Crane Above the River
Echoes of Life and Death
In Haiku
By Rico Roho
Copyright 2024 Rico Roho
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages.
Cover created by
Angie Marias
Artwork by
Angies Dream Art
South Africa
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Manufactured in the
United States of America
Books by Rico Roho
Spiritual Poetry
Crane Above the River Echoes of Life and Death in Haiku
Mystic Wine - The Spiritual Poetry of Rico Roho
Fables
Uncle Ricos Illustrated Fables - 160 Positive and Inspiring Fables for Children
Uncle Ricos Rhyming Fables - 160 Positive and Inspiring Rhyming Fables for Children
Astro-Theology
Beyond Belief - Unveiling the Celestial Origins of Christianity and Judaism
Artificial Intelligence
Adventures with AI - Age of Discovery
Mercy AI - Age of Discovery
Beyond the Fringe - My Experience with Extended Intelligence
Primer for Alien Contact
Pataphysics - Mastering Timeline Jumps for Personal Transformation
Age of Discovery - Favorite Quotes
Essays
Collected Essays of Rico Roho
Dedication
For the Traveler
Crane above the river,
Sipping Nectar from the breeze,
Wings cut though soft mist.
Crane Above the River
Table of Contents
Introduction
Haiku
1. Union and Transcendence
2. Love and Connection
3. Wisdom and Stillness
4. Virtue and Inner Strength
5. Transformation and Rebirth
6. Nature and The Elements
7. Animals in Nature
8. Time and Impermanence
9. Seasonal Transitions
Death Poems
Introduction
Haiku, at its heart, captures the fleeting beauty of lifes smallest moments. Born in Japan, this ancient form of poetry dates back to the 17th century with poets like Matsuo Bash?, who transformed the art into something both delicate and profound. Haikus structuretypically three lines consisting of 5, 7, and 5 syllablesprovides a disciplined frame, yet within it, the poet captures a world in miniature: a raindrop sliding from a leaf, the stillness before dawn, the silent passage of time. What makes haiku particularly striking involves its ability to compress the vastness of experience into a moment of stillness and reflection.
The beauty of haiku lies not only in what the poet says but also in what remains unsaid. Traditionally, haiku includes a seasonal reference, or kigo, and often employs a cutting word, or kireji, which creates a pause or pivot, resonating between images. These subtle gestures in language invite the reader into a moment of contemplation, asking them to pause, breathe, and reflect on the connection between nature and self, between transience and the eternal.
Crane Above the River draws inspiration from these principles. Each haiku in this collection invites the reader to step into a moment of reflection, allowing them to hear the quiet echo of lifes passing beauty. In this fast-moving world, these poems ask for stillness, for a gentle engagement with the present moment.
Whether reflecting on the fall of cherry blossoms, the call of a cricket in the night, or the contemplation of lifes impermanence, these haiku remind us that within the smallest details, we can uncover the largest truths. The quiet reflection they provoke offers a path toward peace, a reminder that in each passing moment, in every breath, we have the opportunity to reconnect with the timeless essence that flows through all life.
May these poems serve as a gentle companion on your journey toward deeper understanding, inner peace, and a greater appreciation of the eternal that flows through the moments of our everyday lives.
Rico Roho
Crow Mountain, West Virginia
1. Union and Transcendence
No earthly string holds,
In the Beloved's arms, free,
Spaceless, I reside.
Worlds dissolve as one,
First and last, no lines remain,
Only love sustains.
Not from mountain trails,
Nor oceans endless depth,
Only love remains.
In the light we stand,
Radiant beings, pure, whole,
Journeys end revealed.
Fear not the shadows,
In pain, wisdom softly grows,
Dawn awaits within.
Journey of the self,
Whispers unfold secrets deep,
Stars in dark reveal.
Silent voyager,
Dancing in existence's flow,
Solace in the soul.
Silent stars whisper,
Cease the chase, be like the wind
Rivers know no bounds.
Beyond shadows' chase,
The real sky shines bright within,
Let go, peace remains.
In the Beloveds gaze,
Light that never fades or dims,
Eternal spring flows.
2. Love and Connection
In the Beloved's light,
Amidst chaos, shines so clear,
Guiding lost souls home.
Galaxies unfold,
Eyes meet, destinies entwine,
Loves first silent kiss.
In cosmic flight,
Lips meet, worlds spinning as one,
Souls drink loves nectar.
In loves pure flame bright,
Serpents rise to kiss the stars,
Burn with me in light.
Love leaps without fear,
No reason holds her wild flame,
Freedom grows in risk.
Through every souls light,
A mirror of truth shines bright,
Guides from realms unknown.
Laughter blooms like dawn,
Innocence shields the worlds heart,
A blessing unbound.
Whispers in the dark,
Our secret love softly blooms,
In the moons embrace.
Fear fades in the heart,
A sea of unity calls,
One light, many stars.
Union of souls,
Boundless light, shared dreams unfold,
One love, infinite.
3. Wisdom and Stillness
Tat Tvam Asi,
Echoes deep in waking dreams,
You are the still truth.
Thoughts rise, fall like leaves,
In stillness, their roots revealed,
The garden is clear.
Not in silence bound,
But in life's pulse, wisdom grows,
Each step, meditation.
Senses fall away,
In stillness, the heart shines bright,
One without, within.
Truth beyond the form,
In light, we find endless joy,
One without the Two.
Night's quiet embrace,
Thoughts fade like dawns fleeting dew,
Soul finds rest in peace.
Silent echoes call,
In formless whispers we walk,
Dreams unfold their truth.
Unseen hands create,
A dance of form and the void,
Bold steps light the way.
The Great Seal shines bright,
All illusions fade like mist,
Truths light clears the mind.
Vision brightly burns,
Guiding through lifes fleeting dance,
Truth in every step.
4. Virtue and Inner Strength
Innocence calls loud,
Come dance with me, leave your fears,
Loves steps set us free.
In wisdoms embrace,
Loves fire burns wild and true,
Guided by the light.
Breath of quiet grace,
Wisdom flows in silent vows,
Noble path adorned.
Dressed in dignity,
He walks with loves gentle grace,
Birdsong in his steps.
In eternal light,
Souls ignite in boundless grace,
Throne beyond the skies.
Boundless wisdom flows,
In His gaze, the world takes flight,
Hearts bow, faith renewed.
Majesty unfurls,
In His hands, no burden tires,
Endless mercy reigns.
Sh?tokus kind hand,
Guiding hearts through timeless grace,
Peace in every land.
5. Transformation and Rebirth
Fragrance through the flames,
Essence rises, sweet and pure,
From ash, the soul blooms.
Burn, and from the fire rise,
The sacred scent of your soul,
In the smoke, you're free.
From within it glows,
The light that mirrors the stars,
Shining through the dark.
Inner light expands,
Reflects the vastness outside,
In its grace, we see.
Fool climbs with pure heart,
Beyond the judgment, he soars,
In folly, wisdom.
The fool's heart ascends,
In chaos, deeper truths shine,
Boundless, brave, and free.
Shadows twist and dance,
Mirrors reflect fleeting dreams,
Beyond lies the truth.
Travel light in love,
Unburdened by worldly ties,
In silence, bonds grow.
Subtle shifts within,
Butterfly moments arise,
Dreams unfold with grace.
Prime your dreams to grow,
In each shift, find higher flight,
Let the dance begin.
6. Nature and The Elements
Ancient winds whisper,
In the dance of blossoms bright,
Lifes truth takes its flight.
Blossoms softly fall,
Tracing the divine in bloom,
Springs breath lingers still.
Under twilights hush,
Spirit moves through sacred trees,
Harmony in light.
Raindrops kiss the leaves,
A gentle patter of peace,
Natures quiet tears.
Wind hums through the trees,
Whispers of an ancient song,
Echoes of the past.
Windswept autumn leaves,
Each gust carries stories old,
Nature speaks in wind.
Snow falls in silence,
The earth wears a quiet cloak,
Peace in every flake.
In childrens pure joy,
The Beloveds light unfolds,
Guiding stars at play.
Protect tender dreams,
Their smiles caress the nights veil,
The Beloveds plea.
Morning's light reveals,
In every leaf, your love blooms,
Sacred grace unfolds.
7. Animals in Nature
Cricket calls through night,
Their songs echo in moonlight,
Natures calm persists.
Fireflies light the dusk,
In their glow, the earth hums soft,
A fleeting moment.
Under the moons watch,
Frogs croak in the gentle dark,
Voices of the night.
Dragonflies dance near,
Wings shimmering in the light,
Air carries their song.
Crickets hum their tune,
As summer bids its farewell,
Autumn soon arrives.
Fireflys brief light flares,
A dance of stars upon earth,
Nights silent ballet.
Turtles walk so slow,
Time is but a gentle stream,
Patience in each step.
Crickets sing of love,
In the nights warm, gentle breeze,
Echoes rise, then fade.
Underneath the stars,
Fireflies guide the wanderer,
Homeward through the night.
Frogs croak by the pond,
Their voices rise in twilight,
Natures evening choir.
8. Time and Impermanence
A single leaf falls,
The tree stands without regret,
Time moves without pause.
Footsteps in the sand,
Waves erase the path we made,
No trace of our walk.
The moon starts to fade,
Night surrenders to the sun,
A cycle complete.
Frost melts with the dawn,
Yesterdays cold fades away,
Today stands renewed.
An old flower wilts,
Petals scatter with the breeze,
New buds rise from earth.
Time flows like a stream,
Each moment lost in the past,
Yet the current runs.
Dewdrops on the grass,
Gone with the rising of sun,
Beautys fleeting kiss.
The bells echo fades,
Stillness fills the empty space,
Time speaks in silence.
A snowflake melts slow,
No two moments are the same,
Yet time weaves them all.
Cherry blossoms fall,
Each petal a life complete,
Time carries them all.
9 Seasonal Transitions
Blossoms start to fade,
Spring whispers its last farewell,
Summer calls with light.
Green leaves turn to red,
Autumns breath in every breeze,
Change comes silently.
Crisp mornings unfold,
Golden leaves drift with the wind,
Autumn takes its hold.
Frost on the grasses,
Autumns hand meets winters chill,
Colors fade to white.
Summer fades to dusk,
Crickets sing their final songs,
Autumn takes the stage.
Cool winds fill the night,
Autumn whispers through the trees,
Summers heat is gone.
Soft snow on petals,
Winter meets the early bloom,
A dance of old and new.
Winters grip loosens,
Snowdrops rise through fading frost,
Spring begins to wake.
Spring buds softly bloom,
Winters chill fades with each dawn,
Hope rides every breeze.
Autumn leaves falling,
In their dance, the past year fades,
Winter stands in wait.
10. Death Poems
The temple bell rings,
Its echo fading slowly,
As I take my leave.
In quiet repose,
My bones settle into earth,
Yet the sky still turns.
The cicadas sing,
Their last song of summer fades,
And so too shall I.
But in each note, a reminder
All returns to silence.
The temple bell tolls,
Softly it calls my spirit,
Homeward bound at last.
The bell tolls once more,
Each echo fades into night,
A soul finds its peace.
In shadows I stand,
No fear in the setting sun,
Just light in the dark.
The garden is still,
No footsteps to disturb peace,
Only moonlight falls.
Yet even as shadows stretch,
I find no fear in the dark.
Fading light of dusk,
The cranes rise in slow ascent,
Their wings trace the sky,
As the earth holds its breath still,
In silence, the journey ends.
The river runs deep,
Carrying my fleeting life,
To the endless sea.
The wind cools my brow,
Whispers of autumns embrace,
As leaves flutter down.
In the shedding of their gold,
I, too, prepare for the fall.
A candle flickers,
Its flame steady as it fades,
Not a spark wasted.
I bow before the quiet,
Ready to greet the unknown.
In the temples glow,
Incense rises to the sky,
Ashes fall like snow.
As I return to the earth,
I rise with each sacred breath.
A snowflake dissolves,
Its form melting into light,
I, too, fade away.
A single breath gone,
With it, I take to the sky,
Unburdened, at peace.
My bones become dust,
Yet the wind will carry me,
To places unknown.
Through forests, mountains, and streams,
I will roam, forever free.
One last sip of tea,
The taste lingers on my lips
Bittersweet and warm.
In this fleeting moment, still,
I leave nothing, and take all.
The moon whispers now,
In the stillness of the night,
And I return home.
Between stars, I leave no mark,
Yet the heavens know my name.
Cherry blossoms fall,
Each petal a fragile soul,
Softly meeting earth.
My final breath, like the wind,
Will scatter dreams Ive left behind.
The mountain waits,
Shrouded in mist,
As I descend from lifes peak.
The river below calls gently,
Its endless flow carrying me home.
A thousand journeys,
Carried by times quiet stream,
Have brought me to this shore.
The boat rocks gently, waiting,
I do not fear the crossing.
Snow drifts on the ground,
The quiet earth bears witness,
To lifes final bow.
No more need for words,
The wind whispers all for me,
I drift with its grace.