good cheer

 

Kudos; bringing to the forefront, one haiku, chosen from a number of poems, acclaimed to be the favourite of many in a group of writers pooled together, to capsule cognizance in a selected theme, of universal significance, emitting from a Caribbean essence (poems remain copyright of the individual writers mentioned)

Monday, December 29, 2025

good cheer

 silent night

a carol reverberates

among refugees

--Cezar Florescu, Botoșani/ Romania

This poem offers readers a juxtaposition allowing them to reflect on what is happening, as well as on what the message is. 

We can see a very good contrast, between a tradition of the winter holidays and the harsh reality of being a refugee. The carol brings them comfort in an unknown place. At the same time, the silence can also mean peace, suggesting that the refugees have found comfort in a new land. 

The first line can refer to the well known carol, or the night could literally be silent. If the night is literally silent, then we can see a coincidence and a play upon words, since we hear a carol, which could be one other than Silent Night, among the refugees.

 The winter holidays are a time when we have a high sense of hope, which is reflected in the way in which the night grows silent, as if sympathizing with the refugees, and wishing to offer them a magical moment. 

Review by Ana Irina

View all the haiku HERE

View the invitation to this kukai HERE

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Gillena Cox

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everywhere

 I remember a time when i used to see lots of stars in the night sky, here in St James, Trinidad, where i live.

Now not so. The stars are few and the night sky most times blank except for the moon.

stars everywhere 

joining dots in search

of dad's constellation 

--Lakshmi Iyer, India 

This haiku took me back to a happy time of night sky watching.

For the poet, this might also be so. A haiku contemplating a happier time.

But there is also longing and sadness intimated in this haiku. The poet, desperate for continued connection, traces a constellation to recapture a loss of love, her father.

Four poets commented on Lakshmi's haiku and all four comments carried  a sense of loss and longing.

Structurally, Lakshmi's approach in this haiku can be seen as 'out of the box', it is neither a 17 syllable, nor  is it of  the formal 5.7.5 format.

Review by Gillena Cox; founder/coodinator Caribbean Kigo Kukai

View all the haiku and comments HERE 

 View the invitation for this kukai HERE