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Summer has officially come to the northern hemisphere, haijin! You celebrated it in fine haikai style!

Congratulations, contributors:

Haikai Challenge Participants 

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And now for this week:

Clouds have come. The temperature has dropped. Rain had already fallen, and more is on the way. For the Northeastern US, summer can be a wet season. So what better time for a summer kigo like midsummer rain (samidare)?

Now, I know what you’re thinking. We just celebrated the summer solstice–the beginning of summer. How is it midsummer? Well, the Japanese calendar positions the start of summer around May 1st. Interestingly, so do the Celts, whose civilization spread all across Europe in ancient times. Perhaps that is why midsummer became associated with the solstice. Or it could have to do with St. John the Baptist:

Midsummer is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, and more specifically the northern European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice or take place on a day between June 19 and June 25 and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different cultures. The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St John the Baptist, and the observance of St John’s Day begins the evening before, known as St John’s Eve.

These are commemorated by many Christian denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, and Anglican Communion.[1][7] In Sweden the Midsummer is such an important festivity that there have been serious discussions to make the Midsummer’s Eve into the National Day of Sweden, instead of June 6. It may also be referred to as St. Hans Day.[8]

This week, write the haikai poem of your choice (haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, renga, etc.) that states or alludes to midsummer rain (samidare).

As always:

Here’s how the challenge works:

1. write the haikai poem of your choice.
2. post the link of your post to Mister Linky.
3. pingback by posting the link to the challenge on your site.
4. read and comment on other contributors’ posts.

Enjoy the soft patter of midsummer rain, haijin!