09 May 2016
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: beach, forest, mountain, prairie, walk
“Home is everything you can walk to.” ― Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl
To hike a mountain wearing backpack is divine; climb to cool heights with marmots, and drink in far vistas. To stroll barefoot along the sandy beach is mesmerizing; play catch-me-if-you-can with foamy waves, and chase seagulls. To meander with walking stick on fern trail through piny forest is refreshing; listen for bears, and follow a stony stream. To exercise with dog on rural mile is simple enjoyment; be led over gently rolling hill, push into prairie wind, and gaze at the wide expanse of sky.
walk down gravel road
see the farmer working field
pure ambulation
Come take a walk with the poets at dVerse !
27 Apr 2016
by lynn__
in haibun, scripture
Tags: death, flower, gardener, life, seed
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. Ps. 103:15, 16
Death does not discriminate but believes in equal opportunity for all. Flowers and weeds, sinners and saints…each granted a brief cycle of seasons on the earth. Life begins as a seed, planted in sanctuary of womb. Cells divide, cotyledon splits; embryo develops limbs, groping in darkness. Birth breaks through to sunlight! Youthful stem grows, green with life’s energy, curling out curious leaves. Powered by nutrients through roots and pollinated by buzzing ideals, adolescence buds into flowering adulthood. A productive life spreads, shades, bears nourishing fruit until the final harvest. Life’s wisdom fades to delicate lace, leaving precious seed for the generation to follow. How one lives determines how one dies. May it be at peace, in the presence of the good and gracious Gardener.
life’s full breath expires
vein beauty in brevity
flower cut from field
Link to dVerse Poets haibun prompt featuring photography of Susan Judd
11 Apr 2016
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: communication, covenant, marriage, sex
It is said that good communication is necessary to build any successful relationship. Communication and commitment certainly form the vital framework for a healthy marriage. But effective communication goes beyond speaking and listening. It is possible to say too much; to spew destructive words that tear a home down. It may be possible to hear too much; to assume the worst intentions of one’s partner. Is this not why the “two will become one flesh”? Sex is the super-glue that bonds partners, holds a marriage together. This sacred act is designed to reconcile and unite spouses in expressing tender love, forgiveness, acceptance when words fail. If fruitful, a couple may also be rewarded by the pleasure of children!
speak intimately
don’t let words get in the way
love’s body language
29 Feb 2016
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: desert, javelina, snowbirds, winter
In northern U.S., desperados (a.k.a. winter snow birds) travel off-season; heading due south/southwest in search of warmer weather. Content to leave blowing snow and ice behind, they drive their posse of bumper-hitch campers, fifth-wheels and motorhomes on clearer roads under clearing skies. Some set hopes on a certain destination while others simply wish to wander anywhere there’s sunshine or long arm of the law can’t reach. After staring between jail bars at bare deciduous branches, sightings of cacti and palm trees give welcome relief; every green or blooming plant serves delight to dulled senses. Creativity thaws, dreams awaken, and youth renews with soothing warmth. Here, even the animal outlaws avoid hibernation.
hazy desert heat
shadow under mesquite shrub
javelina snorts
photo by lynn
Hey, they’re saddling up for Haibun Monday at d’Verse Poets today…
06 Feb 2016
by lynn__
in haibun, Uncategorized
Tags: rescue, runaway, sex slavery, tears
photo by Gabriella at dVerse; used with permission
Daddy was mean so I run away but had nowhere to go. Met a guy I thought I could trust. Sure, he treated me real special at first. I fell hard…thought he loved me too. Called me “sweet thing” and “babe” and said two of us was all that mattered in the world. Until he started passing me around to his friends for free and then to strangers for money. Decent money too but he keeps most of it. Now he’s taking me to the big city. I don’t wanna go but he squeezes my arm so tight at every bus stop…to keep me from running again. Doesn’t anybody see my tears?
i’ve nowhere to go
sky cries tears down bus windows
can’t wash my shame’s pain
Thinking of young victims of sex slavery and linking with haibun challenge at dVerse Poets
11 Jan 2016
by lynn__
in haibun, Uncategorized
Tags: Christmas, flute, hymn, rose
(Listen to choir recording here…with lyrics)
haunting winter hymn
lo, how a rose e’er blooming
flute plays minor key
photo copyright: kanzensakura (used with permission)
This traditional Christmas carol sings a haunting melody, particularly when breathed through a flute. The flowing hymn hearkens back to Cologne, Germany in the 16th century during an evening snowfall. A high Renaissance tune which switches from solemnity to dance-like quality and back again, in half-frozen syncopation.
Originally sung in adoration of the virgin’s purity, Lutherans (ever reforming!) later tweaked the words to change its focus to Jesus Christ. As the hope of Israel, he fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah, appearing as the Branch, a stem from Jesse’s root, and the Rose of Sharon.
A rose in winter…totally unexpected and glorious!
Thanks to Toni for hosting the haibun prompt at dVerse and sharing the lovely photo of her mature quince tree blooming prematurely.
03 Nov 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: spirit, van gogh
Linking to dVerse where Bjorn is serving fresh haibuns…
View of the Church of St. Paul de Mausole by Van Gogh
The artist’s brush expresses what ears may not hear and tongue cannot say…
“After he took him aside away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up into heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means, ‘Be opened!’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue loosened and he began to speak plainly.” (Mark 7:33-35)
Is the one who inspired the colors of Vincent’s art the same spirit who illuminated Mark to write good news? Perhaps today, Christ’s spirit sighs for us “to listen” to his loving whispers…or he may be prompting us “to speak” his message of peace. Hearts and minds, like church windows of the soul, need to be opened to let in the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit. If only Vincent had found healing in this life.
hear sigh in colors
spirit wind strokes the grasses
surrounding muted church
31 Oct 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: leaves, rain, soil, trees
This haiku writing technique is often given poet Masaoka Shiki’s term Shasei (sketch from life) or Shajitsu (reality). The poetic principle is “to depict the thing just as it is”. Shiki favored the quiet simplicity of just stating what he saw without anything else happening in the haiku. He found the greatest beauty in the common sight, simply reported exactly as it was seen, and ninety-nine percent of his haiku was written in this style. Many people still feel he was right; there are some moments that are perhaps best said as simply as possible.
(above text taken from Carpe Diem Haiku Kai)
I.
thin rain mists the ground
wet leaves from denuded trees
black soil’s damp compost
II.
sun rays between trees
light cast upon maple limbs
golden leaves tremble
(photos by lynn)
27 Oct 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: blood, martyrs, religion
Sept. 23, 2015 – Festival of the Sacrifice: ISIS videotapes shootings of three men executed for crime of being Christians. The victims were part of a group of 250 Syrians abducted in February during Islamic State attacks on 35 villages along the Khabur River in Hasakah province. Their captors threaten same fate to rest of group if $12 million ransom is not paid. Negotiations “have been suspended due to the unbearable demands of the terror group,” says Osama Edward, director of Assyrian Human Rights Network (based in Stockholm, Sweden).*
blood of the martyrs
Christian families destitute
bullet to the head
false religion instills hate
come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!
*WORLD magazine, 10-31-15, p. 40, “Fallen and Forsaken” by Mindy Belz
21 Sep 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: Job, stars, unicorn
The idea of the unicorn mentioned in the Bible is intriguing. Job 39:9-11 reads, in early authorized Version: Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? But later versions translate it as the wild ox. Some scholars think it may refer to a rhinoceros or buffalo. Whatever the real animal was, it must have been wild, horned, and powerful!
photo credit: Wikipedia
unicorn’s horn points
to starry back of hunter
watch out, Orion!
I got “lost” in time and missed linking to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai space odyssey with this one!
15 Sep 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: cedar, kingdom, tree
“I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”
man on his mountain
bible’s holy poetree
lofty sovereign grace
(Ezekiel 17:22-24, ESV)
14 Sep 2015
by lynn__
in haibun
Tags: camels, constellation, draco
The protecting Mother Camels is the name given by ancient Arabic nomadic tribes to an asterism in the constellation of Draco. Instead of the head of a dragon, the asterism was interpreted as a ring of mother camels surrounding a baby camel (the faint star in the middle), with another mother camel running to join them. The camels were seen to be protecting the baby from a line of charging hyenas. The nomads who own the camels are camped nearby, represented by a cooking tripod…
(source: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai‘s space odyssey)
baby camel cries
dromedary moms hear fear
credit: Wikipedia
high-kick hyenas
arabs draw camel stars where
greco-romans marked dragon
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