cemetery banyan
the tangled roots
of an old grief
forced migration—
the lingering warmth
of mom’s hugs
Published in Cattails, October 2025
http://www.cattailsjournal.com/issues/cattails252.pdf
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the many dialects
of cawing
haiku section of Cattails
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morning blues the melting glaciers in my eyes
Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan (EC)
There are some poems which inspire essays. I think this piece by Hifsa is one such. It offers so much to think about. Superficially, we are given the solid images of morning and glaciers. However, there is the tantalising possibility that these images may be metaphorical, rather than literal. So, is morning the start of the day, or the beginning of a new realisation? Or could it be both? Are the melting glaciers being observed or considered in the mind of the writer or, maybe, just alluded to? Is this poem documenting climate change or is it saying “Cry me a river”? The Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware feels strong here - a gentle sadness at the impermanence of things and a potentially deeper sadness in the realization that this is the reality of life. I find it profoundly beautiful and deeply moving.
Senryu Section of Cattails with Editor's choice by David Kelly
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Haiga section of Cattails
There are some poems which inspire essays. I think this piece by Hifsa is one such. It offers so much to think about. Superficially, we are given the solid images of morning and glaciers. However, there is the tantalising possibility that these images may be metaphorical, rather than literal. So, is morning the start of the day, or the beginning of a new realisation? Or could it be both? Are the melting glaciers being observed or considered in the mind of the writer or, maybe, just alluded to? Is this poem documenting climate change or is it saying “Cry me a river”? The Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware feels strong here - a gentle sadness at the impermanence of things and a potentially deeper sadness in the realization that this is the reality of life. I find it profoundly beautiful and deeply moving.
Senryu Section of Cattails with Editor's choice by David Kelly
------
Haiga section of Cattails
Published in Cattails, April 2025
http://www.cattailsjournal.com/issues/cattails251.pdf
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