River of Heaven

Frank Tassone’s prompt for today’s Haikai poem is the Milky Way. In Japanese culture the Milky Way is called amanogawa.  So this week, we turn our attention to the traditional, early autumn kigo of the Milky Way (amanogawa). The literal translation of amanogawa is “river of heaven.”

A milky circle
galaxías kýklos spins
Tiny specks go ‘round
Homogenized stardust shines
As light cream blends // bends our minds

Milky Way Photo: from Bing – wallpaper.in

For more information or to join with the prompt: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/08/17/haikai-challenge-100-8-17-19-milky-way-amanogawa-lit-river-of-heaven-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

 

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Cicada’s Last Song

I found this cicada on the driveway yesterday! He was dead as a doornail. After being in the ground for seventeen years, all the work of singing to find a mate must have been too much for him. He died in the prime of his life! Must have been a wild night!
Bursting into light
Everyone heard him singing
She loved his sweet song
The honeymoon didn’t last
Found him feet up on the drive
_
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Frank Tassone asked us to write a Haikai poem about the cicada. I decided to write a ranga, which usually has a tongue in cheek sense of humor.
Join us at: https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/117675961/posts/16154

 

Midsummer Solstice

Summer solstice here
Midsummer heat arrived early
Thankful for cool air

Sol sistere // sun stands still
Day and night ponder future

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Frank Tassone asked us to consider the up coming solstice, which is sometimes referred to as Midsummer Solstice. In the southern hemisphere is the Midwinter Solstice. He asked that we write the haikai poem of our choice (haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, renga, etc.) that alludes to our choice of either midsummer (manatsu) of midwinter (mafuyu).

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/06/15/haikai-challenge-90-6-15-19-midsummer-manastu-midwinter-mafuyu-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Snakes on a Log

Snakes sunning on log

Enjoy summer’s heat // and frogs

Fresh out of pea soup

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Photo Dwight L. Roth

With the onset of summer heat before spring is over, Frank Tassone asked us to write a Haikai poem eluding to summer heat. These snakes sunning themselves reminds me that there are some who love summer time heat!

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/06/01/haikai-challenge-88-6-1-19-summer-like-natsumeku-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Spring’s Song

Goldfinches twitter

Enjoy warm sunshine and seeds

New feathers for spring

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Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Frank Tassone’s Haikai prompt recognizes the return of birds and their twittering sounds as the sun warms the Northern Hemisphere!

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/03/30/haikai-challenge-79-3-30-19-twittering-saezuri-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Lion of Winter

While we are enjoying the first signs of spring in North Carolina, the Northeast is hit with another four to six inches of light snowfall. Fortunately March Lion Snows soon disappear as the sun moves further north.

March // roar all you want

Light snow doesn’t deter spring

Mourning doves shiver

 

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

More snow is forecast for this weekend. Frank Tassone asked us to address winter going out like a lion. Our Haikai poem is supposed to allude to light snow. You can join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/03/02/haikai-challenge-75-3-2-19-light-snow-awayuki-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

 

Spring Melt

Winter Moon reflects

brightly on river’s thin ice

Spring is almost here

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Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Our Haikai challenge from Frank Tassone is to write a Haikai poem using the words thin ice.

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/02/23/haikai-challenge-74-2-23-19-thin-ice-usurai-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Scars and Stones

President’s Day is on Monday. Today Frank Tassone, asked us to write a Haikai poem that talks about a president or presidents past or present. As I read Tessa’s poem today, talking about the presidents on Mount Rushmore, this thought came to mind. See what your think!

Past presidents sit
high on pedestals // seats of
stone // immortalized.
New presidents leave their mark
Scars on the landscape of man

Could their marks reflect
fractured attitudes of us…
Supporters who vote?
Presidents are a mirror…
Take a good look at yourself

Come join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/02/16/haikai-challenge-73-2-16-19-presidents-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Check out Tessa’s poem here:  https://tessacandoit.com/2019/02/16/haikai-challenge-73-2-16-19-presidents-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Picture of Lincoln Memorial: thousandwonders.net

A Taste of Spring

While the North thaws out from the minus fifty+ wind chills of a week ago, The South East enjoyed the warm air flowing up from the Gulf Of Mexico. My daffodils had heads on them for the past two weeks. The burst of warm air caused many of them to bloom. It is a wonderful taste of spring in the middle of winter! Today the cold weather is back and the daffodils will feel the chill!

Daffodils blooming

Can’t resist the warm sunshine

Our first taste of Spring

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Winter’s not over // today

blossoms shivered in the chill

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

This Haibun is for Frank Tassone’s Haikai challenge to write a poem about “first spring gust”. We were gone the beginning of the week and when we came home on Wednesday, we were greeted by smiling daffodils blooming. Spring is just around the corner!

#Haikai Challenge #72 (2/9/19): first spring gust (haru ichiban) #haiku #senryu #haibun #tanka #haiga #renga

 

Hollow Winds – Tribute

hollow winds
my thoughts turn
to firewood
© Rachel Sutcliffe (UK)

Rachael Sutcliffe, another well know haiku poet in the UK, has passed away. Frank Tassone asked us to choose one of her poems and write a follow-up poem in the same manner as her poem, as a tribute to her wonderful poetry. I really liked this one because of the many interpretations one could get from reading it.

Relentless wind blows
inspiration burns within
like logs on the fire

Dwight L. Roth – Photo

Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2019/01/26/haikai-challenge-70-1-26-19-rachel-sutcliffe-tribute-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/