Dusk

Carpe Diem #608 Dusk

painted skies

masked by hustle of city

heading home

~

Wispy kings and queens
silhouette an amber sky
as I walk home 

_

in the twilight
elm leaves glow
clouds blush

_

as the last leaves
sail gracefully across the sky
the pine waves goodbye

_

Amidst the shadows
winged dreams take flight

_

in the fading light
elm leaves quiver
squirrel chides me

Kanshicho

Carpe Diem: Ghost Writter 34  

Chèvrefeuille" definition of Kanshicho

Kan -> means: perception, expression

Shi -> means extravagance, pride, poetry

Cho -> means frivolity, number, butterfly

Kanshi -> means Chinese poetry

As I place those meanings together than Kanshicho means:

A poem in the Chinese way that expresses the extravagance and pride of the poet with the frivolity of the flight of a butterfly. And than Kanshicho starts to come to life. It's an expression of something which is seen by the poet, a moment as short as the sound of a pebble thrown in to water, in which he/she sees the extravagant beauty  and pride of nature. That extravagance beauty is caught in a three lined verse with the frivolity, (in my opinion frivolity means "not strings attached, free") of the flight of a butterfly.

My attempts:

early morning

high above the trees 

crescent moon shines

I got stuck on the word pride and these thoughts came: 

new baby

everyone oohs and aahs

ours - most beautiful

haiku

retweeted

swelling with pride

Roadside Beggar

Carpe Diem #607 : Roadside Beggar

looking at the sun

for a silver coin -

roadside beggar

© Nana Fredua-Agyeman

war veteran

diminished to begging

demands eye contact

~

fragile old lady

pushing cart in parking lot

Sunday morning

No stone to Set - Guardian Angel

Carpe Diem #606 - Guardian Angel

Warning - Haibun is sad so if you want skip to the haiku.  It is a rewriting of something from years ago.

NO STONE TO SET

Aimlessly wandering the world a blur a mother's grief unrelenting.  I find myself in an old cemetery
searching for a grave I couldn't bear to face in 20 years. Yet, I come having no other place.  He was in the Catholic section, wherever that was.  I run my hands over cold marble, tracing my finger in the carved letters.  Finally in a back corner a statue of the virgin mother, the grass overgrown.  I search, search for a lamb.  I discover a small stone half covered; a tiny etched lamb.  Disappointed I pull a handful of grass "See I will not for get you I will hold you in the palm of my hand" plays over and over in my head.  I carefully tend the marker.  His was not the courage of the battlefield, but enemies fought within.  His bravery was of needles and bone marrow transplants.  The courage to smile through it all always thinking of others.  I could never be as brave as my brother.  Why did I end up here?  Time passing without reason.  I talk about my sons, changing denominations, rambling on...

At the end of my prattle I ask him to watch over my little one lost with no grave, no name. I hear his laughter echoing a sense of peace fills the air.  All fades I awaken, the morning light illuminating my room and I am bathed in some sense of contentment and sanity.

on the edge of dreams

guardian angels play

leaving footprints

hearts of sorrow
touched briefly
by angel wings

laughter
guardian angel’s
sweet kiss

Ligo Haibun Challenge "Guitar & Mountain"

Ligo Haibun Challenge "Guitar & Mountain"

It’s November again, another anniversary passing. 

unannounced flowers

left on the table

for me

Peace, Love, and Kill Western

I think back to the mountain valley where we meet.   Rival supporters for college football.  One dance with you sealed my fate.   You played your guitar and slid across the floor on your knees.  I tried to fix you up with my best friend who went to the same school as you.  She wasn’t interested in the least.  I was head over heels about you, but had a boyfriend.  

We dated for awhile.  I was too immature for a serious relationship, yet our friendship lingered.   Through all my broken relationships there was always you, your guitar and rock concerts.

mountains and valleys

strangers, music and guitars

and always you

Your proposal was bitter sweet. You came early in the evening and played with the boys.  You returned later with your guitar.  I was wrapped in blankets to keep warm and you kept singing love songs.  Finally feigning a headache, I went to the car in search of Tylenol.  I sat there and a mountain of tears flowed. We’d been dating about five years and had talk about marriage. School was beginning and with our teaching schedules, I knew we would not mention it again until summer.  I dried my tears and returned inside.  You were packing your guitar.  How my heart broke.  Standing in the door way you said, “How would you like to attend a wedding?” My answer a flippant “Well that depends on who’s wedding.”  I honestly did not know this was a proposal.

Since then we’ve climbed many of life's mountains together. And sometimes you still pick up your guitar and sing me love songs.

warm autumn

the mountain's song

still plays

"Romancing the haiku"

Carpe Diem Special #117, Tomas Tranströmer's 3rd "a mother of stone"

morning light

filters through window bars

boy’s cheek caressed

Tan Renga Challenge "mystic purple flames"

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #59, Panchali's "mystic purple flames"

mystic purple flames

arise from the spirit’s stalks

chill my autumn heart                      (© Panchali)

embers of sunlight
warm the sky

mystic purple flames

arise from the spirit’s stalks

chill my autumn heart                      (© Panchali)

fire burns in my throat
as I suck in the cold air

Hantu-Pisang

Carpe-Diem-605-Hantu-Pisang
Todays prompt can be read about it Carpe Diem.  My attempt has the hantu, but not the pisang.

even in the moon
your faces haunts me

the wind, your laughter

~

in the forest 

light shadows brush my arm

mist lingers

~

shadows dart
in the forest fog
my heart skips

~

moonlight walk

leaf shadows and fairy lore

make me shiver

Juggling

Carpe Diem # 604 Juggling
Our prompt was a poem by Richard Wilbur called the juggler.  I struggled with this prompt.  I finally related it to everyday life.

tripping

bag of groceries

juggled

Snails Haiga

Carpe Diem Little Creatures #12 Snails

two snails join

slugs at the beer party

too drunk to crawl home

a rout of snails

the wild ducks will feast

this morning

wild Switchgrass

adorned with snails

mimics fern fronds

on the highway

between the yellow lines

a snail creeps

 

on the forsythia bush

among the yellow flowers

a snail blossoms

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/3837807802/">Adam Foster | Codefor</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mg02/1631317987/">sokole oko</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/waffles10/9051439595/">Harry Thomas Photography</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>