summer haiku d’été – boreal forest = forêt boréale


summer haiku d'été – boreal forest = forêt boréale





boreal forest
bursting into flames -
how the stag wails

forêt boréale
toute en flammes -
que le cerf braille

Richard Vallance

© by/ par Richard Vallance 2020

photo public domain/ domaine public Pixabay



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spring haiku – HRH Argentée = SAR Argentée


spring haiku – HRH Argentée = SAR Argentée

HRH Argentée
on her forest path  –
queen of trilliums




SAR Argentée
sur son sentier forestier  –
la reine des trilles

Richard Vallance

HRH Argentée, my gorgeous Maine Coon mix, died on March 14 2019, just one month short of her 16th. birthday. She walked on a leash all over Ottawa and the Gatineaux Hills some 1,200 times in her life. Her ashes box is inscribed, Libre Esprit (Free Spirit). I miss her terribly!

SAR Argentée, ma Maine Coon mixte super belle, est morte le 14 mars 2019, seulement un mois avant son 16ìeme anniversaire. Elle marchait au moins 1.200 fois à la laisse pendant se vie à Ottawa et parmi les Collines du Gatineax. Sa boîte funéraire est inscrite, Libre Esprit. Elle me manque tellement. 

spring haiga de printemps – surfing in waves = déferlant en vagues


spring haiga de printemps – surfing in waves = déferlant en vagues 

surfing in waves
by the forest path
trilliums bloom




déferlant en vagues 
près du sentier du bois
les trilles fleurissent

Richard Vallance

photo by Richard Vallance, May 2019

summer haiku d’été – follow the stars = suivre les étoiles


summer haiku d’été – follow the stars = suivre les étoiles

follow the stars
not the ghosts in the forest...
the stars are angels

stars in the forest 620

suivre les étoiles
pas les fantômes forestiers ...
les étoiles ? les anges !

Richard Vallance

summer haiku d’été – still on her leash = toujours à la laisse


summer haiku d’été – still on her leash = toujours à la laisse

still on her leash,
my Maine Coon’s ghost hovers here – 
leaves whisper her name

Argentee still on her leash 620

toujours à la laisse,
le fantôme da ma Maine Coon  –
paroles des feuilles

Richard Vallance

I miss Argentée terribly. She passed away on March 14 2019. I often cry when I think of her.

Argentée me manque tellement. Elle est morte le l4 mars 2019. Je pleure souvent quand je pense à elle.

spring haiku de printemps – wild garlic = toi, l’ail des bois


spring haiku de printemps – wild garlic = toi, l’ail des bois

wild garlic
popping up in the forest –
aren’t you a dish?

wild garlic 620

toi, l’ail des bois
qui apparais dans la forêt  –
comme tu es chic !  

Richard Vallance

Wild garlic is native to Canada. It has a bittersweet taste. It thrives in the Gatineau Hills just outside Ottawa and the Outaouais.

L’ail des bois est endémique au Canada. Il a un goût aigre-doux. Il prospère sur les collines de la région du Gatineau proches d’Ottawa et de l’Outaouais.

spring haiku de printemps – fiddleheads = têtes de violon


spring haiku de printemps – fiddleheads = têtes de violon

fiddleheads
in the forested hills –
andante breeze

fiddleheads 620

têtes de violon
sur les collines forestières –
brise andante

Richard Vallance

Fiddleheads are native to Canada. They taste like spinach. They thrive in the Gatineau Hills just outside Ottawa and the Outaouais.

Les têtes de violon sont endémiques au Canada. Elles ont le goût des épinards. Elles prospèrent sur les collines de la région du Gatineau proches d’Ottawa et de l’Outaouais.

spring haiku d’été – as cirrus float by = les cirrus flottent


spring haiku d’été – as cirrus float by = les cirrus flottent

as cirrus float by
woodland robins warble –
elves listen in

robins 620

les cirrus flottent,
les rouges-gorges gazouillent –
les lutins écoutent

Richard Vallance 

spring haiku de printemps – the skylark’s voice = la voix de l’alouette


spring haiku de printemps – the skylark’s voice = la voix de l’alouette

the skylark’s voice
ripples through the forest
in the cool rain

skylarks voice 620

la voix de l’alouette
résonne dans la forêt
dans la pluie fraîche

Richard Vallance 


I Argentée


I Argentee 620

I Argentée

I Argentée have lived a hardy life:
a Maine Coon mix, I’ve forded babbling rills,
the freest spirit, who’s never suffered strife!
Why, I have scaled formidable forest hills,
where I’ve run into coons and surly bears
who’ve never phased me in the very least;
I’ve roamed the fields and sounded foxes’ lairs,
so why be so surprised when I am deceased.
Because I pride the space I always crave,
although I was on leash, the leash was loose,
to leave me running free, for being brave,
since as you know I’ve always been so spruce!
For all the bugs I’ve chased and mice I’ve caught
I bid you, fairest friends, to mourn me not.

Richard Vallance

March 29 2019

in memoriam, fairest Argentée, libre esprit (free spirit)
April 15 2003 – March 14 2019

summer haiku d’été – tiger stalking – tigre qui traque


summer haiku d’été – tiger stalking – tigre qui traque

tiger stalking
through the underbrush –
burning, searing eyes!

tiger forest 620

tigre qui traque
dans le sous-bois –
que les yeux brûlent !

This haiku is obviously based on William Blake’s famous poem:

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? 

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes? 
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire? 

And what shoulder, & what art, 
Could twist the sinews of thy heart? 
And when thy heart began to beat, 
What dread hand? & what dread feet? 

What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye, 
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

William Blake (1757-1827)

eternal summer haiku de l’été éternel – sweet cat passed away = chère chatte trépassée


eternal summer haiku de l’été éternel – sweet cat passed away = chère chatte trépassée

sweet cat passed away,
you dash through heaven’s forests –
my wee free spirit

free spirit 620

chère chatte trépassée
dans les forêts du ciel –
pet’t esprit libre

Richard Vallance

in memory of my beloved Maine Coon chat, Argentée
à la mémoire de ma Maine Coon chérie, Argentée 

summer haiku d’été – your birthday in Japanese kanji, for Régis Auffray = ton anniversaire en kanji japonais, pour Régis Auffray


summer haiku d’été – your birthday in Japanese kanji, for Régis Auffray = ton anniversaire en kanji japonais, pour Régis Auffray

the forest wishes
in so many whispers
upon shooting stars

shooting stars 620

le bois fait son voeu
sur les étoiles filantes
en chuchotements

Richard Vallance

The day kanji for the 13th. day = whisper and the 8th. month = star

Le kanji du treizième jour du mois, c’est le chuchotement , et celui pour le huitième mois, c’est l’étoile.   

Canadian Spirit Voices


Canadian Spirit Voices

Canadian Spirit Voices 620

On Spirit Lake the voices flew 
across the coves where forests grew, 
tossing the fragrance of the sun 
over the pines where spirits run. 
Where spirits ran, they run today, 
ancestors' voices up the spruce, 
where paddlers camp but never stay 
where eagles eye the rummaging moose, 
where wolves and bears are born again 
only to see their spring cubs slain, 
where we encamped and they stormed in 
and killed the last of our last kin. 
    Can you imagine what a surprise 
    when they see clarity in our dark eyes? 

Richard Vallance


summer haiku d’été – striking Canoe Lake = sur le Lac Canoe


summer haiku d’été – striking Canoe Lake = sur le Lac Canoe

striking Canoe Lake
lightning springs to life
from your oil palette

tom thomson 1915 - lightning, canoe lake, 1915 620

sur le Lac Canoe
quel coup d’éclair né
de ta palette

Richard Vallance 

winter haiku d’hiver – pine and spruce forest = les pins et sapins


winter haiku d’hiver – pine and spruce forest = les pins et sapins

the ice-encrusted
pine and spruce forest
silvered by sunlight

ice-encrusted forest 620

la glace argentée
sur les pins et sapins
en plein soleil

Richard Vallance

It should be obvious by now that one of my favourite winter season words or kigo is “silver”, which in not a Japanese kigo at all. But I have firmly established it as a Canadian winter kigo.

It est enfin bien évident que l’un des mots-saisons ou mots d’hiver que j’utilise souvent, c’est le mot « argent », qui n’est guère un kigo japonais. Mais je l’ai nettement établi comme kigo canadien d’hiver.