The little railroad town of Portola, CA, lies in the heart of the Sierra Mountains. My husband and I recently rented a cabin there for a week of hiking and relaxing. Rather than keep a written journal, I like to record what I see in my travels poetically, much like Japanese poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) did while he traveled.

In Basho’s book, NARROW ROAD TO THE INTERIOR AND OTHER WRITINGS, he records notes, poems, and sketches of his journeys. He documents his visit to the Yakushido Shrine and The Shrine of Tenjin 22 and notes that a poet named Kaemon gifted him a pair of straw sandals with iris-blue straps as a farewell gift upon leaving. He wrote this poem about his experiences here in his travel journal:

To have blue irises 
blooming on one's feet—
walking-sandal straps

I’m sharing some of my travel haiku and senryu here today. Hopefully, the imagery in these poems will help you “see” what I saw while I hiked, explored small-town life, and enjoyed the tranquil great outdoors.

roadside cafe
mixed berry pie
on chipped china

gust of wind—
cabin creaks,
"welcome"

boating trip cancelled—
fish jump
for joy

Mountain town
empty store windows
quietly reflect

afternoon nap
a lullaby
of hailstones

©Travel haiku: Portola by Danna Smith 2024 at poetrypop.com

Poetry Pop Challenge

Create a “Travel Journal” tab/section in your notebook and record your observations during your next journey. Try making simple sketches or paste photos next to your poems.

If you haven’t already, select a notebook to keep all the exercises and challenges from this blog in one place. You can purchase an official Poetry Pop notebook (paperback or hardcover) by clicking on the image below:

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I hope you will start a haiku journal and take it along on your next vacation. If you enjoy Poetry Pop, please share the love with your friends and family using the buttons below. I am growing my site and always appreciate a shoutout. And as always, thank you for following the blog for your little pop of poetry.