May Morning Haiku

April showers
coming down by buckets full
in May

blackberries
white blossoms disguising
sharp thorns

blackberries
white blossoms predict
cold snap

small birds
clustered on feeder
brilliant yellow

large poplar trees
reaching skyward wearing
yellow flowers

new growth
springing out of cold ground
bamboo shoots

brilliant morning
radiant golden sunrise
hidden by clouds

Paulownia tree
sweet scented purple flowers
washed away by rain

wild flowers
glowing in verdant grass
after rain

hybrid iris
giant exotic blossoms
rain shattered

New Challenge

The poetry challenge ended April 30. I took the day off from poetry yesterday to let my brain rest and to do some real life stuff. OK, so poetry is real life in a way. This morning, before I was fully awake, (eyes open, no one home) I composed a very short one.

dogwoods
hiding behind grey morning
mist

A few weeks ago my challenge called for a haiku or senryu. Well, to be honest I had no idea what a senryu was and figured while I was at it, it would be a good idea to brush up on haiku form. What I learned was:
a) haiku should mention (or reference) season
b) while traditional haiku is 17 syllables, modern can be shorter
c) haiku is only about nature
d) senryu looks a lot like haiku
e) senryu is about human things (elegant turn of phrase, I know *grins*)
f) there can be a hybridization of senryu / haiku

So the above poem actually is haiku of the modern sort.

Anyway, I got to thinking that now my daily prompts are over I should work my way through some poetry forms. Maybe spend a day on something easy and a week or more working through some of the difficult ones. I had to write three form poems for the challenge, haiku, villanelle, and sestina. Of those the sestina was definitely the hardest. A real head banger, possibly the worst poem I've ever written. I'm just saying, be glad I didn't post it to this blog. hehe

So, I headed over to Shadow Poetry which may not be the greatest authority on writing form poetry but is a nice resource and easy to navigate. And I was thinking I would just take the forms in alphebetic order but the first form is Acrostic and that is followed by Ballad. Sheesh. Oh well. Time to suck it up I guess.

RAINING
Racing from the car to
Arrive frosted
In glittering diamonds.
Now I am awash,
Imbued, in
Nature's
Glorious bling.

DOGWOODS

During Spring's early flush
Of newly warm days and
Grandiose vivid color,
We pause to admire the
Opalescent clouds
Of sun washed
Dogwoods glowing
Silent at forest edge.

OK so now you can see why I really hate these things. I really don't want to spend a week on them. Now maybe this means I should but nope, not going there.

Poetry Challenge

Today's prompt is a farewell poem.


NO MORE GOODBYES

I never will leave you
Alone in this walk.
My life would be so blue
If we could not talk.

The words are no problem,
They roll off the tongue.
No thought do we give them
When our talk is done.

But when we consider
What they really mean
The problem is bigger
This now I have seen.

So we'll talk real soon,
And later I'll see you,
And until the next time,
Bis später, adieu.

Poetry Challenge

I have two today.
prompt - miscommunication

SAID

You said,
I'll always love you.
I heard,
I'll always love you.

You said,
I slept with my old girlfriend.
I heard,
I didn't mean to, it won't happen again.

You said,
You are the one I love.
I heard,
You are the one I love.

You said,
I'll always love you.
I heard,
I'll ALWAYS love YOU.

You said,
I will wait for you.
I heard,
I will give you the time you need to clear up your stuff.

You said,
I need to get away.
I heard,
I'm going out into the bush to clear my head.

You said,
I've met this girl.
I heard,
I love her now, not you.

You said,
I'll always love you.
I heard
It is YOU I REALLY want.

You said,
I am seeing this girl again.
I heard,
She is where my future is.

You said,
I have my own place now, come visit.
I heard,
Just give me warning so I won't be with my new gal when you come.

You said,
I'll always love you.
I heard,
But not as much as I love her.

You said,
I can't conceive a future without you.
I heard,
Someday we'll be together.

You said,
You'll always have a place in my heart.
I heard,
It's you I really want to be with.

You said,
I'll leave her when you're free.
I heard,
She is just to fill the gap.

You said,
I love this girl, I don't want to hurt her.
I heard,
It really is over.
The prompt for today was Never ____

NEVER SAY NEVER

It started early.
I'll never get married,
famous last words.

It picked up speed.

I'll never
wear bell bottoms,
wear straight legs,
live in a city.

The snowball grew.

I'll never
go backpacking,
forgive you,
love again.

Never say never.

Poetry Challenge

The prompt for the 25th was 'an event.'
I put that one off till after last night's recital and here is my 'event' poem.

RECITAL

Twenty four faces,
little, not so little,
all different ages
and stages.

Violin, cello;
easy and advanced,
open strings,
concerti.

Classical, Fiddle
Twinkle, Twinkle,
Soldier's Joy,
Seitz, Vivaldi.

Bouts with nerves,
and tears,
and stunning
success.

Poetry Challenge

Ooops, I meant to post this yesterday.
Yesterday's prompt was longing.
This piece is short and I had written it before I saw the prompt but it fit so I used it anyway.

tomorrow will be
four weeks alcoholic like
I keep count

Poetry Challenge

April 24ths prompt was to write about a journey.

JOURNEY TO PEACE

Anger,
the mask of fear.
Anger,
white hot.
Anger,
plotting revenge.

Forgiveness,
unimaginable.
Forgiveness,
empty words.
Forgiveness,
deliberate, sincere.

Joy,
brief, fleeting.
Joy,
courted.
Joy,
bubbling peace.