Haibun – Phase Two – April 28, 2020

Haibun — Phase Two — April 28, 2020

So, yesterday I didn’t go online. The happy days of singing from the balconies and the enthusiastic – “This too shall pass! Yes We’re going to make it!” has gone by the wayside with lost jobs, death tolls, polemics and accusations. And the ravens caw all around us.

in darkest hours
old blackbird sings his song
remembering spring

It’s not that the emergency is over. People are just scared or worse bored. They aren’t worrying that there are still people dying. All too often people only understand when they too are touched. Just as they don’t know of the millions who sicken and die from lack of food or water. A photo is worth a thousand words, but pain is intimate and real.

no rain has fallen
even the flies hide away
– deadly drought

Many days have passed and many things have changed, if only for a few days. Cleaner air, cleaner water and the animals have returned. Everywhere films were made and some cheers were raised. Pretty pretty … But now humanity is tired of sheltering from a silent invisible killer, which when you look closely only kills the old and weak. The economy is wounded, petrol again has no value, people are not consuming. Stop Phase one we need to hurry up phase two!

in the silence
earthshine crescent moon
spring of COVID

© gsk ’20

Here in Europe, the common blackbird is a species of true thrush. It is also called Eurasian blackbird, or simply blackbird where this does not lead to confusion with a similar-looking local species. It breeds in Europe, Asiatic Russia, and North Africa.

In North America when one talks about a blackbirds one usually thinks about a crows or a ravens which are a completely different thing.

Read about blackbirds here:
Ciao!

The Minstrel – Soliloquy no Renga – May 5, 2016

blackbird_6

the morning shadow
hidden a minstrel sings
a song for his love

echoes upon the water
brings no answer hither

where is his lady
flown off to meet another
his song echoes still

along the walkways others
walk past without hearing him

the wind changes
cold upon the land – whispers
spring hides away

now the willow’s tresses fly
as the cold winds blow from sea

in the coming storm
a blackbird sings of love
hidden in shadows

© G.s.k. ‘16

Well … I just discovered that I misread the consignment so I for Carpe Diem Tokubetsudesu #78 Soliloquy no Renga “autumn night” by Santoka Taneda  I will attempt to write a proper “Soliloquy No Renga” perhaps later today if I have time … I won’t be posting for the next 4 days as the Historical Reenactment season is again upon us and I’ll be off to 1430 Italy … ciao,  Bastet

Reblog: Morning Haiku and Waka – NaPoWriMo – April 5, 2016

From Bastet’s Waka Library on Blogger

And a tanka:

morning serenade
sweet perfume of mimosa
and thoughts of you
what more can be said of spring
then a warming I love you?

© G.s.k. ’16

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Morning Haiku (5-7-5) – March 8, 2016

a lone black feather
upon the cold cement walk
awaiting a child

skipping off to school
her feather in her book-bag
for her cat’s delight

springtime serenade
the blackbird warbles sweetly
on the picket fence

those stains and tatters
reminders of her triumphs
old blackbird apron

Continue reading

The Blackbird Under the Jujube – Wordle – November 21, 2015

Jujube Tree after the snowstorm

                             that snowy afternoon

whistling under the jujube tree
moving cautiously
following rhythms of an ancient lay
the blackbird pierced the fog
with its jolly song,
with a pantomime of indifference
there in the whirling snow storm …

elsewhere

barbaric drum beats echoed
inside a smoke-filled tavern
there bawds and bullies laughed and played
in a charade of carefree joy
in rhythmic discordance …
they never heard the blackbird’s song
under the jujube tree.

© G.s.k. ‘15

 

 photo 64e4b4ad-6f82-49a6-8e84-fd1c372f47d8_zpsuszpjqcu.jpg

 

blackbird, afternoon, whistling, barbaric, pierced, pantomime, bawds. whirled, moving, tree, snowing, rhythms

 

Whirligig 34

Photo originally found at. Trees That Please Nursery

Dawn – February 14, 2015

nght blooms_2_small

flowering trees
blackbirds serenade at dawn
portents of spring

Valentine’s day
a dawn blackbird’s serenade
first songs of spring

today’s first light
in the courtyards ’round my home
sweet blackbirds chirrup
rival males sing prettily
to seduce their hoped for brides

© G.s.k. ‘15

For the Blackbird – Free Verse – October 3, 2014

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFor the Blackbird

Here in the olive grove,
I in a brown mood,
Hear your soliloquy;
You could be a winged Hamlet
Despairing your fate …
No bright songs do you sing now
Only long chittering complaints
Laments reft of promise
As autumn grows older
And colder …

Or is it just me,
My own autumn blues,
That attributes to you
My rook-colored friend,
A sadness you know not.
(Your insouciance to seasons proverbial –
You fear not the winter cold …)

Perhaps yours is exultation –
The call of the hunter!
“Come one, come all
There’s food in abundance!
The swallows are gone … and
All those pesky summery tourists …
The insects grow bold
Look as they come out of hiding…
I spy … spiders and flies …
Ah how lovely in autumn.”

Oh my sweet blackbird,
Dearest totem of freedom,
I love you so well!
I could listen for hours
To your seasonal calls …
I imagine you’re to me,
A portal of happiness,
With your resonant tones.
No, no lament is your autumn song
It’s an invitation:
Find the good things of autumn …
Find happiness and peace.

(c) G.s.k. ’14

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Sunset thoughts – Morning Haiku and Waka – October 1, 2014

sunset and moon light

sunset and moon light

under the moon scythe
greeting the Indian summer
– the screech of an owl

indian summer –
sunset red like the grape vines
another leaf falls

hot afternoon
autumn sun sets in the west
chilling the valley

ah – drizzling rain
complaining blackbirds calling
wake-up the dawn

Carpe Diem Special – Jack Kerouac’s “glow worm”

This month’s featured haiku-poet is Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), our mission, to write in the same vein as the poet of the month.

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

you’ve seen me post about Jack Kerouac in the past and you might remember this quote that Kristjaan has put up on his post:

Kerouac once said:

[…] “I propose that the ‘Western Haiku’ simply say a lot in three short lines in any Western language. Above all, a Haiku must be very simple and free of all poetic trickery and make a little picture . . .” […]

The haiku chosen was “Glow Worm”

glow worm
sleeping on this flower –
your light’s on

© Jack Kerouac

blackbird b/wblackbird
singing on the roof top
it’s raining
© G.S.K.

Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai – Special – Jack Kerouac

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