’m a big fan of both.

Sumo-related haiku could come from any number of angles, but what came to my mind in a moment of reflection was the idea of imagining the inner lives and selves of Sumo wrestlers (rikishi), like when you’re people-watching and your need for amusement spawns backstories for some of the humans you notice.

I selected my 16 favorite Sumo wrestlers with the intention of creating fictional personas for each of them. Between now and the end of the month – there are four more TALC posting days in February – you’ll see four haiku sets, each containing four haiku about four different wrestlers, one for each of them. The poems are short, as haiku traditionally consist of 17 syllables distributed across three lines. (I personally enjoy working within this tradition.)

Some of you are here for the poetry. Some of you might be Sumo fans, but I’m guessing that most of you are not. For those of you who’ve no special affection for either poetry or Sumo… yes, I went and combined the two! Thank you for bearing with me here today, and, in advance, on Thursday, and also on next week Tuesday and Thursday. [::sheepish grin::]

[DISCLAIMER: In these haiku, you’ll read purely fictitious portrayals of the wrestlers, simple whims of my imagination as I considered each one. I actually know nothing of the inner lives and selves of these guys.]

I’ll introduce each haiku with the name and photo of the wrestler. The haiku about that wrestler will appear beneath his photo.

Enjoy!

Sumo Haiku 1: First Four (Mitakeumi, Endo, Tochinoshin, Asanoyama)

(by Kristi Garboushian)

Mitakeumi:

  1. Mitakeumi

Maybe he believes
that evil fairies exist,
love notwithstanding.

Endo:

  1. Endo

“He’s the pretty one” –
I think, Goth, black eye-liner,
cold night, street light mist.

Tochinoshin:

  1. Tochinoshin

Mountains wake and roar
ten minutes into his sound
sleep. He’ll sometimes dream.

Asanoyama:

  1. Asanoyama

Perhaps amber ale.
Watery, late-summer fruit.
“Metrosexual.”