Fences and neighbors
Keeps the good in, and bad out
Until it doesn’t
I read a news report earlier this week about a tiny, rural Japanese village where an unidentified suspect bludgeoned five people to death. With only 10 households, that was a third of the residents murdered.
The suspect, a 63-year-old villager, is missing and has not been named. Investigators say they may have found a clue to his identity – a haiku poem affixed to the window of his home, which was next door to one of the victim’s house.
Setting on fire
Smoke gives delight
To a country fellow
Two suspicious home fires were also reported in the village over the past several years, which may be linked to the same suspect. Police were searching for the missing man in the woods surrounding the village.
Haiku, a traditional form of Japanese poetry, follows a three-line, 5-7-5 syllable form, and usually focuses on nature and seasonal themes. The difference in the villager’s poem syllable count could be attributed to its translation into English.
*Photo venue: South Walton County, FL, near Deer Lake State Park.
Thin spiral notebook 
I don’t know what I’m more astounded by, the story or the way you tied all of this together. You are a master.
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You are too kind.
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Your haiku is lovely ~ world has ‘gone a little mad’ ~ enjoy the weekend ^_^
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It truly is a mad world. I’m going to try to escape that a little this weekend.
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I loved your haiku – and then was horrified at the story from Japan. it just goes to show, you never really know what goes on behind closed doors, and in others’ minds. So tragic for that village. Your haiku is excellent though – a memorial to what happened there.
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The article title caught my attention, then reading it was shocking.
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The story of the village in Japan is tragic – and the missing villager, suspect that he is, is probably some little old guy who has just gone round the bend a bit, I would guess. Mr. Miyagi, with matches.
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It really was sad. All of the victims were in their 70s and 80s. When they should have been enjoying their final years, and for it to end so violently, is tragic.
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Robert Frost would like this
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Yes! I’ll have a cuppa tea in Robert’s memory today.
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