There certainly is the “oh my” for this haiku. It brings to mind the lusty month of may. But I want to take my comment in a different direction. For me there are three intriguing words: imagines, completely, and sap (in that order).
Imagine is totally in the head of the other person. It is not understands completely, nor is it knows completely, and it is not be-at-one-with. Imagine could be close or not close to reality. Completely sounds to me like a bit of tongue-in-cheek. If he is imagining, how can it be “completely?” I have a sense that the word completely is rarely applied to a haiku poet. Finally, the word “sap” also has the meaning of a foolish man.
Can you know the person completely – never. Can you know the words of a haiku completely – never. Can you feel smug about what you do know or imagine you know? That is the crime. The sap rises here.
Oh my
Excellent!
There certainly is the “oh my” for this haiku. It brings to mind the lusty month of may. But I want to take my comment in a different direction. For me there are three intriguing words: imagines, completely, and sap (in that order).
Imagine is totally in the head of the other person. It is not understands completely, nor is it knows completely, and it is not be-at-one-with. Imagine could be close or not close to reality. Completely sounds to me like a bit of tongue-in-cheek. If he is imagining, how can it be “completely?” I have a sense that the word completely is rarely applied to a haiku poet. Finally, the word “sap” also has the meaning of a foolish man.
Can you know the person completely – never. Can you know the words of a haiku completely – never. Can you feel smug about what you do know or imagine you know? That is the crime. The sap rises here.
Melissa, I always enjoy your work. Thanks,
Sully
Thanks as always for your thoughtful commentary, Sully.
I enjoyed it too. I took sap rising as a kigo reference as well as an erotic connotation. Love all the possibilities here.
Yes, “sap rising” is intended as a spring kigo… appropriate I think.
Thanks for your appreciation, Sanjuktaa and Yousei.