Reading More and Writing Better: War and Peace Tanka

Trump Empire, Inc., XCIX

written in response to The Washington Post, July 9 2026: 

Trump reopens the Iran war — and a political problem he can’t shake

firefly light on, off ...

the porch breeze leafing 

through a worn copy

of War and Peace

as Trump news is muted

FYI: Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is famously vast, historical, and weighty. In Ls 2–4, the "porch breeze leafing / through a worn copy / of War and Peace" creates a striking paradox: a gentle force of nature effortlessly turns the pages of one of literature's great meditations on humanity's heaviest conflicts. The image also animates the book, as though history itself is quietly being revisited.

The "worn copy" carries additional resonance. It suggests a book returned to over many years, perhaps for solace, reflection, or perspective. Its physical wear stands in contrast to the fleeting, relentless cycle of contemporary news. By placing War and Peace within the scene, the tanka frames current events against the backdrop of history, implying that war, political upheaval, and struggles for power are enduring features of the human condition.

L5 firmly anchors the tanka in the present: "as Trump news is muted." Rather than announcing an escape from politics, the tanka simply records the act of muting the broadcast. The news remains present, but it is relegated to the periphery of attention, becoming another element of the evening rather than its defining focus.

This restraint is what gives the tanka much of its power. Had L 5 stated "to escape Trump news," it would have imposed a single interpretation. Instead, the juxtaposition invites readers to consider Tolstoy's exploration of war, power, and ordinary lives alongside the contemporary moment without insisting on a particular conclusion.

The tanka ultimately contrasts two ways of encountering conflict: the enduring, reflective perspective of literature and the immediate, incessant rhythm of modern news. It does not claim that one is superior to the other. Rather, it allows both to coexist within the same quiet evening, leaving readers to discover their own relationship between history and the present..

FYI: Here are some of the best-known War and Peace quotes:

If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.

A battle is won by him who is firmly resolved to win it.

The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.

Added: Politics of Distraction, XX

Power on, off, on, off— a heat dome buckles the grid.

my neighbor's TV

blasting Iran War news ...

one stray outbarks the rest

FYI: The Guardian, July 13, 2026: Oil prices leap and stocks fall as Trump reinstates Hormuz blockade on Iranian shipping

Brent crude rises 5% after US president says 20% toll will be imposed on key trade route to cover  "safety and security."

Added:

war news on mute

the drawn out cry

of a cricket

One Man's Maple Moon: Flicker Tanka by Christine L.Villa

English Original

every now and then

the flicker of a firefly ...

still in my hand

all of you I need

to let go

The Bluebird’s Cry, 2016

Christine L. Villa

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

不時地

螢火蟲閃爍的光芒 ...

依然在我手中

你的所有一切

我需要現在放手

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

不时地

萤火虫闪烁的光芒 ...

依然在我手中

你的所有一切

我需要现在放手

Bio Sketch

An animated story teller and an artist by nature, Christine L. Villa dabbles in children's writing, Japanese short-form poetry, and photography. She is the founder and editor of Frameless Sky -- a video journal showcasing poets, artists, and musicians in collaborative projects. She blogs her haiku, tanka, and haiga at Blossom Rain.

Butterfly Dream: Village Night Haiku by Adjei Agyei-Baah

English Original

village night out

the lamps of fireflies

everywhere

Afriku, 2016

Adjei Agyei-Baah

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

鄉村之夜

螢火蟲的燈光

無所不在

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

乡村之夜

萤火虫的灯光

无所不在

Bio Sketch

Adjei Agyei-Baah (June 29, 1977 -- December 18, 2023) was the co-founder of the Africa Haiku Network and The Mamba and author of afriku: haiku and Senryui from Ghana, 2016, Finding the Other Door, 2021 and Scaring Crow, 2022. 

Poetic Musings: Kamikaze Mother Haiku by Fay Aoyagi

fireflies --

a Kamikaze mother whispers

her son's name

Chrysanthemum Love, 2003

Fay Aoyagi

Commentary: when evaluated in the socio-cultural context of Japanese literature, the contrasts, thematic, emotional, visual and symbolic, of fireflies and the tie between a Kamikaze/suicide pilot and his mother are poignantly effective. 

And the image of a heartbroken mother in a patriarchal wartime/militarized society whispering, not crying out, her dead son's name adds extra emotional weight and psychological depth to the haiku.

Her haiku below, also included in Chrysanthemum Love, 2003, could be read as a sequel:

intact Zero fighter

at the Smithsonian --

cherry blossom rain

(FYI: The Zero fighter, the most famous symbol of Japanese air power, was repurposed for a kamikaze attack in the latter stages of World War II)

Notes:

1 "In Japan, where [fireflies] are called "hotaru," they are beloved – a metaphor for passionate love in poetry since Man'you-shu (the 8th century anthology). Their eerie lights are also thought to be the altered form of the souls of soldiers who have died in war.

-- excerpted from "Why the Firefly (Hotaru) Is Important in Japan?," ThoughtCo, Feb. 5, 2019.

2 In World War II, a Kamikaze was a Japanese aircraft loaded with explosives and making a deliberate suicidal crash on an enemy target. The Japanese people, especially Kamikaze pilots, were indoctrinated to believe in the concept of "Bushido" (the "highest honor" for a man to die for the "Emperor"). The courageous tanka poet, Yosano Akiko attacked its concept in her in/famous poem, "Kimi Shinitamou koto nakare" ("Thou Shalt Not Die"), addressed to her younger brother.

Butterfly Dream: In Weeds Haiku by Raymond Roseliep

English Original

in weeds where we love

sudden lantern

of a firefly   

Frogpond, 6:2, 1983

Raymond Roseliep

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

在雜草中我們相愛

突然出現一隻螢火蟲

燈籠般的亮光

Chinese Translation (Simplified) 

在杂草中我们相爱

突然出现一只萤火虫

灯笼般的亮光

Bio Sketch

Raymond Roseliep (August 11, 1917 – December 6, 1983) was a Catholic priest and a haiku poet. He has been described as "the John Donne of Western haiku." He won the Haiku Society of America Harold G. Henderson award in 1977 and 1982. Two of his better known collections of haiku are The Still Point – Haiku of Mu, 1979 and Listen to Light, 1980  

Butterfly Dream: Fireflies Haiku by Lisbeth Ho

English Original

starless

and yet 

fireflies

Fireflies' Light, 24, September 2021

Lisbeth Ho 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

Translation result

無星之夜

然而

螢火蟲的閃光

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

无星之夜

然而

萤火虫的闪光

 

Bio Sketch

Lisbeth Ho, whose complete name is Elisabeth Holidaya, is a housewife. She currently resides in Salatiga, Indonesia.  She loves reading and writing tanka, haiku, free verse poetry, and contemplative work. Her writings have appeared in various print and online journals and books. She also served as an editor of Antologi Tanka Indonesia 2019, the first tanka anthology in Indonesia.

Poetic Musings: Childhood River Haiku by Chen-ou Liu

childhood river

the light of fireflies dim

... and dimmer 

Editor's Choice, Enchanted Garden, 8, 2024

Chen-ou Liu

Commentary by Editor Steliana Cristina Voicu

The childhood house is a gem for many of us, the most beautiful thing in the world and when we grow up, this gem turns into diamond, we compare everything with it… how mother cooked that pudding, how grandpa took care of the basil and so on… The childhood river is shine and brightful like fireflies, but these fireflies dim… and dimmer, this picture is so beautiful, yet poisonous. Why the fireflies light dim? Maybe because the boat moves away from the shore (we have that info by the ”river” keyword). As the author moves away from his birthplace, the glimmers are more and more pale. In the same way, as we become adults, we leave, we move, and the birthplace becomes a memory. How many of us are lucky enough to stay in the place where they were born and raised? Most of them go to another city or even abroad. Fireflies are the expression of the simple things in life, those which matter the most. The childhood is a river for the author, which means a flowing water, which can be associated with the thread of life that carries the author through all the places where he grew up or lived at a given time.

FYI: This haiku could be read as a sequel to the following:

floating world ...

this childhood river

of summer stars

Cattails, April 2017

Chen-ou Liu

And the following haiku could be read as its sequel:

night of fireflies ...

all that remains 

of our on-off love

NeverEnding Story, August 31 2023

Chen-ou Liu

A Room of My Own: A Trilogy

lovers’ trail

my hands remember the curves

of her womanhood

windshield wipers squeak

back and forth we bicker over

stay or go ...

night of fireflies ...

all that remains 

of our on-off love

Added: 

her voice

recedes into the roar

of the river --

this floating life too short

to be anything but happy

Added: Re-Homing in the Maple Land, IX

my roommate

mutters, no you or I

only we 

crowded in this basement ...

together a l o n e 

Added:

after a day

unlike all the others

a six-lane snarl-up

Butterfly Dream: Granny's Voice Haiku by Vladislav Hristov

English Original

fireflies in the yard

granny’s voice

remains unchanged

Cold Moon Journal, May 20, 2021

Vladislav Hristov

 

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

院子裡的螢火蟲

奶奶的聲音

仍然保持不變

Translation result

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

院子里的萤火虫

奶奶的声音

仍然保持不变

 

Bio Sketch 

 

Vladislav Hristov is a Bulgarian short form poet. He works as a journalist and a photographer. His haiku have been published in Frogpond, World Haiku Review, Sketchbook, The Heron’s Nest, Modern Haiku, Asahi Haikuist Network, The Mainichi Daily News, and Presence. He is a 2020 "Basho-an” Award Winner.

Butterfly Dream: Velvet Black Night Haiku by Denis M. Garrison

English Original

velvet black night ...

pulsing with frog song

and fireflies

Hidden River, 2006

Denis M. Garrison

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

藍黑之夜 ...

伴隨青蛙歌聲和螢火蟲

有節奏的悸動

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

蓝黑之夜 ...

伴随青蛙歌声和萤火虫

有节奏的悸动

Bio Sketch

Denis M. Garrison was born in Iowa, USA, and his childhood was spent in Japan, youth in Europe, Africa and western Pacific. His poetry’s widely published. Garrison’s print collections include First Winter Rain, Eight Shades of Blue, Hidden River, Sailor in the Rain and Other Poems, and Fire Blossoms.

Butterfly Dream: Kamikaze Mother Haiku by Fay Aoyagi

English Original

fireflies --

a Kamikaze mother whispers

her son's name

Chrysanthemum Love, 2003

Fay Aoyagi

Chinese Translation (Traditional)

數不清的螢火蟲 --

自殺式戰鬥機飛行員的母親低聲訴說

她兒子的名字

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

数不清的萤火虫 --

自杀式战斗机飞行员的母亲低声诉说

她儿子的名字

 

 

Bio Sketch

Fay Aoyagi （青柳飛）was born in Tokyo and immigrated to the U.S. in 1982. She is currently a member of Haiku Society of America and Haiku Poets of Northern California. She serves as an associate editor of The Heron's Nest.  She also writes in Japanese and belongs to two Japanese haiku groups; Ten'I (天為) and "Aki"（秋), and  she is a member of Haijin Kyokai (俳人協会).

Butterfly Dream: Hilltop Abbey Haiku by Tim Gardiner

English Original

hilltop abbey
a midsummer mass
of fireflies

Acorn, 40, 2018

Tim Gardiner


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

山頂修道院
仲夏夜一大群
的螢火蟲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

山顶温泉
仲夏夜一大群
的萤火虫

Bio Sketch

Dr Tim Gardiner is an ecologist, poet and children's author from Manningtree in Essex, UK. His haiku have been published  in literary magazines including Frogpond, Modern Haiku and The Heron's Nest. His first collection of haiku, On the Edge, was published by Brambleby Books in 2017 while his first haibun collection, The Flintknapper's Ghost, was released by Alba Publishing in 2018. 

Butterfly Dream: Small Talk by Jack Galmitz

English Original

Fireflies
crossing the porch
small talk

Applause Please, 2020

Jack Galmitz


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

螢火蟲
飛越過門廊
話家常

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

萤火虫
飞越过门廊
话家常

 

Bio Sketch

 

Jack Galmitz was born in NYC in 1951. He received a Ph.D in English from the University of Buffalo.  He is an Associate of the Haiku Foundation and Contributing Editor at Roadrunner.  His most recent books are Views (Cyberwit.net, 2012),  Letters (Lulu Press, 2012), yards & lots (Middle Island Press, 2012), not-zero-sum (Impress 2015) and Takeout (Impress, 2015).  He lives in New York with his wife and stepson.

One Man's Maple Moon: Fireflies Tanka by Praniti Gulyani

English Original

fireflies flicker
and light up the field  ...
who will weave
a thread of light
into the dark of my night?

Praniti Gulyani


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

螢火蟲閃爍發光
照亮了整個田野 ...
誰將會編織
一線光芒
進入我的漆黑夜晚？

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

萤火虫闪烁发光
照亮了整个田野 ...
谁将会编织
一线光芒
进入我的漆黑夜晚？


Bio Sketch

An avid practitioner of the Japanese short forms of poetry, Praniti Gulyani aspires to become a full time writer when she grows up. She has published a print collection of haiku, and an ebook of haibun, both of which have been reviewed by world renowned haiku poets.

Butterfly Dream: Power Cut Haiku by Kanchan Chatterjee

English Original

power cut ...
a firefly settles
on my iPhone

Kanchan Chatterjee


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

停電 ...
一隻螢火蟲停歇
在我的蘋果手機上

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

停电......
一只萤火虫停歇
在我的苹果手机上 


Bio Sketch

Kanchan Chatterjee is a Customs Officer from India. He started writing haiku in 2012. Some of his works have been published in NHK Haiku Masters, Frogpond, Under the Basho and NeverEnding Story, The Maionichi, Asahi Haikuist Network, 9th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum Haiku Contest and various other online haiku journals. He is one of the winners in the 2017  ETO EN Oi Ocha Nrw Haiku Contest.

One Man's Maple Moon: Little Lamps of Fireflies Tanka by Michele L. Harvey

English Original

as if
there was magic left
in this world
the syncing little lamps
of fireflies in the field

The Right Touch Of Sun, T2017

Michele L. Harvey


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

這個世界
彷彿魔法仍然
保留下來
在這片田野這些螢火蟲
同步飛行像是一座座小燈

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

这个世界
仿佛魔法仍然
保留下来
在这片田野这些萤火虫
同步飞行像是一座座小灯


Bio Sketch

Michele L. Harvey is a professional landscape painter living in New York. Her year is divided between rural  central NY and New York City, providing a lively contrast. Her poetry has been accepted by most of the current short form poetry publications and she has won numerous national and international Japanese short form poetry contests, both in haiku and tanka. You may view both her paintings and examples of her poetry  online at micheleharvey.com

Butterfly Dream: Desire Haiku by Munira Judith Avinger

English Original

fireflies in the field
the on-off
of desire

Modern Haiku, 47:3, Fall 2016

Munira Judith Avinger


Chinese Translation (Traditional)
  
田野中的螢火蟲
慾望
的煽動和消逝

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

田野中的萤火蟲
慾望
的煽动和消逝


Bio Sketch

Munira Judith Avinger is an author living in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. She has  published three bilingual poetry books, one novel and one memoir. She is also a mentor and  leader of the Dances of Universal Peace. For more information about her work, please visit www.munirabooks.com

Butterfly Dream: Jar of Fireflies Haiku by Engin Gülez

English Original

no stars tonight --
my daughter brings me
a jar of fireflies

Commendation, 2015 Polish International Haiku Competition

Engin Gülez


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

今晚沒有星星 --
我的女兒帶給我
一罐螢火蟲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

今晚没有星星 --
我的女儿带给我
一罐萤火蟲


Bio Sketch

Engin Gülez's haiku have been published in a number of journals and anthologies. He lives in Ankara, Turkey.

Butterfly Dream: Fireflies and Stars Haiku by Roberta Beary

English Original

my son and  i
counting fireflies
counting stars

First Prize, Penumbra Haiku Contest, 1999; The Unworn Necklace, 2007

Roberta Beary


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

兒子和我
計算螢火蟲的數目
計算星星的數目

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

儿子和我
计算萤火蟲的数目
计算星星的数目


Bio Sketch

Roberta Beary is the haibun editor at Modern Haiku. Her bestselling collection The Unworn Necklace (Snapshot Press) won a Poetry Society of America finalist award. Her haibun collection Deflection (Accents Publishing) won the Eric Hoffer and Touchstone finalist awards. Follow her on twitter @shortpoemz.

Butterfly Dream: Birth Place Haiku by Kat Lehmann

English Original

my birth place
a distant memory --
fireflies

hedgerow, 11, 2014

Kat Lehmann


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

我的出生地
已成為遙遠的記憶 --
螢火蟲

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

我的出生地
已成为遥远的记忆 --
萤火蟲


Bio Sketch

Kat Lehmann lives in Connecticut, USA, by the river where she writes. She is a scientist and a poet who enjoys exploring the unity of both perspectives of nature. Her work has been published in both poetry and science journals. Her first book of poetry, Moon Full of Moons, was published in February 2015 by Peaceful Daily. Visit her on twitter (@SongsOfKat).