Journey – Experimental Quadrille – July 19, 2016

Yes, the journey
began like all journeys
one step at a time

Some songs were sung
and some anthems played
yes, they shared a few tears

one became famous
one became homeless
the other died

And I – watched the music box
go ’round and ’round

© Gsk ’16

I came across this consignment from dVerse whilst visiting a fellow poet’s site (Write a poem in 44 words with the word “journey”) – it seemed interesting so I thought I’d give it a try … the poet is Candy from RHYMESWITHBUG and her poem is entitled: Summer Journeys.

Unfortunately I also read on dVerse that our dear fellow poet Vivi from VivinFrance passed away on July 5th … this will be such a loss for all of us.  My sympathies go to her family for their profound loss.

I remember when I first met Vivi – she advised me to buy Stephen Fry’s  “The Ode Less Travelled” (which I did) so that I might find a more fluent way to write poetry … rhythm instead of syllable counting (which I still like to do very much).  I’ll miss visiting Vivi’s posts an enjoying her dry humour.

And still I watch the music box go ’round and ’round … and another tear falls.

Daily Haiku and Waka – July 19, 2016

Torbole – Lido

To Goethe

windy morning
the agitated bay calls
whispering wisdom
he walked and heard
“Boldness has genius”

© Gsk ’16

History of Torbole sul Garda

Sunday Whirl – The Root of Heaven – April 7, 2016

Slipping through silk threads of grace
Witness this rare and  endless root.
It came from inside the deepest earth
With a claim – that for but one brief moment
Erotic pleasure and illumination will blossom.
Feed not then upon crass empty illusions,
Here is the heaven of which men speak.

April 6, 2016

 

Wordle 245

It’s All How You Look At It – Flash Fiction – March 20, 2016

Copyright Al Forbes

 

“How interesting is this!”  Marcus gushed as they drove up Susan’s drive way in the country that Sunday morning.

“What are you going on about Marcus?” she said slightly irritated, dawn’s early light was not her favourite light of the day.

“Don’t tell me that you don’t see it!  There!” he pointed at the old blue painted door with its pealing centre … “a city, reflected in a bay!  It could be the sky-line of New York or Sydney – I’ll just have to draw in something characteristic to fix the location!”  he said as he clicked off several shots of the door once the car had stopped.

He then ran to the boot of the car where he kept his emergency box of paint supplies he always travelled with.  He insisted one never knew when inspiration might strike … and as a auto-defined conceptualist graffiti artist he wanted to be prepared.

© G.s.k. ‘16

Sunday Photo Fiction – March 20th 2016

 

A Monday Shot – Photography – January 11, 2016

Hello … here’s it’s raining as it seems to be all over the Northern Hemisphere, or at least among those whom I’m in contact with.  I went out for a walk … just near home.  I’ll go farther afield tomorrow. I was hoping to find some rose-hips for an experiment suggested to me by Joanna … a very artist lady with a fantastic sense of the aesthetic who mixes her arts … visual and Japanese poetry.

rain and snow

a morning walk
the icy rain penetrates
this old knapsack

© G.s.k. ‘16

rain and snow – 2

winter is calling
even the sparrows hear it
over their chatter

© G.s.k. ‘16

And now, I’m off to make some curry flavoured dried apples … see you later.  Bastet

Free Verse: Magic Beside The Window – First Posted – May 12, 2013

Free Verse

Magic Beside The Window

Childhood passed beside a window

Coloring, drawing, daydreaming

Watching as the cars drove past

Watching birds and butterflies

Imagining places that never existed

Of people who never were.

I’d imagine flying horses

Princes, castles and dragons flying –

I’d see the terrible witches

And lovely fairies too.

I’d have myself a tea party

I’d invite in all my friends!

Black and yellow stuffed dog

Pink cow and scruffy bear…

My mother’d bring the snacks out

We’d laugh and play for hours

Then I’d tell to them a tale.

(When finally I went  to school

After a month or two,

I found that those dear windows,

Saved me from boredom too.)

Years went by and I travelled far

I met many a dragon and visited castles

I’ve come across a prince or two

And some really terrible witches!

The fairies blessed me with my lovely sons

And I’ve nothing to regret.

I just wanted to say here,

Thinking of my childhood:

My friends then were my windows.

My loved ones were my books.

My world my imagination.

I hug them still and sing their praise,

For they made me who I am.

© G.s.k ‘13

Photoku at Blog it or Lose it! – Just a Note – January 6, 2015

You’ve seen me do a collage like this:

photoku

I used to post them at Ronovan Writes, who is the inventor of this great form of art … you create a haiku without words by creating a collage.  This one was dedicated to Smile and Clouds.  Well now for my announcement … for health reasons Ronovan is discontinuing the challenge on his blog, but he passed the baton to Jen (in art Paloma) who is a great haijin and photographer too.  She’s been writing with Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie with me for BJ’s Shadorma & Beyond as well as sitting in for the Tale Weaver’s prompt.

I reblogged her announcement to Through the Eye of Bastet for photographers and now I’ll give it a whirl here for those writers who also play around with photography like we do!  Here is Jen’s post link : Photoku Announcement – New Home:

“Hello everyone! It’s with mixed feelings that I make an important announcement. You may have followed my previous “Photoku” entries at the Ronovan Writes Weekly Photoku Challenge. It’s a fun challenge – taking a haiku and expressing it visually – and trying to connect the dots between seemingly disconnected words and images.”

Follow the link for the rest of her post!

Rainbow … Carpe Diem’s Time Glass Challenge – Haiku – January 6, 2015

Rainbow

imagination
storms in bright fascination
oniric rainbow

moon and sun
hang above chromatic seas
rainbow dream

© G.s.k. 15

Written for Time Glass Challenge # 16 (CDHK)  I also posted a tanka for the prompt at Bastet’s Waka Library

The Funeral of Al-Naash – Choka – December 13, 2014

A Lois White Drawing for ‘Funeral March’ – Credit: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Alison Disbrowe, 2004

 

From Egypt came one
Sent by Seshat and Thoth
With a book of song
And wisdom of the past
Into the land of Cush
When the flooding soon grew near
To save all knowledge
A book was sent to each land –
And to Al-Naash one
Passing over Al Jadi.

Of Al-Naash we know little
His name is now lost
Al Jadi slew him in wrath,
Envy and lust.
Al Jadi:  navigator,
Leader of people
Across the wide deserts
Through mountains and woods,
Snubbed by great Thoth
For his lustful haughty ways.

Al Jadi was proud
And loved Al-Naash’s wife
Envied him his sons
And his quiet wisdom.
The messenger came
From out of now lost Khem,
Bringing the missive
To Al-Naash in his hut
But Al Jadi’s spies
Brought the news to their lord.

 Al Jadi went to Naash,
He raved and he threatened –
Al Jadi killed him
And stole the wisdom of Thoth!
Saddened sweet Seshat –
For she in her omniscience
Knew of the crime –
Ordered the skies to open.

All men may now see
The funeral bier passing
Al-Naash’s loved ones
Follow close behind mourning
Alkaid with Mizar
Alioth covered in ashes
And off from the rest
Al Jadi is alone
A guide cut off from glory.

 Look at the stars
On a clear frosty night
A tragedy
For all wanderers to see
A wise man’s passing

© G.s.k. ‘14

♦

Looking for more information about the story behind the Arabic tale of Al Naash and the Constellation of the Bear, that was presented by Jen for this week’s Tale Weaver’s Prompt,  I Googled “Al Nash and Al Jadi – Constellation of the Bear” and came upon a group on Yahoo – Language of Cosmic Love, A to Z.  I used some of the mythology that I found there to create this choka – I’m using the short – long – short form of choka instead of following syllables.

Linked to: Tale Weaver’s Prompt and BJ’s Shadorma & Beyond both found on Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie.

 

 

 

The Veil – Flash Fiction – October 30 2014

The Veil

Sitting on the bright sunny patio, she looked down at her notepad pondering.  How can you write Halloween poetry on such a bright sunny day?

The veil rends
At Halloween
Between worlds

No, she didn’t feel at all inspired.

A rumble seemed to shake the world, she looked up at the cloudless blue sky, “What the …” the thought remained hanging in the air as she heard another, even louder crash.

A feeling of foreboding percolated into her mind. With a third crash the patio began to tremble and disappear.

She sat upright in bed, a storm was brewing.

 

Linked to Friday  Fictioneers – PHOTO PROMPT-Copyright-Melanie Greenwood