Autumn / Winter 2011 — Haibun

If only ...


Threading through the pines a gibbous March moon. Overhead, still a glint of winter in the Capella's yellow glow. I track the Orion and the red haze of Mars. Soon it will be dawn of your birthday. I am numb and cold.

clouds are folding
over the pearly fold—
the day of his death

Born and brought up in the Kingdom of Bhutan, Sonam Chhoki was introduced to haiku by her spouse who lived and worked in Japan. She has been writing haiku for about five years. The Japanese forms of haiku, tanka and haibun resonate with her own Tibetan Buddhist upbringing. Her haiku have been published in AsahiAcornFrogpondHeron's NestModern Haiku and Magnapoets.