Friday, October 31, 2014

Movement

Carpe Diem #594 -movement prompt

ankle chimes
listen to the movement
of the young dancer


© Chèvrefeuille

harmonica blues
she dances on chubby legs
spilling laughter



sunlight shimmers
leaf shadows dance
upon your head



My two grandchildren have always loved music from phantom of the opera.  Even as babies one would shake and move in his high chair, the other would hang on to the TV stand and bounce.  Now Now five and three, they quickly hold hands when the music stars and at brief intervals between rushing around the room.  Oh! what energy.


hands held briefly
Phantom of the Opera
grandchildren whirl


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Departed Soul




on her death bed
she hears him smiling
circle of life



waves wash over
stones ground to nothing
ebb and flow of life



arrayed in splendor
leaves fall and crumble 
life fade




all our hopes crushed 
ten fingers reach toward heaven
no fetal heartbeat

(for my child)


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Little Creatures #11

Carpe Diem "little  Creatures" #11

a swallow
flew out of the nose
of the Great Buddha

© Kobayashi Issa



genuflection
eyes raised toward heaven
ladybug mass in corner


~


forgotten Bible
flutters on hillside
cricket testifies


The Moon in Haiku

Carpe Diem #4 Moon in Haiku Click here if you want to learn more about the tradition of the moon in haiku.


moon shadows
dance across the lawn

grass wet with dew

~

stray moonbeam
rest on my pillow
hope ignites


~


moonlight on the path
light creeps in hidden nooks
trees wait in silence


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Summer Nights






muggy summer night
we lie underneath the fan
bodies entwined




loud cricket chirps
peeps of tree frogs fill the air
whirl of fan blends sounds



heat lightening flashes
horizon electrified
burst of clarity




porch swing creaks
fireflies and stars shine
gaiety fills the air



warm summer evening
air heavy with honeysuckle 
dreams linger 




Sunday, October 26, 2014

Helpful - Eagle's Cry

Today's prompt focused on a lovely folktale about Maidar, an apprentice of a Mongolian Shaman.



on the steppes 
an eagle’s cry echoes
life



loneliness
enters  the soul of the selfish
assistance needed

KItes



Tattered Kite
clutched tightly by young boy
mended with tape

~

kite set free
line snapped by rival kite
tears and joy


~

tangled kite string
entwined around young boy
your love

~

wild in the wind
trash bag tied to scarlet yarn
together we laugh



Zentsu-jii Temple Prompt

Carpe Diem #589, Zentsu-ji
I cannot hope to have written such lovely Haiku, as those who responded to this prompt.  You really should visit this page and read the wonderful offerings by other poets.  Many poems that make you say, "I wish I had written that!"


temple bell
breaks the silence

web vibrates


~

spider waits
crack in temple wall

prayers lifted

~

forgotten flower
trodden on temple path

cries for help


Friday, October 24, 2014

Jack Kerouak prompt

Here are a few haiku written by Jack Kerouac:

In my medicine cabinet,
the winter fly
has died of old age. 

The summer chair
rocking by itself
In the blizzard


My attempts to write in the same spirit:


in the lamp globe
30 ladybugs 
dehydrated


~

 wildflowers picked
among the nettles
beauty short lived


~

military gravestones
poised in white formation
all dominos fall


On writing Haiku

What goes into the writing of a haiku.  I have been asking myself what makes a good haiku or just what is haiku.  So I relished finding this PDF Bare Bones School of Haiku Jane Reichhold

Yesterday, I wanted to capture a childhood memory.  When I was about 6, I use to lay in bed and peer at the tree branches from across the room.  They often tapped on the glass and made noises to spur the imagination.  It was like cloud watching,, branches forming an array of images. This was done in summer when the daylight had not yet faded or in early morning, when my siblings had not yet stirred.

Anyway it was hard to figure how to write it in haiku and so I was at first proud of this attempt.

outside my window
tree branches creak and groan
conjuring witches

So after reading Jane's article I sought out ways to improve my recent poem.  Deleting unnecessary word, trying to remove the "ing", and removing self.   Not quite happy with it, but a good exercise in taking a 5-7-5 haiku and trying to strip it to the bare bones.


outside my window
creaking branches
conjure witches



behind the glass
branches groan
witches conjured

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Misdirection Prompt - October

Carpe Diem Ghost Writer # 30 Gary Gay
Our Host's  example of thinking outside of the box or misdirection:

My skeleton
going for a walk
in the cemetery

My attempts


cool autumn night
swinging on the back porch
your ghost and mine


~

hand in hands
strolling lovers lane
spirits reminisce 


~

scattered ashes
your presence in the garden
under my nails

~




Wednesday, October 22, 2014

longing for someone

Carpe Diem Special # 113 haiku for inspiration 

longing for someone
I sit by the gate and draw
eyebrows on a melon

© Shiba Sonome


My attempts:

without you
days and nights mixed
rain falls


_

snow falls softly
your face swirled in the mix
eyelashes crystalizing


_

winter’s cold settles
your impression marks the bed
where dreams will not rise



_


curling up alone
in the imprint where you slept
tears no longer flow






Weeping for an Old Friend



I was found a few older Haiku that remind me of the loneliness of fall

ruby rose blossoms
next to the nuclear plant…
dew, like teardrops, falls


1999


Amidst clutter
    forgotten fruit … grows mold
2007

The sounds of chewing
do not disguise the silence,
nor mask the pain.


2007



silence of dinner
broken, unexpected snap
two mice in one trap


2007


Todays haiku:
memories whisper
heartaches silence desire
lovers robbed of taste




My favorite poem on loneliness:  (written in 93 and revised in 2000)


WEEPING FOR AN OLD FRIEND

In the storm's aftermath
we search for candles
and check for damage.
The venerable oak came down
in slow agony,
rattling the windows
and our nerves.

I weep in silence
for the loss of my friend:
mute reminder
of my children climbing
and laughing
among leafy branches.

I am left with an ache
as when my best friend
moved away.
Grieving is useless,
but I still grieve.
The tree is gone
only a hole remains.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Childhood Memories

childhood memories
dance on the lawn late at night
fireflies blazing

Untimely Muse


Not sure which one or either quite work ... going back to bed.




 rising late at night
naked body concealed
seeking pen and ink

~


late at night
blanket quickly draped
in search of paper


whippoorwill - Haiku

in the valley
the whippoorwill's cry
echoes 

~

early dawn
whippoorwills lonesome cry
awaken's memories


Sacred Earth



red scars run deeply
mountain top removed
lone woodpecker taps





dawns veil lifting
explosion of light
birds sing in chorus




leaf shadows dance
under the canopy
breathing stilled





Monday, October 20, 2014

Valley stream - Solo Tan Renga

carpe diem time glass #7   Use the photo and haiku to write a sole tan renga


gurgling valley stream
brings joy to the heart of Mother Nature -
Il Silenzio

© Chèvrefeuille


Cascading water
churning river, birthing life
valley of green hope


gushing water streams
new future from mother’s womb




Sacred Burial Grounds


shadows lengthening
Indian burial grounds
lamentations rise



from lofty eyrie
souls of the dead rest secure
ravenous wolves howl

Sacred Earth

carpe-diem-587-sacred-earth  Today's inspired Haiku



crimson stained evening
mountaintop draped in shadow
autumn leaves falling



color splashed skyline
sun dips below horizon
magic beyond words



karst topography
hidden underground beauty
limestone erosion




beauty beyond words
towering rock formations
glow in the sunset




twilight's cloak engulfs
sacred prayers in hums and chirps
I linger again



Sunday, October 19, 2014

Tan Renge - River Stone prompt

River Stone prompt from Carpe Diem 
The first poem is our host's response

river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)
                                                    
The sound of a waterfall
                                                         Makes the night more silent                            (Chèvrefeuille)


I had many ideas on this one. I think I like the 5th one best.
Here are my attempts:


river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)
               
water slips between fingers
tree shadow, not large catfish



river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)
               
feet slip on mosey bottom
your memory toppled as well



river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)

autumn leaf navigating
rushed on to new adventure



river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)
               
tumultuous evening
solace found at river bank



river stones
caressed by flowing water
                                                                    pale moon shines                                        (Becca Givens)        

endless chant of whippoorwill 
increases my loneliness.

Pharos Lighthouse



Pharos Light remains
monumental edifice 
seen in the mind’s eye



three tiered lighthouse
beckoning sailors at sea
protected by gods



beacon’s memory
testament to pounding water
subdued by earthquakes

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Tea

Carpe Diem "Sparkling Stars" #10, Tea  


inspiration from Haiku poet Yozakura (1640-1716)

deep silence
only the sound of boiling water
an empty cup

© Yozakura

all alone
at the foot of Mt. Fuji -
tea and nothing else

© Yozakura

in this tea house
the smell of cherry blossoms
scooping hot water


© Yozakura


My Tea poems:

embracing teacup
whiffs of sweet raspberry
heat penetrates hands



tea-party with bears
taste of imagination
sipped with great pleasure


surprise lillies


naked ladies
blushing shades of pink
dance on my lawn

CD special prompt - Oak deep in Woods

Carpe Diem's Special prompt  Shiba Sonome's Haiku
Somone's haiku.
yo ni hito no shiranu hana ari miyama shii

some blossoms there are
that nobody sees—
an oak deep in the woods


My Attempts:
the rose thorn unseen
masked by perfect beauty
festers under skin


child reaches out
unprepared to be stung
bee within petals


pruning your rose bush
thorns and beauty together
how you grieve my heart



Tan Renga Challenge

The goal of Tan Renga Challenge is to write a second stanza of two lines (classical syllables-count 7-7) towards another haiku. The idea is to complete the Tan Renga is by associating  on themes from the haiku.

Our challenge is to complete Ese's haiku on pine trees.   Here are my attempts:


fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
                - forest memories        (Ese)

each stroke of piano key
caressing suppressed heartache


fingertips
stroking scales of pine cone
                - forest memories        (Ese)

fingertips digging in soil
burying old dreams and new

Friday, October 17, 2014

More Haiku - Milky Way

Amanowaga (Milky Way) Carpe Diem prompt



nippy autumn air
glorious milky pathway
lighting the way home



mouth of the serpent
poised to swallow heaven
my heart and my dreams




silent great horned owl
sails star encrusted river
navigating mice


Milky Way

Amanowaga (Milky Way) Carpe Diem prompt




we lay on driveway
underneath the Milky Way
watching meteors


glimpse of Milky Way
awakening nostalgia 
for childhood evenings

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Magic Field

today's challenge from Carpe Diems is Magic Field




poppies shine in sun 
orange  carpet dotting highway
magic fields in bloom



summer’s lone child
wildly dances in fresh air
field magic conjured 

More Autumn Haiku

harvest moon waning 
leaves blow hither and thither
tapping woodpecker



just before evening
wild geese break formation
honking noisily 


Autumn

Today's prompt is based on poetry by Shiba Sonome.  It must have two sense words and be about autumn.


wet leaves cover path
crickets chirp in surround sound
collar turned to cold



dense fog covers ground
harvest moon caught in branches
screech owl breaks stillness



cold air stings the lungs
colorful leaves tipped with frost
woodpecker tapping



Smoke swirls from chimney
dry leaves crunch with each footstep
bus screeches to halt




Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Tuesday's Prompt - Inner Beauty



first magnolia bloom
 frost pattern covers petals
inner beauty fades



powdered face, red lips
geisha awaits first sponsor
inner beauty shines


Pop culture - Haiku

Harry Potter


Magic and mayhem
Children can’t get enough books
The boy who lived



Star Trek

Go boldly in space
Explore strange worlds and new life
Beam me up Scotty


Haiku Prompts

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai is a daily haiku meme I found on line this week. They have some interesting prompts for writing Haiku. Here is a link to their October prompts  carpe-diems-2nd-anniversary-month
I will be starting today with the Pop Culture prompt.