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:

https://dreamingandsleeping.com/blackbird-spirit-animal-symbolism-and-meaning/

Ciao!

Fish in the Snow – December 15, 2017

Floating Fish in the snow

Winter came early for us in the Lake Valley of southern Trentino.  Because of the Lake Garda’s microclimate we usually only see snow around mid January, if then.  The other morning the sky was heavy and what looked like fog was actually snowfall.  It snowed the whole day through changing our autumn suddenly into winter.  As I looked out towards the courtyard in front of my house, my fish wind chime began to tinkle and I imagined a world with floating fish.

December
cold grey morning sky
first flakes fall
ice crystals
softly blur my world from sight
hills of snow – growing

Silence grows
as snow flakes gather
transforming
humdrum scenes
into something new – special
never seen before

In that morn
of cold December
suddenly
in silence
a fish floated in the snow
outside my window.

gsk ’17

 

 

 

 

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.

Morning Haiku and Waka – July 1, 2016

illusions –
this jungle chatter of dawn
sighing waves of grass
memories of youthful bliss
playing in my ears

© Gsk ’16

Spring and passing – haiku and tanka – June 30, 2016

in passing
even a single tile
tells a story

late spring
after the thunder-storm
fallen trees
the sun shines brightly
the wind whispers softly

© Gsk ‘16

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Confucius

Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille June 29th 2016

A to Z Challenge- The Letter N – April 17, 2016

On the Ninth hour
Just south of Northern Nubia
Nine nymph-like waifs
(All nieces of the Negus)
Naively danced nude
With a nebulous-like gauzy cloth
Tied to the nape of their necks.

Ninety nasty nags nestled
Behind a neglected Mashrabiya
Nattering as they negotiated
(And smoked their narghilè)
Bets as to which the Norman knight
Would nuzzle that night in bed …
(Novelly he chose none!)

The Negus nodded approval
(And noticed the nags tittering).
The Noble Norman knight
Of course was nervous
At the sight of eighteen nude nipples,
He was celibate but none the less alive!
(The nags enjoyed his nervousness.)

Negotiations began
The Negus and the Norman neglected nothing.
A necromancer revealed
numerous future nebulosities
(none detrimental to peace).
The Noble Negus pledged neutrality,
Negating alliances with the neighbouring Nubians.

© G.s.k. ‘16

No, I didn’t give up – just changed my day of rest from Sunday to Saturday as I had to do some gardening yesterday – rain is predicted for today!

#atozchallenge — NO sleep til … Z!

NaPoWriMo: Day 14 – Late – April 15, 2016

in the morning of time
the child arose smiling
birds sang in the trees

walking down the path
as each new spring day begins
the perfume is sweet

these silver dew drops
twinkle under the new sun
life’s precious gems

why rock the old cradle
certainly no child lies here
except in memory

listen to these notes:
they are the keys of my soul
or so you tell me
although written long ago
for a moon long forgotten

© G.s.k. ‘16

 

1sojournal – NaPoWriMo: Day 14 – Words: child, walk, silver, cradle, keys, moon

I didn’t write on my blog at all yesterday and so this is a day late.

A to Z Challenge – The Letter K – April 13, 2016

The Fisher King

Knell before the Fisher King
Kind kinsman and knight
Sit thee at the king’s knee
Then join us at his table.
Kegs of beer and wine we’ll open,
His kitchen and kettles will be emptied,
As each course is served to you,
In kaleidoscopic variety.
Oh but noble kindred knight,
(Heed the kyrielle I’ll recite
For the karmic keeper of the grail)
Save our Fisher King’s
Kingship, kingdom and kin!
Be keener than kenless* Percival
Keep faith and ask to know,
Why wounded knights and
Bloodied knives and a grail
Parade between each course.
Know that knowledge is wisdom
And a balsam to body and soul,
Our King will be healed at last
And your knightly quest fulfilled.

© G.s.k. ‘16

*kenless … without knowledge

The Many Versions of “The Fisher King”

Six for Wednesday 1 – Wordle – April 7, 2016

Ah it’s so clear now,
I thought this morning
As I pushed through my dream
Back into this world.

I awoke with wonder deep
My soul rejoicing
I was still able to look upon
The radiance of the sun.

Never had I been happier to realize
That my perception of reality was wrong.

© G.s.k. ’16

Six for Wednesday – 1 – and  1sojournal

Morning Haiku and Waka – A Phoenix Arises – March 4, 2016

those vicious teeth
hidden behind happy smiles
and open doors
shuddering in armour
tend your bow for battle

and friends
walking in other valleys
remember you
how the days passed in silence
awaiting the dove’s coo

after the storm
even the clouds are silver
denying damage
what are a few fallen trees
what are crumbled houses

from the ashes
again the phoenix rises
in a pocket
ink flows from a stolen pen
upon hidden bits of paper

walk tall
no need for shame
life takes its toll

© G.s.k. ‘16

Recently our fellow writer and blogger and one of my dearest friends had a breakdown … she’s now beginning to arise from the ashes of this event and has shared with us the haiku and waka she wrote whilst in hospital.

It’s easy to hurt people in our virtual blogging world.  Often we don’t even think of the people we connect with each day as real live flesh and blood people with their frailties, fears, hopes and tears.  It’s too simple to lose sight of their reality.  Sometimes narcissists reflect themselves in us, easy mirrors for them,  preening themselves as mentors and admirers. Picking the scabs of wounds they know nothing about … because it makes them feel powerful.  At other times people ingenuously bare their souls thinking they’re in a private safe world … when they’re under the eyes of absolutely everyone.

The world of Internet is actually just like the rest of the world with all its monsters and marvels.  The only problem is, we sometimes don’t have our defences up not realizing that Internet is truly like being in a glass house world – we are vulnerable but think we’re safe because we’re sitting in a safe place and writing alone.  We sometimes even think we’re just writing down our thoughts for ourselves.  Then we push “publish” and potentially 7 billion people can walk through the meandering world that is our thoughts.

A while back my friend had a close encounter with a narcissist and like her, a few other women I’ve been in contact with through blog writing over the past couple of years, have been visited by him.  She has had her problems being a survivor … he found an easy prey.  He is not the reason she had a break-down but he was the person who first pushed her out of her balance, out of her wa or sense of harmony.  I mention this only as a warning to others.  We write, sometimes we bare our souls and so we are open to predators who look like admirers or mentors but who are only narcissists seeking to use us to reflect their personal vision of their would-be greatness.

Be safe – be cautious – be warned.

Bastet