XI.
bright gleam of flashlight
reflects off resting cows’ eyes
gently chewing cud
night maternity ward check
all quiet under the stars
joy of light series
28 Mar 2019 4 Comments
in haiku series, Uncategorized Tags: cows, flashlight, maternity, night, stars
can a writer be a farmer?
19 Mar 2019 33 Comments
this farm is home base
where i work (if i write,
do i shirk?) don’t ask the
farmer loaded questions;
i’m the farmHer who finds
sweet poetry in life on our
iowa farm, where tall corn
grows, and calves are born
(my poems are calved too)
placental in messy straw.
low mooing of cattle and
hum of machinery drones
on…in rich bass, solid tones
of this daily symphony as
poetry sings higher notes of
melody in quiet moments,
green fields, open space
discovering my place
…oh, gotta go do chores!
Linking to dVerse Poets where Gina hosts poetics tonight…
taste & see
25 Feb 2019 29 Comments
soul parched,
i need a sip
of living water
body famished,
i want a slice
of heaven’s bread
mind wearied,
i desire goblet
of wine divine
heart stained,
i wash in flow
of crimson blood
strength dead
i will rise to taste
celestial food
Joining Mish at dVerse Poets for quadrille #74 prompt on “sip”.
baking & breaking
21 Jan 2019 Leave a comment
“Give us this day our daily bread…”
Unroll sack and let tiny dense kernels flow though fingers. Grinder whines as hard wheat berries pour in. After clatter, textured flour pours out in full measure. Sprinkle in dead salt, live yeast. Add hot (not too hot) water; then amber liquid of oil and honey. Feel need to hand knead or let stand mixer work dough with hook. Form french loaves with firm hands. Rise to heavenly heights and bake to golden crustiness.
Famished sons enter farm kitchen, following aroma of fresh bread. Barely time to find knife with serrated teeth to carve warm slices. Spread butter’s melting fatness and serve. Chew through crunchy crust into mouth-watering homemade sustenance. The next slice begs for honey or jam. Be careful to hide second loaf for later!
basic food for life
gathered from farmers’ hard work
hunger satisfied
Non-traditional homemade haibun, definitely not gluten free! Photo by my son.
why rake trees?
17 Jan 2019 5 Comments
withered leaves on wind
when life-giving flow dries up
let thoughtless words go
Response to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai’s prompt on “withered leaves” and John Piper’s devotional, Words for the Wind.
spoiler alert
19 Nov 2018 19 Comments
in quadrille, Uncategorized Tags: brother, car, driver, races, spoiler
A quadrille of 44 words for dVerse poetics…
Dad took us to stock car races,
figure 8’s, Indy racetrack tour:
our family waiting at famous light
tower for bus driver to announce,
“Gentlemen, start your engines!”
Mom was relieved my brother
didn’t put spoiler on first car or
choose Nascar driving career.
_______________
write time to renga
02 Nov 2018 Leave a comment
in renga, Uncategorized Tags: magnolia, moths, peach tree, snail, sparrows, sun
A challenge to write Renga With Richard Wright: given six haiku, choose your own line-up and add your two-lined stanzas. (Richard’s original haiku in regular type, italic lines are my response stanzas.)
Make up your mind, Snail!
You are half inside your house,
And halfway out!
indecisive character
slugs reluctantly forward
I am nobody:
A red sinking autumn sun
Took my name away.
identity lost in awe
of sky’s changing expanse
Keep straight down this block,
Then turn right where you will find
A peach tree blooming.
remember, somewhere is spring;
hope’s sweet promises renew
One magnolia
Landed upon another
In the dew-wet grass.
end of summer, last blossoms
reveal time’s passing beauty
All right, You Sparrows;
The sun has set and you can now
Stop your chattering!
settle, winter is coming;
seasons advance through harvest
You moths must leave now;
I am turning out the light
And going to sleep.
body desires peaceful rest;
premonition of death’s kiss
© Richard Wright
© lynn
seasoned habitat
29 Oct 2018 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: butterflies, flowers, golden, mountain, pheasant
A “fusion” haiku for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai‘s Crossroads Challenge…
a strange flower
for birds and butterflies
the autumn sky
© Basho
the pheasant cries
as if it just noticed
the mountain
© Issa
autumn on mountain
butterflies and flowers gone
pheasant’s golden cry
© lynn
pixabay free image
rural commute
25 Oct 2018 9 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: farms, gravel, machinery, neighbors, rural, seasons, tractor
Late to join the “journey” prompt at dVerse this week…thanks to our host, Sarah!
living rural still
requires frequent
road trips to town…
for needed groceries,
machinery parts,
or church events.
carefully back out of
narrow garage door
and swing out in arc
avoiding any randomly
parked ATVs, pickup or
farm machinery on yard
past garden and cattle
white-fenced driveway
turn on gravel road until
first crossroad where
choice is made: which
route to which town?
on a blacktop, pass
farms and acreages
of neighbors we know
signs of seasons and
progression of crops
odors of hog barns
past research farms
or busy cheese factory
slow down for yellow
school bus, red tractor
on road, wait at corner
for chromed semi-trucks
when “early” is a verb
24 Oct 2018 9 Comments
in rhyming verse, Uncategorized
when cows are mooing, hungry for hay
early me, early me, early the day
when love comes calling, sweetly we lay
early me, early me, early the day
when Spirit is whispering urge to pray
early me, early me, early the day
when open road beckons to journey away
early me, early me, early the day!
farmer’s dawn
23 Oct 2018 1 Comment
awake before sun
constellations blinking bright
cows’ hungry eyes shine
a poem in my pocket 
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