Haiku

Gary Easton, member of the British Mycological Society's Fungal Education and Outreach Committee and UK Fungus Day working group, says:

"Some time ago I was trying to think of new things to do for UK Fungus Day and Haiku was on my list. These short poems of Japanese origin are traditionally associated with nature and the seasons. Thanks to reading “Kinoko” by Nathaniel Guy, I’ve discovered a lot more mushroom haiku.

The poems are constructed from seventeen syllables divided into three lines of five, seven and five syllables and don’t rhyme. Haiku should capture the imagery in just these few words. Some examples from me are below. Have a go and see what you can create!"

Ah, mushroom hunting
the elation of that which
you've still yet to find
by Yamaguchi Sodo (1646-1716), translated by Nathaniel Guy.

I came home after
a day of mushroom hunting
then the rain began

This was translated by Nathaniel Guy but written by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), the famous poet of the Edo period. It feels timeless to me, particularly after a foray in the dry weather that we've had recently.

Anthers black, not white
Dark eyes in bright pink flowers
Red Campion smut
By Gary Easton

Anticipation.
This year's first fungal foray.
Any surprises?
By Gary Easton

Pink cap, fine white gills.
Stipe snaps like a piece of chalk
It's a Russula.
By Gary Easton

Image: Dr. Hans-Günter Wagner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

iNaturalist,
Find-a-Fungus Project soon,
Log-in and take part.
By Mark Ramsdale.

Read about Find-a-Fungus!

Find-a-fungus hunt,
Foraying we must go,
Mushrooms will suffice.
By Mark Ramsdale

This ancient valley
Scatters gifts in quiet woods
Finding porcini
By David Bailey, Hall of Einar

Mushroom umbrella
It rains and it pours
Raining spores
By Sian Deller

Just buttons on legs
Except this pink one showing
Her up-turned frilled skirt
By C.M.Jackson-Houlston

Witch’s Hat toadstools
In toffee and banana -
Autumn’s colour trends.
By Emma Price

Bolete parasite
Growing on common earthball
Amazing fungi.
By Gary Easton

Just like Robin Hood
Fungi take from the rich trees
And give to the poor
By Ian Burfield

Caps of brown and grey
Form a circle in the moss
Autumn enchantment
By Liz Burfield

Gibberella rot
Pink mold and mycotoxins
Vestige of an ear
By S.E. Bartholomew @phytopoetry

Haiku

Ah, mushroom hunting
the elation of that which
you've still yet to find
by Yamaguchi Sodo (1646-1716), translated by Nathaniel Guy.

I came home after
a day of mushroom hunting
then the rain began

This was translated by Nathaniel Guy but written by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), the famous poet of the Edo period. It feels timeless to me, particularly after a foray in the dry weather that we've had recently.

Anthers black, not white
Dark eyes in bright pink flowers
Red Campion smut
By Gary Easton

Anticipation.
This year's first fungal foray.
Any surprises?
By Gary Easton

Pink cap, fine white gills.
Stipe snaps like a piece of chalk
It's a Russula.
By Gary Easton

Image: Dr. Hans-Günter Wagner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

iNaturalist,
Find-a-Fungus Project soon,
Log-in and take part.
By Mark Ramsdale.

Find-a-fungus hunt,
Foraying we must go,
Mushrooms will suffice.
By Mark Ramsdale

This ancient valley
Scatters gifts in quiet woods
Finding porcini
By David Bailey, Hall of Einar

Mushroom umbrella
It rains and it pours
Raining spores
By Sian Deller

Just buttons on legs
Except this pink one showing
Her up-turned frilled skirt
By C.M.Jackson-Houlston

Witch’s Hat toadstools
In toffee and banana -
Autumn’s colour trends.
By Emma Price

Bolete parasite
Growing on common earthball
Amazing fungi.
By Gary Easton

Just like Robin Hood
Fungi take from the rich trees
And give to the poor
By Ian Burfield

Caps of brown and grey
Form a circle in the moss
Autumn enchantment
By Liz Burfield

Gibberella rot
Pink mold and mycotoxins
Vestige of an ear
By S.E. Bartholomew @phytopoetry

Can you write a haiku?

Click here for a guide to writing haiku.

Send us your haiku by email and we will add it to this page.

Email bmsevents@britmycolsoc.info

Haiku

Ah, mushroom hunting the elation of that which you've still yet to find by Yamaguchi Sodo (1646-1716), translated by Nathaniel Guy.

I came home after a day of mushroom hunting then the rain began This was translated by Nathaniel Guy but written by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), the famous poet of the Edo period. It feels timeless to me, particularly after a foray in the dry weather that we've had recently.

Anthers black, not white Dark eyes in bright pink flowers Red Campion smut By Gary Easton

Anticipation. This year's first fungal foray. Any surprises? By Gary Easton

Pink cap, fine white gills. Stipe snaps like a piece of chalk It's a Russula. By Gary Easton

Image: Dr. Hans-Günter Wagner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

iNaturalist, Find-a-Fungus Project soon, Log-in and take part. By Mark Ramsdale.

Find-a-fungus hunt, Foraying we must go, Mushrooms will suffice. By Mark Ramsdale

This ancient valley Scatters gifts in quiet woods Finding porcini By David Bailey, Hall of Einar

Mushroom umbrella It rains and it pours Raining spores By Sian Deller

Just buttons on legs Except this pink one showing Her up-turned frilled skirt By C.M.Jackson-Houlston

Witch’s Hat toadstools In toffee and banana - Autumn’s colour trends. By Emma Price

Bolete parasite Growing on common earthball Amazing fungi. By Gary Easton

Just like Robin Hood Fungi take from the rich trees And give to the poor By Ian Burfield

Caps of brown and grey Form a circle in the moss Autumn enchantment By Liz Burfield

Gibberella rot Pink mold and mycotoxins Vestige of an ear By S.E. Bartholomew @phytopoetry

Can you write a haiku?

Click here for a guide to writing haiku. Send us your haiku by email and we will add it to this page. Email bmsevents@britmycolsoc.info

Ah, mushroom hunting
the elation of that which
you've still yet to find
by Yamaguchi Sodo (1646-1716), translated by Nathaniel Guy.

I came home after
a day of mushroom hunting
then the rain began

This was translated by Nathaniel Guy but written by Matsuo Basho (1644 - 1694), the famous poet of the Edo period. It feels timeless to me, particularly after a foray in the dry weather that we've had recently.

Anthers black, not white
Dark eyes in bright pink flowers
Red Campion smut
By Gary Easton

Anticipation.
This year's first fungal foray.
Any surprises?
By Gary Easton

Pink cap, fine white gills.
Stipe snaps like a piece of chalk
It's a Russula.
By Gary Easton

iNaturalist,
Find-a-Fungus Project soon,
Log-in and take part.
By Mark Ramsdale.

Find-a-fungus hunt,
Foraying we must go,
Mushrooms will suffice.
By Mark Ramsdale

This ancient valley
Scatters gifts in quiet woods
Finding porcini
By David Bailey, Hall of Einar

Mushroom umbrella
It rains and it pours
Raining spores
By Sian Deller

Just buttons on legs
Except this pink one showing
Her up-turned frilled skirt
By C.M.Jackson-Houlston

Witch’s Hat toadstools
In toffee and banana -
Autumn’s colour trends.
By Emma Price

Bolete parasite
Growing on common earthball
Amazing fungi.
By Gary Easton

Just like Robin Hood
Fungi take from the rich trees
And give to the poor
By Ian Burfield

Caps of brown and grey
Form a circle in the moss
Autumn enchantment
By Liz Burfield

Gibberella rot
Pink mold and mycotoxins
Vestige of an ear
By S.E. Bartholomew @phytopoetry

Click here for a guide to writing haiku.

Send us your haiku by email and we will add it to this page.

Email bmsevents@britmycolsoc.info