Declared your independence, haijin? (UPDATE!) Congratulations to this week’s contributors!
Haikai Challenge Participants
| 1. Dwight L. Roth 2. Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr 3. lynn__ 4. Dwight L. Roth |
5. Jules @ Strands 6. Reena Saxena 7. Deborah Gomez 8. Janice |
9. Revived Writer 10. Janice (2) |
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Onward!
It’s the first Saturday of July. Those peak temperatures, if they haven’t already arrived, will come soon. Bright sun! Humid days! What to do? What we always do–cool off near water. When the beach is too crowded, expensive, or far, then take to the woods and find a waterfall.
Or travel to one of the natural icons of North America, Niagra Falls:
Niagara Fallsย (/naษชหรฆษกษrษ/) is the collective name for threeย waterfallsย that straddleย the international borderย between theย Canadian provinceย ofย Ontarioย and theย American stateย ofย New York. They form the southern end of theย Niagara Gorge.
From largest to smallest, the three waterfalls are theย Horseshoe Falls, theย American Fallsย and theย Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe Falls lies on the border of the United States and Canada[1]ย with the American Falls entirely on the United States’ side, separated byย Goat Island. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also on the United States’ side, separated from the American Falls byย Luna Island.
Located on theย Niagara River, which drainsย Lake Erieย intoย Lake Ontario, the combined falls form theย highest flow rateย of any waterfall in North America that has a vertical drop of more than 165 feet (50ย m). During peak daytime tourist hours, more than six million cubic feet (168,000ย m3) of water goes over the crest of the falls every minute.[2]ย Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by flow rate.[3]
The falls are 17 miles (27ย km) north-northwest ofย Buffalo, New York, and 75 miles (121ย km) south-southeast ofย Toronto, between theย twin citiesย ofย Niagara Falls, Ontario, andย Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of theย Wisconsin glaciationย (theย last ice age), and water from the newly formedย Great Lakesย carved a path through theย Niagara Escarpmentย en route to the Atlantic Ocean.
Niagara Falls is famed both for its beauty and as a valuable source ofย hydroelectric power. Balancing recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.
This week, write the haikai poem of your choice (haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, renga, etc.) that states or alludes to this week’s summer kigo, waterfall (taki)
As always:
Hereโs 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 contributorsโ posts.
Remember: A follow-up post acknowledging all contributors will come!
Enjoy the spray of waterfalls, haijin!
Frank J. Tassone 
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