Matsukata House Museum: Stories from the Museum
Aruhi: The Haiku of Karasu
A Collection of Haiku by Jonathan Derksen ’81
Where cloud and feather
meet in the ethereal sky—
I am Karasu.
— Jonathan Derksen
Nishimachi was delighted to receive a copy of Jon’s book signed and inscribed with the words: “To Nishimachi, where I learned to love reading and writing.” As we explored the contents we were captivated by Jon’s description of his life experiences in Japan and the central role of Nishimachi.
Written over a 12 year period, the haikus are categorized by traditional Japanese Kyureki seasons, beginning and ending with Yayoi (March). While reveling in the beauty of nature’s stillness and change, Jon also turns his gaze inwards to the multifaceted emotions that stir within, all in the 5-7-5 syllable pattern. In classic third-culture-kid fashion Japanese words and images flutter in and out of the pages like his childhood memories of the verdant Japanese countryside.
Jon’s journey from Nishimachi to becoming a published haiku poet is a testament to the enduring impact of the education and experiences at our school. We are proud to have been a part of his journey and to see the seeds of creativity planted here blossom into a lifelong passion. Jon’s book is more than a collection of poems; it is a bridge connecting the past and present, showing how the love of reading and writing nurtured at Nishimachi continues to inspire and resonate.
Jonathan Derksen ’81
The child of Canadian diplomats, Jonathan moved to Tokyo with his parents and sibling in 1973, and enrolled in Nishimachi in 1975 and remained for grades 4–7. He writes: “My childhood memories of Japan often appear in my writing, in the references I use, in the well of experience from which I draw. My love of the haiku started in primary school…”