Leaning on my crutches,
I look up—
the vast starry sky.
by Eitarō Shimoyama
Eitarō Shimoyama (1879–1935) was a Japanese poet who moved to San Francisco in the early 20th century, where he promoted haiku. A strong advocate of free-style haiku, he published extensively in Sōun 層雲 (“Layered Clouds”), the journal founded by Seisensui in 1911. Shimoyama dealt for most of his life with severe osteomyelitis in his left leg, a condition that required him to use crutches.
Haiku by Eitarō Shimoyama
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: 17th June 2026