Haiku madness!

Kids in Japan learn pretty much the same thing as I did in my youth, like language, science, mathematics, social studies and such. However they get started on stuff like calligraphy, fine arts and poetry at a young age too. The kids in one of my elementary schools are asked to do haiku as part of their classes, and they come up with some surprisingly good ones.

The best get posted on the school bulletin board for everyone to read. I will reproduce some of them here, totally without permission of course, and attempt to adapt them to English while keeping to the 5-7-5 pattern of a traditional haiku. Any mistakes in translation, grammar or spelling are entirely my own. Also, some of the original poems might not exactly fit the 5-7-5 pattern according to Japanese syllabary, but go easy on them, ok? They're just kids.

Here we go:

さくらもち 一口だけで 春気分
sakura mochi hitoguchi dake de haru kibun
Sakura mochi Just one bite and it's all gone The feeling of Spring

星座達 夜空につもる 雪のよう
seiza tachi yozora ni tsumoru yuki no you
The constellations Hanging up in the night sky Resemble snowflakes

菜の花が さくとわたしの たんじょうび
nanohana ga saku to watashi no tanjoubi
Brassica flowers Come at about the same time As my birthday does

さくらさき みなのこころも うごきだす
sakura saki mina no kokoro mo ugoki dasu
Cherry blossoms fly Everyone's hearts and souls are Deeply moved by them

さむくない ふるえているよ ミニトマト
samukunai furueteiru yo mini tomato
Though it's not that cold Cherry tomatoes tremble Shaking on the vine

思い出は キャンプファイアー 火のおどり
omoide wa kyampufaiaa hi no odori
I remember a Brightly burning campfire Full of dancing flames

もみじがね あたまにのって ぼうしだよ
momiji ga ne atama ni notte boushi da yo
Autumn maple leaves Ride on the top of my head Like a pretty hat

And my favourite little gem:

ちょうさむい ふとんの中から でられない
chou samui futon no naka kara derarenai
It's really too cold I don't want to get out from Under the futon

Terribly apt for the current season, in my opinion. Thank heavens for my kotatsu and gas heater. Well, not to be outdone (though I think I've been hopelessly outclassed), I've come up with one of my own (in English only, unfortunately). I like to think it kind of reflects my own life philosophy, and why I will never adopt vegetarianism on compassionate grounds:

But the fact remains
Another life must perish
So that you may live

I think I like the ones the kids made better though... ^^