Meng Haoran listens to the flowers
A haiku before the haiku ever existed
Spring Dawn
Meng Haoran
.
Awake. Birdsong. It is spring.
In the night, I listened to the wind and the rain,
And the flowers falling.
This very well-known poem by Meng Haoran (689-740) captures the feel of a traditional haiku. It emphasises the sound element, and invites us to experience the disjointed flow of time and consciousness in an interrupted night’s sleep.
孟浩然 春晓
春眠不觉晓，处处闻啼鸟。
夜来风雨声，花落知多少。