“Taka” is Japanese word for hawk. “Tanka”is Japanese poetry form.
red-tailed predator
eyes alert, talons sharpened,
silent as fence post
waits for slightest rustling
small creature disturbs switch grass
taka tanka
31 Jan 2019 3 Comments
in tanka Tags: fence post, grass, hawk, predator, silent
kaeribana kigo
29 Jan 2019 2 Comments
“Kaeribana” is Japanese kigo for “returning flowers”…from Carpe Diem Haiku Kai
you, me, and tea
29 Jan 2019 9 Comments
in quadrille Tags: drive, dunes, sand, steeps, tea, travel
after the
tea steeps
let’s pour it,
steaming, into
travel mugs to
drive south
away from
bitter winter
over steeps
across desert
through cities
onto island
where sun
smiles for
sandy miles
where we
hide from
hazy sea-spray
between
steep dunes,
sipping tea
Mish invites us to write a quadrille (44 words) on word “steep” at dVerse Poets
daughter she never knew
23 Jan 2019 23 Comments
in free verse, lament Tags: abortion, choice, daughter, option, viable
desperate now
no real choice
no viable option
he’d already left her
she birthed other babies
what else could she do
but have child removed?
…the one she’d never celebrate
Abortion is a tragedy to grieve, not an occasion to celebrate. Author Leslie Leyland Fields writes an open, compassionate letter to “celebrants” of abortion here.
tranquility
21 Jan 2019 Leave a comment
in tan renga Tags: butterflies, calm, stars, sunflowers
a certain calm
in summer’s passing
flowers
garden’s bodacious beauty
sunflower heads fill with seeds
flat seas
with the butterfly’s flight
a certain calm
orange flutters cover tree
monarchs’ summer migration
the hour silent
before the birds awake
waves on sand
dot-to-dot stars fade away
earth turns her face toward sun’s glow
Carpe Diem Haiku Kai / haiku © Jane Reichhold / renga © lynn
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.
vaccinate me!
15 Jan 2019 17 Comments
in list poem
(NOT to be read aloud to the grandchildren)
i think…
humans are
badly bent
whether or
not we will
admit to this
strange urge to
throw a knife
jump off cliff
drive into tree
lay on tracks
leave family
torture cats
kick the dog
slash a tire
graffiti walls
start a fire
liar, liar! pull
down pants, do
lewd dance, act
out proud, curse
out loud; an
imagination
sick as that
needs to be
inoculated
from its own
dis-ease… i’m
on my knees
God help me,
please!
A confessional sort of poem shared with dVerse poets…
ch-ch-cha-ching!
14 Jan 2019 21 Comments
in quadrille Tags: changelings, chest, face, identity, mask, mousse, youth
we pull on a mask
or put on the face
true identity, you ask?
hidden without trace
surgery can reduce
or augment one’s chest
we wax, tan, and mousse
to look (expensive) best
switch your gender
buy youth extender
monied culture of pretender
ch-ch-ch-changelings!
Join De at dVerse…for a change
portent
11 Jan 2019 5 Comments
in impressionism, tanka Tags: blackbirds, caw, clouds, hail, storm, thunder, wheat
wild swoop over wheat
blackbirds caw in unison
ominous wing beat
storm clouds darken horizon
thunder rumbles threat of hail
Link to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai featuring “blackbird” kigo.
red amaryllis
09 Jan 2019 2 Comments
in haiku Tags: amaryllis, birthday, celebrate, grace, winter
Joining Kristjaan’s prompt at Carpe Diem with winter “kigo”, amaryllis.
celebrating sixth
winter of granddaughter’s birth
given grace to bloom
to january, with love
07 Jan 2019 28 Comments
in haibun Tags: frozen, garnet, icicles, malamutes, schoolmarm, sled
January is a schoolmarm in a one-room schoolhouse on the frozen North Dakota prairie. She wears a gray woolen dress and peers over her spectacles with sharp grey eyes. Better be on time, sit up straight, and memorize your lessons so you’re ready when called on to recite. Here’s a clean slate and a bucket for fetching coal.
January is a team of malamutes ready to pull new sled. They wiggle and whine as musher harnesses them together; experienced dogs in front. He pats each one and slips them treats as they lick his gloved hand. Well-bred and muscular, January’s eager for the arduous adventure ahead. With a shove and a shout, we’re off.
January is a precipitous game of chance. It freezes and sneezes as icicles and noses drip. Weather rages stormy blizzard, then melts to muddy puddles. Celebration left in the past, until someone’s birthday or you migrate south. Glum with fevers or gorgeous with snowflakes, January is faceted garnet – a real germ…excuse me, gem.
first month of the year
opens possibilities
Latin word for door
Joining Kim at dVerse Poets with this (rather unconventional) haibun for January.
a poem in my pocket 
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