Fragrant Breeze

Lilacs bloom fragrant
Perfume carried on the breeze
Summer’s almost here

Poppies sway // ripples flowing
Gently across Flander’s Field

Reminder to us
That war is filled with blood-shed
Poppies bleed blood red

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Written for Frank Tassone’s Haikai challenge Fragrant Breeze. He also reminds us of the anniversary of D-day and suggested we incorporate that as well.

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/06/08/haikai-challenge-6-8-19-fragrant-breeze-kunpuu-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Eternal Sleep

Fragile blooms reveal such striking beauty

Nature’s embellishment for green fields

With seeds yielding a mixed bag of healing and death

Petals of red hearts of black // growing wild and free

Seeds to ease the pain // used for generations

Extractions and concentrates create powerful narcotics

Morphine // Heroin  // Codeine

Powerful pain relievers leading to addiction

Blood red flowers mix with the red blood of the fallen that bloody day

Symbol of the men who died on Flander’s Field // resting in eternal sleep

Paper Poppies sold on the end of a wire on Veterans’ Day in November

Beauty grown wild all over the world

***********************

 Photos: Dwight L. Roth