paternity

my father
has been gone
exactly a year today
and the memories of
his dying taste like chalk
on a parched tongue…
but the memories of his living
smell like mountain trout,
burnt cream puffs, chlorine
of pool where he saved me
from drowning.

_______________

A quadrille of forty-four words linked to dVerse poets.

mariner’s musings

 

when warmer air stirs sweet memories on
those youthful days when he sailed waves of sea
feeling of freedom worth dreaming upon

he watched the sky in experienced way
and listened for foghorn’s woeful low sound
to safely guide ship back into the bay

love of the sea understood beyond speech
lives on after old sailor’s laid to rest
like signal of lighthouse on rocky beach

 

il_570xN.216005207

 


Laura Bloomsbury challenges us to write three tercets in pentameter (optional) with set rhyme scheme. Linking to dVerse Poets

play for keeps

 

keep the best memories
let unpleasant ones go

keep faith in truth
turn from all false-ness

keep forward movement
stop procrastination now

keep expressing your heart
ignore rude criticism

keep head held high
don’t lose confidence

keep smiling at life
watch life smile back!

 

 

____________________________

Too late to link but inspired by Kim at dVerse to write quadrille (44 words) on “keep”.

remembrances

Challenge at CDHK to create an original “fusion” haiku from two classics and then use each line to write a “troiku” series of three more haiku.  Here’s my attempt…

 

crystal brook
reflects the willow trees
birds sing their song

sweet perfume
memories of a loved one
Jasmine blossom

© Yozakura

brook’s crystal waters

reflect sweet jasmine blossoms

scented memories

© lynn

brook’s crystal waters

brace trout swimming upstream

bait hook with fly lure

 

sweet jasmine blossoms

speak white-petaled wisdom’s way

nurture tender vines

 

scented memories

of father and mother’s love

listen to bird song

 

 

 

 

Basho revisited

First haiku by Basho, second a revision by me…linked to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

samazama no koto omoidasu sakura kana

how many, many things
they call to mind
these cherry-blossoms!

 

recall, my friend, those

cherry blossom memories!

…many moons ago

 

joel-neff-618786-unsplash 

Photo by Joel Neff on Unsplash

 

hana tachibana

Hana Tachibana means “mandarin orange blossoms” and is a Japanese “kigo”, season word, used in haiku and featured at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. 

 

fresh breeze scented by

mandarin orange blossoms

tang of memories

unanticipated love

Holiday haibun (prose exactly 200 words, Frank!) for dVerse “surprise” prompt

 

Christmas is a season of surprises. It began with virgin birth of a king in a cave, marked by a magnificent star. An angel choir sent musical birth announcements. Visitors included local shepherds fresh from the fields and, later, foreign scholars bearing tokens of wealth. The gifts were unusual for a baby shower but signified the child’s future rule, life’s sacrifice, and atoning death.

We celebrate Christmas with surprises hung in stockings, wrapped in packages under trees, bright lights to see and sweet treats to eat. It’s fun to delight someone we love with a gift that “fits” them perfectly. Guests may appear unexpectedly like changeable weather that alternates between merry and dreadful. Mistletoe, moods and mayhem can take us by surprise during the holy (holly) days.

The best surprises are little moments of unanticipated kindness during this season of good cheer. “Adopted” grandparents (now deceased) give children candy advent calendars with a window treat for each day of December. A busy mom who delivers a plate of homemade goodies with her children. A hearty hug and teary smile from an elderly relative in a senior center. A neighbor boy who leaves greeting card and his artwork in a mailbox.

 

stories of Christmas

wrapped with shiny memories

love surprises us

juicy goodness II

 

kisses sweet as jam

memories of seasons past

blackberry winter

 

 

blackberries-1113734__340

free image from pixabay

don’t miss awesome view

Jumping on Kiwinana’s weekly tanka challenge:  life & fun

 

 

live your life out loud

play in sunshine, rest in shade

take a little risk

enjoy fun time with loved ones

make good memories today

 

 

IMG_4252

Talsma’s Trail Park 

the peanuts club

The crawl space of childhood’s basement offered an obvious place for our secret club. We climbed red-bench invitation to reach spool knob and swing open a wide (but very short) plywood door; then clambered up, one-by-one, into our hide-out. Sliding over corrugated cardboard flooring, the first brave soul would pull the string to a single lightbulb. Neighborhood kids formed collaborative huddle amid boxes of empty canning jars and old books. Dark, cobwebbed corners added aura of mystery (not to mention arachnid fear) to our clandestine meetings. With conspiratorial whispers, we’d conduct official club business and ritual passing of candy before breaking out the “Peanuts” board game. Hanging out with Charlie Brown’s gang, we rolled the dice, collected comic character tiles, and took our turns in the “Booby Hatch”.

childhood memories

password protected clubhouse

friendship’s secret code

taking leave(s)

My “tan renga” response to “hokku” at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai…

 

the willow leaves fallen,
the spring gone dry,
rocks here and there

© Yosa Buson (1716-1784)

past memories in scrapbooks
photographic mind fading

(c) lynn__

a dream in a dream
sand slipping through old fingers
autumn leaves turn red

© Georgia

final glory of seasons
grief and love in letting go

(c) lynn__

 

IMG_5880

photo by lynn

memories multiply

IMG_4713

Lily

 

miss my furry friend;

so many peaceful rabbits

…reminders of her

 

we watch them nibble clover

growing fat,  no need to run

 

 

 

Previous Older Entries