Seven Haiku for a Mongolian Master [by David Lehman]

Seven Haiku for Mend-Ooyo

Lunch on the silver
edge of the wide bridal sky
in Mongolia.

Wife starlight blossom:
honeydew of honeymoon:
two melons ripe, sweet.

Man of the secret
code of the poet: ciphers
of Mongolia.

Paired pillows, the luck
of sweet violets, horses
on hills with white hats.

In Mongolia
seven Buddhas reign at night,
rain all afternoon.

Guest and host embrace
as the dark side of the moon
is loved by the night.

Evening's first star wears
her seven jewels and shines
in Mongolia.

Note: 

In Mongolia, Stacey and I spent time with Mend-Ooyo, an accomplished calligrapher as well as the nation's leading man of letters. After a leisurely and literary lunch he celebrated the occasion by giving us Mongolian names -- mine is Tsolmongerelt (meaning "light of the morning star") and Stacey's is Odontuya (meaning "starlight"). Mend-Ooyo's own name translates roughly as "Man of the Secret Code," and a woman we stopped to chat with is "Lucky Violet." When I wrote seven haiku for Mend-Ooyo, I incorporated some of these details and other examples of how in the Mongolian imagination images substitute for abstractions. Marriage, for example, means "linked pillows" in Mongolian. Stacey took the photo of me on camel after Mend-Oyoo drove us out to the desert. -- DL

Comments

[Moira Egan]

We love Mend-Ooyo! How fortunate for you two to have gone to his part of the world!

[Moira Egan]

And lovely haiku, too.

[The Best American Poetry]

Many thanks, dear Moira. I'd love it if you were a guest blogger for us for a week. What say? -- DL