haiku, poetry

Haiku Two

Winter snow crackles.
Plunging booted foot through snow —
Pineapple’s dripping.

haiku, poetry

Z Haiku

Zappa’s zeitgeisty.
Zaniest zebra’s zigzag —
Zaftig’s zipper zips.

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame, please visit her site whenever you get a hankering for good poetry.

poetry, sonnet

In the Silence

In the silence, amid the incense and the light slide,
stone falls on stone; a grinding mill scratches and calls.
Thus it’s ever been, amid the silent beating heart, beside
the whispering nave, knave and brave, brave the squalls.
And the stones answer when the lambs lie dumb ‘n’ mute.
Thus it’s ever been, amid the windowed calls for right,
amid the cobbled walls, cobbled floor, and hobbled foot;
Thus it’s ever been, amid the storied skies held loft by light,
amid the storied limbs can be heard the silent whispers;
Thus it’s ever been, amid the once chiseled and shape’ed stone
amid the storied floors that hear half-prayers and muddied vespers;
Thus it’s ever been, amid lullaby, amid cradle, amid birthing groan,
amid the pounding silent foam, amid Euphrates’ flowing;
Thus it’s ever been, when men keep selves from knowing.

haiku, poetry

Y Haiku

Yearly yachtsmen yearn.
Yearly Yellow yawns yeastlike —
yobbo yodels, yells

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame, please visit her site whenever you get a hankering for good poetry.

poetry

Ecce Homo

The crowd stood in crowded masses.
The crowd crowned their rebel din.
Then the diadem informed them,
“Behold the man.”¹

The crowd, every one of them,
demanded relief from the mirror
held to them.

“Throw this one in the drink.
Don’t drink his poison pen.
Go ahead and keep your diadem.
We have no use for other kings:
Kings of heaven and lofty things.
Things of earth hold all our dreams.”

So the little crown
bowed to the noisome crowd
and laid thorny crown
upon a silent brow.

Ecce Homo ↩

Image: Ecce Homo “Behold the Man” by Antonio Ciseri (Swiss Italian painter and university professor 1821-1891) oil on canvas, between circa 1860 and circa 1880. Public domain.

haiku, poetry

X Haiku

Xenogenesis
Xanthic-roots, xanthorhiza —
Xeric Xerxes

The X-factor

English is not replete
with words with “x” as heads.
There are, to be sure, four-hundreds
but only a few that are not tourists.
My mouth, I swear, uses but four
or at the most twenty and four.

And after this attempt at sponsorship
I’m sure the “x” will stay
“hidden” in words like,
Xanadu, xanthin, or xylophone
and never etched in stone
or grace haiku with less
than sonorous tone.

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame, please visit her site whenever you get a hankering for good poetry.

poetry, sonnet

Laughter’s Flame

In the shade of a towering oak, in the wavering heat of day,
There came men of the same; they more light than flesh.
There to speak to Nation’s Father, a father to Affliction’s Say.
”Say’t, without mirth, “Ancient will give birth to new flesh.”
The wind blew hard as ancient wife cried out in mirth.
”Now that this flesh is withered, you send this tale, this
Story of new birth.” “To Laughter’s Flame you will give birth.
This time, a year hence, you will swell in your bliss.
And Nation’s Father will joy in Nation’s inheritance.”
The notion that the dead will give birth, is nothing new.
But the tale of Laughter’s birth and a mother’s impotence;
The tale of old father, with now two sons has nations hewn.
This shady towering tree witnessed Laughter’s flame
And saw the spark that give birth to our laughter’s Name.

Photo by Victor Zambrano on Unsplash

poetry

W Haiku

wintertime waxes
westerly wind whistles white —
wascally wabbit

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame. Please visit her site whenever you get the hankering for good poetry.

poetry

Widdershins

I move in widdershins;
my gains ever loses.
Would that were the
other way ‘round,
then there would be never loses.

Then I could have a plan,
then I could follow the salmon;
one last pitch at lasting measure,
one last throw across the plate,
one last stroke at persistence.

Which way is time’s turning?
Is forward not behind?
Which hand holds the Bashful Royal?
Are all the cards stacked and shuffled?
Oh, come and deal another hand.
Oh, come and deal another hand.
Are widdershins turning ‘round?

haiku

V Haiku Two

Vole’s v-shaped valley
vividly viridian —
Vivid Vincent vibe.

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

Image: Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, Oil on Canvas, June 1889 Museum of Modern Art, New York

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame, please visit her site whenever you get the hankering for good poetry.

haiku, poetry

V Haiku One

V-day vividness,
via victory vigil —
vacuums vibrating

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

- Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

This Alphabet Haiku Challenge is brought to you by Abigail Gronway (poet extraordinaire) of the Dark Side of the Moon fame, please visit her site whenever you get the hankering for good poetry.

poetry

Pomegranate Bells

I can hear the pomegranate bells,
bells, yellow loud with striking tells.

Strike upon the sound.
Light upon the sound.

Listen, to hear the waving
sound shade my burning lips.
Coals of fire heal.

The winds of time shake me.
Kings have come to brake me.
In the light of night,
in the fiery arrow’s blight,
they’ve come and cursed my plight.

I know the true.
I know nations fall with loud
and quiet sound,
with whispered calls,
and pandering pleas.
I know the true.

I must hear the pomegranate bells
amid the smoke and smells,
amid the wails and quiet tells,
amid the shade of whispered thunder.

Let me tell the true to tell.

One day a year,
One man, alone,
enters to atone.
One man carries twelve heavy stone.
One man steps up to heaven’s gold throne.
One man draped in pomegranate bells,
sounds for his people to hear,
sounds for the lamb’s blood to pay,
sounds for the goat to off-stray.

No silent footsteps.
No silent lips.
One day we’re heard.

Now.
Now, I’ve been touched with the coal
now, I’ll be sent.
Now, I’ll, with words, do the rent.
I’ll rent father from son and all;
nation will, with words, do the fall.
Men will be flayed
opened and bared;
with bare teeth they will stare,
with dagger’d eyes they’ll kill
and still will I stammer and still.
Still will I mumble and quip,
for I’ve been touched with the coal;
I’ve been touched by the quick.

haiku, poetry

U Haiku

upper-class under
unhurried ultramarines —
umbrellas undulate

Alphabet Haiku Challenge
– Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter
– When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5
– Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

Gustave Caillebotte “Paris Street Rainy Day” | Oil on canvas 1877 Location: Art Institute of Chicago Height: 2,122 mm (83.54 in); Width: 2,762 mm (108.74 in)

poetry, sonnet

Peace, Peace

“Jeremiah knew the story of dying nations,
Nations set for inglorious, ignominious demise
And herein lies our story, for we are set for cremations.
My city is about to die; it’ll no longer see the open skies.
And like the children of the tribe, we behold our Babylon.
Babylon comes with hands holding plumbs to measure.
They move with speed; distance measured in marathons.
Our Nebuchadnezzar is showing us his displeasure.
He’ll take no time to discern wheat from chaff;
The weeping mother, the crying infant, the purest maiden,
And those with hardened hand will have no cause to laugh.
I pray that the earth beneath our feet we’ll not abandon,
That the sky will recall our place in the eternal sun,
That we’ll not be forgotten by the Eternal One.”

haiku, poetry

T Haiku

Tyger-terrible,
twist, thunder, tear, tower tall —
tell t’all times time’s tale.

Alphabet Haiku Challenge

Every word in the haiku must begin with the same letter

When written in English, it generally follows the syllabic pattern 5-7-5

Haiku/Senryu Poetry – Here is an in-depth description of Haiku/Senryu Poem (also called human haiku) is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Senryu is usually written in the present tense and only references to some aspect of human nature or emotions. They possess no references to the natural world and thus stand out from nature/seasonal haiku.

rl busséll — poet

"beauty fadeth not"

Author Archives: rlbussell

Haiku Two

Z Haiku

In the Silence

Y Haiku

Ecce Homo

X Haiku

The X-factor

Laughter’s Flame

W Haiku

Widdershins

V Haiku Two

V Haiku One

Pomegranate Bells

U Haiku

Peace, Peace

T Haiku