a poem in my pocket

(im)mortality

15 Dec 2024 2 Comments

by lynn__ in senryu Tags: death, doorway, grave, immortality

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (I Cor. 15:54)

stand by open grave

hear hallelujah chorus

death’s narrow doorway

hold the gift

14 Dec 2024 2 Comments

by lynn__ in haibun Tags: Christmas, creche, gift, grandkids, lamb, olive wood, stable

My parents’ brought me a treasured gift from their memorable trip to Israel; hand-carved and sold by Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem. This small olive wood creche features the humble family of three under a dazzling star flourish over the stark stable. An angel bears “Gloria” banner with song from above while earthy shepherd watches from behind fir tree. Sentinel sheep guard the vulnerable Lamb of God.

Of course, I want the grandkids to touch and experience the texture of that biblical first Christmas; to be able to hold a bit of awe in their little hands. But I also feel protective, maybe even possessive of the delicate creche; this irreplaceable gift of Christmas. So I purchase a children’s version of stable with plastic figures they can move around, put in mouth, or drop.

Hopefully, we do not cheapen the real story in our efforts to make it accessible.

creches around world
all nations will worship him
Jesus has first place

kitsch?

12 Dec 2024 6 Comments

by lynn__ in haiku Tags: glow, lights, pinecones

omnivorous

11 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

by lynn__ in tanka Tags: carrion, caw, claw, crows, murder, snow

caw clawing murder

fight over limp carrion

crows can’t hide in snow

are they perpetrators or

black market opportunists?

bang on!

09 Dec 2024 15 Comments

by lynn__ in quadrille Tags: door, love, sleep

try (fitfully)
to sleep; i’m
depleted from
preparations:
hop, shop, clean,
bake, make room
in “mama’s inn”
for (too late… or
too early?) arrival
so….. please (!)
don’t bang that
door (again) !!

yet, come & go,
and also know
you’re more
cherished
than sleep
to me .

My 44-word quadrille for dVerse as we end poetic year with a bang!

big blue

05 Dec 2024 26 Comments

by lynn__ in etheree Tags: backyard, birds, blue spruce, lightning, squirrels, tree

Etheree form: unrhymed without meter, one stanza of 10 lines, graduating from 1 to 10 syllables (Laura adds lines 11 & 12 with just 2 syllables each to give shape of Christmas tree). Linking to dverse poets…

see
a spruce
in backyard
of childhood home
reaches for the clouds
shelter for nesting birds
hide-away for brown squirrels
branches thick and full to tree top
rises as blue neighborhood landmark
until it plays the part of lightning rod
and falls
blackened

attitude of gratitude

03 Dec 2024 1 Comment

by lynn__ in nove otto Tags: bread, cattle, food, God, grateful, gratitude, greed, Jesus, neighbor

Recently, Grace hosted a dVerse prompt featuring the “Nove Otto”. This poetry form was created by Scott J. Alcorn. It is a nine-lined poem with 8 syllables per line. The rhyme scheme is: aacbbcddc.

God is the giver of all good;
He provides his creatures with food
his loving care supplies our bread
grazing cattle content to eat
in turn, they will provide our meat.
“Love your neighbor,” Jesus has said;
are our cold hearts so full of greed
that we won’t share with those in need?
if grateful we are to be fed!

too merry to miss it?

26 Nov 2024 11 Comments

by lynn__ in quadrille Tags: Emmanuel, holidays, merry, relatives, shopping

Linking with Lisa and dVerse poets for quadrilles at the pub!

for some people,
holidays may mean
over-the-top sumptuous
feast with relatives

for others, it’s a
shopping frenzy of
over-the-top frivolous
spending with credit

for all us mortals,
let holy days celebrate
over-the-top gracious
presence, Emmanuel:

God With Us!

winter’s claws

21 Nov 2024 15 Comments

by lynn__ in tanka Tags: cold, husband, north, snow, tiger

Mish hosts OLN at dVerse…here’s my tanka for mini-prompt 🙂

husband grows older
cold weather, his nemesis
tiger in the snow
our new driveway faces north
he and snowblower…growling

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) created woodblock prints and paintings. Over his lengthy career, Hokusai produced over 30,000 pieces. Tigers became his subject matter in his final years and “Tiger in the Snow” may have been his final creation. (source: wikipedia.com)