one blue cup each
flows easily through her hands
dry river beds
laughter’s pure reflection
sing song they learn A B Cs
*
so young to be old
internal Acholi’s strength
Nile clouds my vision
*
If I share a handful of their giggles, would you share a handful of precious water?
This week’s Word Press photo challenge is Reflections
and Reflections at Weekly Tanka Prompt
Novel treatment – Using an unusual or original poetic conception
Among the 26 examples is the poem by Fujiwara Motozane (ca 950) from the Shinkokinshū, #11:1060:
namidagawa / mi mo uku bakari / nagaruedo / kienu wa hito no / omoi narikeri
a river of tears
floats my body off
on its current
but it cannot quell the fire
you have set in my heart
As we look closer to this tanka (or waka) we can see in the first lines what is meant here “a river of tears floats my body off” This sounds unusual, but it is used for poetic conception to make the emotion stronger in this tanka.
wind playing the blues
all color runs together
trees stripped bare
crows circle on backs of leaves
imagination takes flight
Thanks to Carpe Diem Haiku Kai and the inspiring Tanka challenge.
To all my friends I have taken a longer than expected haitus as we finish a remodel, a sale and a move. I realize this tanka (unintentionally) symbolize my life as my colors have all turned into cardboard box brown. ~ Namaste
One of Teika’s Ten Tanka Techniques as discussed by Jane Reichhold:
This category is associated mostly with Fujiwara Shunzei (1114-1204) Teika’s renowned father and tanka expert. Teika mentions this in some of his other teachings and uses as examples poem #3:254 Kin’yōshū by Toshiyori:
uzura naku / mano no irie no / hamakaze ni / obananami yoru / aki no yūgure
cries of quail
from the shore of Mano cove
winds blow
waves of plume grass
ripple in autumn dusk
dance is done
discarded ribbons on stage
shoes on a nail
old eyes caress memory
finger yellowed playbill’s dust
Life is fleeting
two of you in the shadows
tomorrow you’re gone
I’ll gladly put on my shades
dive into today’s pool
Ephemeral is the DP photography challenge this week
in memory of
the spring now passing
I drew
the long clusters of wisteria
that move like waves
© Masaoka Shiki
In cold, grey embers
my fingertips, eager seek
memories
of golden springs long past
nature fragrant songs it sings
~mdw
The prompt for today at Chevrefeuille’s Carpe Diem is the poet Shiki a man who understood suffering and pain.
Tanka traditionallyis 5 lines written in 5-7-5-7-7 syllables
The goal of the challenge at Carpe Diem is to take the Tanka (written by Takuboku) as an inspiration for a Tanka:
All that remained
she lived in another time
memories in a box
*
memories in a box
one night set free
no holding back ghosts
reminders not needed
the world could see
The prompt at Verse First (hosted by Kim Nelson) is Ghosts, Spirits, Scares. I hope you feel the presence of a ghost in my verse today.
We were instructed to write in 31 words or 31 lines in honor of October 31st. I chose using the haiku and tanka to write 31 lines.
Tanka: is written by one poet and not by two (as is the echo form of the Tan Renga) the syllables count is: 5-7-5-7-7
autumn’s child
grazing a touch away
small footprints
lithe beauty takes my breath
our eyes meet
Riveted to his
her blue orbs sparkle fire
longing for his kiss
rays of hot summer star light
shining upon lover’s lips
***
I will not forget
our moments under the stars
You danced in my dreams
blue silken scarves and bare skin
eyes twinkled delight those nights
She is in his dreams dancing lightly across his sighs
closer than a whisper warming his heart
waking his need to dance with love
they dance to the soft sounds of night
spinning with the stars above and the lights in her eyes
***
Desire awakening with each kiss
perfection in each fluid move
finding endless hope in cosmic display
lover’s plight to only meet at night
days spent dreaming of the lover missed
***
Their rival daylight
in darkness ecstasy takes flight
tantalizing essence mesmerizes and captivates
lovers intertwined in a feast of senses
exploring the infinite horizons of joy so right
***
They revel in a world never fraught with pain
seize one last lingering kiss before dawn
walking in a daze until they dream another night away
eyes close reminding him of
stormy currents turbulent plains
******************************
…and a Tanka Attempt for One Stop Poetry Form
(For Each of you dear folks I have met through blogging and One Stop Poetry – A Tanka Valentine)
I look at your names
A smile then comes to my face
memories and more
You have each made my life full
so in my heart theres a place
to each of you love and More
Thank you for letting my friend Sean Vessey and myself share another of our poetry duets with you. Each line is a response to the other ~ the duet (above) is sung from the heart to honor each of you dear people who bring such joy to our lives – Happy Valentine’s Day.
Learning to live by the indwelling life of Christ.
Gud skaper noko nytt ved sitt Ord og sin Ande, vi kan ta imot det i tru og få oppleve at han gjer sitt verk med oss. Hans skaparkraft verkar konstuktivt i våre liv og skaper noko som er verdifullt for oss. Naturkreftene verkar nedebrytande, i fylgje entropilova, men Gud er Ånd og det som er født av hans Ande består. Jesu frelsesverk er fullbrakt og fullkome. Han er den siste Adam, som er ifrå himmelen og som for oss har vorte ei livgjevande ånd. Han gjev oss den Heilage Ande frå himmelen av berre nåde. Han gjev oss det evige livet.
Looking ahead, without looking back (too often)
Thanks for following a cowgirl on her crazy life journey.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. - Edgar Allan Poe
Hoping to make the world more beautiful
Books by author Diana Coombes
With previous posting of "Our World" on Blogger
my humanity in written form
Experiments in Creative Writing, and more ....
Poetry by Mich
FOR READERS AND ASPIRING WRITERS
Everyday musings ....Life as I see it.......my space, my reflections and thoughts !!
From Board Books to Clean YA
Cherishing the Past while Celebrating the Present
FROM ONE PARENT TO ANOTHER
Living life with dissociative identity disorder and complex ptsd
penned in moon dust 