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

 

 

 

 

Morning Haiku and Waka – July 13, 2016

Woman in a poppy field by Leon Giran Max

an empty field
where once the willow stood
poppies dance

© Gsk ’16

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

Haiku Horizons – Swing – May 2, 2016

in the early hours
swinging to jazz accepting
insomnia

up and down
reaching for the clouds
my legs straight out
just yearning for freedom
on a swing in the school yard

ticktock
listening to time passing
as the pendulum swings

he watches her
skirt swinging ’round her thighs
remembering spring

© G.s.k. ‘16

Haiku Horizons prompt “swing”

Haiku Horizons – swing

Passing of Spring – Tanka – May 1, 2016

Arbre sur fond jaune – Paris, musée d’Orsay – Odilon Redon

blossoms shrivel
gone  the season’s cool rains
a cloud of midges
born at spring’s passing –
frogs in the old pond splash

© G.s.k. ‘16

Carpe Diem #966 passing of spring

The Public Fountain – Kyrielle – April 29, 2016

drops of water in this fountain
blow in the wind now forgotten
no one can hear them any more
and none can see the river roar

days and nights pass, tumbling by
(even the fountain will grow dry)
all some day will pass through that door
where none can see the river roar

human endeavours, often fine
fall to decay as they decline
then war blossoms from hates of yore
’cause none can see the river roar

neglected fountain by the road
once a marvel – fresh water flowed
quenching the thirst of rich and poor
but now, none see the river roar

© G.s.k. ‘16

“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas. ” 

― Carl Sagan

Openness is an overarching concept or philosophy that is characterized by an emphasis on transparency and free, unrestricted access to knowledge and information, as well as collaborative or cooperative management and decision-making rather than a central authority. Openness can be said to be the opposite of secrecy.

Poets United – Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Open / Openness

A to Z Challenge – The letter V – April 26, 2016

Deviant Art – Smite Young Zeus by Brolo

Vicktor Valoure …
(To some Young Zeus)
Violent, virtuous and virile
Vied in the annual  Vulcan Viking competition,
For the most virile but truthful Viking of the year.
However, veracity sometimes failed him,
His mind went on a virtual vacation
(He became devoid of reason)
When voluptuous vapid vixens
Vocalized virtuoso operatic verbalizations!
Like a virus their vocal wiles
Vexed his moral fibre and
Vetoed his good sense.
The Valkyrie were the worst
But the subtle Veela revoked
His visceral honesty without him even knowing!
All would have been lost but for Violet Vespucci,
Vestal Virgin and friend,
Remembering Odysseus,
She vowed to whip up some vital ear wax for him.
With her wax in his ears
He felt a vrooming vibration
But heard no sound,
His veracity was saved.

© G.s.k. ‘16

Monday Haiga – April 25, 2016

Springtime, morning, the way the light plays with the camera lens … and a little imagination:

as morning dawns
enchanted light and colour
a finch calls his mate

© G.s.k. ‘16

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 – Prose Poetry – April 16, 2016

Knobby kneed she’s not –  notice
the shapely curve of leg and thigh.
When one thinks of a skeleton in the closet,
One doesn’t expect this .. rather fleshy isn’t it?
Sam’s wife is sitting in the living-room,
(She’s just come back home unexpectedly).
He called me on the phone – asked me over …
I popped in without hesitation.
My apartment door is in front of theirs.
Now how do I get her out … amazing, Meredith
Hasn’t caught on yet … but then, he was wise –
He didn’t take her into their marriage bed!
She’s nearly dressed …
We’re ready to leave the guest room –
I explain my plan then I go ahead of her …
“Mere and Nadine – come here onto the terrace,
Let’s have a glass of wine.” he says.
“Fine!” I reply, thank heaven’s he’s got some brains.
Meredith sits with her back to the door.
The young women streaks through the room
And out the door she runs.
How is it that it doesn’t slam – a miracle I suppose.
I feel clammy – what one doesn’t do for a childhood friend.
Meredith rubs her knee against mine …
Now this is a different cup of tea,
She’s come home early to be with me.

© G.s.k. ‘16

Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie – Photo Challenge #108 – by NEKNEERAJNaPoWriMo 2016