by Terri L. French and Raymond French
(sung to the tune of Sade’s song, “Smooth Operator”)
Quiet night,
peaceful boy
Left the rat
race, came to this place for maximum joy
No city lights
disturb the night
With pen in hand
no real plan of what to write
He’s just a
beginner, a sensitive heart
He cannot sing or
dance
But, his senses
awaken and there is a spark
It’s the first
draft
He’s a ku
contemplator
ku contemplator
ku contemplator
Haiku
contemplator
Bashō, Issa,
Shiki, and Buson
write of frogs
and fleas
Buck Teeth, Mido,
Kuro, and Shiro
Master Cup of Tea
Write and erase
then add a space
Let aha moments
come to you
No need to chase
In silence they
come
In dreams they
unfold
Kireji, karumi,
and kigo
Melt in your
heart, burn in your soul
If you are a ku
contemplator
ku contemplator
ku contemplator
Haiku
contemplator
Haibun, tanka,
renga, and haiga
Senryu too
If Michael Dylan
Welch hears a 5-7-5
He’ll spew
Because he is a
ku contemplator
ku contemplator
ku contemplator
Haiku
contemplator
Previously
unpublished. The worldwide premier for this song took place on 13 October 2012
at the Seabeck Haiku Getaway in Seabeck, Washington. Terri sang the vocals and
Raymond played a killer air sax.