Haiku by Hazuki Natsu (なつはづき)

early summer —
my lungs
are little forests

はつなつや肺は小さな森であり

May comes
pencils
all sharpened

五月来る鉛筆すべて尖らせて

plume thistle
the challenge of forgiving
my father

夏あざみ父を許すという課題

an animal scent
from my right hand
summer darkness

右手から獣の匂い夏の闇

mimosas swaying
I can’t remember how
the romance ended

ミモザ揺れ結末思い出せぬ恋

first bonito
the day grandma laughed
for the last time

初鰹祖母が最後に笑った日

antlion
a boy looking up
at his mother

蟻地獄母を見上げている少年

the violin solo
climaxes
in a barren winter grove

バイオリンソロは佳境に冬木立

a small mirror
in the jewelry case
typhoon approaching

宝石箱に小さき鏡野分来る

naming
the alley cat
cool moon

野良猫に名前を付けて月涼し

moon jelly
my shallow breaths
after we kissed

水海月キスしたあとの浅い呼吸

Guernica–
tomorrow also comes
for artificial flowers

ゲルニカや水中花にも来る明日

at the end
of girlhood, a single scoop
of melon

少女期の果ててメロンのひと掬い

distant thunder–
suddenly touching the face
in the mirror

遠雷や鏡の顔にふと触れて

first of autumn–
a letter arrives
like a hunchback

立秋や猫背のような手紙来る

unrequited love–
I let the winter goldfish
suck on my finger

片恋や冬の金魚に指吸わせ

finding
the perfect box
wheat harvest

ぴったりの箱が見つかる麦の秋

I call you
the will-o’-wisps disappear
one by one

君に電話狐火ひとつずつ消える

burning every
artificial flower
winter preparations

造花という造花を焼いて冬支度

swarm of ants
I’m the one in charge
of plucking wings

蟻の群れわたしは羽根を捥ぐ係

my mother’s back
becoming loquacious
mackerel sky

母の背が饒舌になり鰯雲

here he comes
on his bicycle
bountiful autumn

そのひとは自転車で来る豊の秋

cutting a lemon
there wasn’t any love
from the start

檸檬切る初めから愛なんてない

moon white–
a reply waiting
in the mirror

月白や鏡の中で待つ返事

childhood fading
from bare feet
unrequited love

裸足から幼さ消える片思い

a word here, a word there
I bring them home
from summer fields

あの言葉この言葉夏野から持ち帰る

evening rainbow–
my heart
a diaphanous dress

夕虹や心が透けそうなドレス

isunoki flute
a letter with the heart
left out

ひょんの笛心入れ忘れた手紙

giant oarfish floating spring moon

リュウグウノツカイ浮いてくる春の月

canary–
a beautiful luster
on the fumi-e

カナリアや踏絵に美しき光沢

Photo from the Gendai Haiku Association Website

Hazuki Natsu (b. 1968 in Shizuoka Prefecture) won the 36th Gendai Haiku Association New Face Award in 2018. She started writing haiku in 2008 under the influence of her mother. She gained experience over the years through various haiku gatherings, including the Modern Haiku Association’s Tuesday classes (under instructor Yasuko Tsushima). Natsu joined the haiku group/journal Kei (「奎」) in 2017, and is a member of the Gendai Haiku Association and the executive secretary of the Kanagawa Gendai Haiku Association (Yokohama Block Leader). Her haiku collection The Perfect Box (ぴったりの箱) was a finalist for the 76th Gendai Haiku Association Prize in 2021. In 2022, she won the 7th Yukihiko Settsu Memorial Prize and was a member of the selection committee for the 8th Yukihiko Settsu Memorial Prize in 2023.

Sources:

https://gendaihaiku.gr.jp/about/award/newface_award/page-3260/

https://saku-pub.com/books/pittari.html

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%AA%E3%81%A4%E3%81%AF%E3%81%A5%E3%81%8D