half-asleep eyes
open to a dreamlike world
of blossoms
by: Natsume Seibi
Natsume Seibi (1749-1816) was the son of a wealthy Edo rice broker and was acquainted with a number of other famous poets, including Oshima Ryota and Kobayashi Issa. In addition to his poetry, Seibi left behind a number of fine examples of haikai prose.
Haiku by Natsume Seibi
Notes from the Penguin Book of Haiku:
nebuki me o / hirakeba hana no / ukiyo kana
Ukiyo, the floating world of pleasure, specifically referred to the pleasure quarters with its various beautiful women (hana, literally ‘blossoms’) as well as to popular theatre and street spectacles.
Join The Naviar Haiku Music Challenge
This haiku poem is part of the Naviar haiku music challenge, where artists are invited to make music in response to a weekly assigned haiku poem. Participation is free and there are no limitations in the songs’ length or genre.
You have seven days from the posting of this haiku to submit your track. For information on how to make a submission, visit the Naviar Haiku Music Challenge page.
Submission deadline: 24th September 2025