Sunday, March 31, 2013

Night Sky

Carpe Diem #159 (Zodiac)


looking up to the night sky
stars gaze back at me
my zodiac among the cosmos


Photo Credit

Veil of Mist

One Single Impression (Curtains)


mist hovers obscuring view
fragile curtains refusing to part
beauty and uncertainty of nature


Ascent

Haiku Heights (Ascent)



mesmerized by swirling
ascent of smoke
her absent cigarettes



Photo Credit




Meteors

The Haiku Circle (Star)


stars fall from the heavens
earth in the crossfire ~
once such beauty

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Spring Willow

Carpe Diem #158 (Willow)


no tears for willow
sun filters through leaves
still waters

***


beneath the willow

sheltering shade
late Spring warmth

 
Photo Credit

Subconscious Ink

Nahaiwrimo (Writing Instrument)


memories leak through
to consciousness ~
ink bleeds onto page

Friday, March 29, 2013

Voice of the Pine

Carpe Diem Special #29



reaching for the sky
whispering in the Spring breeze
proud guardians of nature

***

silent voice of the pine
sings to unseen holiness
hears the seasons change



Photo Credit

A Matter of Honor

The Haiku Circle (Death)


a matter of honor 
to have choice ~
to be or not to be

Alone Together

Trifecta Week 61: Include an idiom. 33 words



Somehow she sensed it was over the moment of their reunion in Crete. She tried to keep her chin up. Alone for a month with her "fiance". But it was Greece, damn it!


Photo Credit

Weaving

Nahaiwrimo (Hook)



rhythm of crochet hook
in my hand ~
weaving a memory

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Days in the Sun

Carpe Diem #157 (Dandelion)


sun worshipers
folding inwards at night
fields of dandelions

fields of dandelions
once bright yellow
white snow in the wind

white snow in the wind
memories of days in the sun
future generations await   

 
Photo Credit



Photo Credit
  

Call to Prayer

the vespertine call 
hangs in the dusky air ~ 
flocks of sheep head home

***
at dusk can be seen 

the Vespertine star ~ 
prayer bell rings



Photo credit: http://dustontheshelves.blogspot.com/2011/02/we-sheeped-we-spun-we-shawled-now-were.html

Heavy Mist

VisDare 13: Atmospheric

 

Photo Source
Like Normandy, she thought. So many graves. The sadness she felt at the enormity of the loss. Only now the loss was her own. The heavy mist burying the moored boats; the lowering of the tiny casket into the ground. Surrounded by spirits of those who fought valiantly, as did her baby fight to live in the incubator. If only she'd been able to touch her before her death.


Vis Dare Rules: 150 words or less.

Haunted

Nahaiwrimo (Sleep)


sleep wistful and dreamy
sleep violent and haunting
sleepless not knowing


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Butterfly Kite

Carpe Diem #156 (Kite)


butterfly swept into the sky
lifted by Spring's breeze ~
kite wishing to touch god



Photo credit: www.asahi-net.or.jp

Scars

physical scars 
emotional wounds 
invisible bandages 
keep falling away 
exposing the hurt

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Surrender the Wind


looking skyward 
feeling the power of nature 
I pray surrender the wind 
to take me away

New Memories

The Haiku Circle (Now)


wishing i had no past
thankful for now
new memories in tomorrow


Full Crow Moon

Carpe Diem #155 (Hazy Moon)


full crow moon
snow powders the cold ground
clouds haze over moonlight

***

heavy haze of sunlight
lingers over night moon
hoping for end to winter



Photo credit: www.panoramio.com

Peace of Mind

Nahaiwrimo (Key)


the key to my mind so hidden
the puzzle to my life so obscure
peace of mind—
not piece of mind—
much desired

Monday, March 25, 2013

Moonlight and Lanterns

Carpe Diem #154 (Spring Lantern)


long days of warm sun
setting sun signals lighting of lanterns
holding hands during sundown 

holding hands during sundown
grateful for the light of lanterns
silhouettes on the porch swing

silhouettes on the porch swing
her head on his shoulder
moonlight and lanterns



Photo credit: guideposts.org

Black Truths

realizing her entire life 
had been white lies and black truths 
she shattered like fine crystal

Born in Death

lifeless gray wisteria vine 
tiny plum colored buds peek out ~ 
new life born in death






Photo Credit: finegardening.com

A Single Moment

Trifecta Week 70 - Lucky adj.


Grateful for a red light, and first to the intersection to boot, Cassie quickly lowered her visor. A hurried makeup check and a touch of lipstick, something she would never do while driving. As she returned her visor, she saw a car head on only inches in front of her. Disoriented, she tried to assess her situation. From the look of terror on the driver's face, Cassie knew there had been an almost head-on collision while she was obliviously shielded by her visor.

Cassie watched in slow motion as the other car carefully backed into the intersection to redirect towards the correct lane. All traffic had come to a halt in that moment and all eyes seemed to be on her.

Years later, learning of the word synchronicity and the concepts of fate and destiny, she would recall that single moment. Had it been, as she originally thought, just a lucky moment that might have shielded her from seeing possibly the last moment of life, or had it been synchronicity that protected her from certain terror?






Photo Credit: thewomans-club.com

Earth's Acceptance

Nahaiwrimo (Generations)


Outcast...black sheep
No ancestry but
Mother Nature

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Whisperings


the susurrus of leaves 
the talking of trees 
in labyrinthine breezes

Spring Paddy Fields

Carpe Diem #153


in the silence of the
lush green fields
great sadness

great sadness
amidst the solitude of
endless fields of green

endless fields of green
wandering alone
overwhelmed with grief





Photo Credit: BusinessInsider.com

Unforgettable

The Haiku Circle (Forget)


first love, first kiss
holding hands, heart pounding ~
the stars won't let me forget

Measure of Tears

Nahaiwrimo (Moisture)


a tear bottle to fill
in his absence ~
a measure of missing him


Photo credit: thebaidunshop.com

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Bookstore

My first attempt at a Trifecta using the words: remember, rain, and rebellion in a 36-word story.

Surely, she would remember such horrific acts had they occurred. Yet tears fell like rain onto the book she held with the foreboding word "incest". Returning it to the shelf, she fled the store in rebellion.








Photo credit: room195.blogspot.com

Speak No Evil

The Haiku Circle (Whisper)


so softly she speaks
even of angst
still fearful of telling


Polyvore by grace2244

Jar of Memories

The Haiku Circle (Jar)


precious memories within ~
she holds the jar close to her heart
falling asleep each night


Photo credit: google images

Letting Go

Carpe Diem #152 (Blossom Haze)


cherry blossoms ~
pink snow falling to earth
making way for summer

***

Walking along a path of
pink cherry blossoms ~
A knowing to let go




Photo credit: tumblr.com

Shifting Hues

Nahaiwrimo (Glass)


backlit Swarovski seashell
prisms color in my eyes
hues shift with tilted head

Friday, March 22, 2013

Weeping Cherry

Carpe Diem Imagination #4


beautiful weeping cherry tree
so sad midst spring's glory
do you pine for another?

***

songbirds dance

weeping branches
sway gently
from their game 
of hide and seek




Photo credit: http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/

Bamboo

hollowness of bamboo 
reminds of emptiness ~ 
to hear the quiet inside

#doodleku

Serendipity

inner wisdom, serendipity 
unwritten destiny unfolds ~ 
our wings unite

#libit

Blanketed in Green

Carpe Diem #151 (Deep Spring)


Earth carpeted in lush green
Sun's warmth or warmth of rain
secure and true

***

Mother Nature spreads her
blanket of lush green
Sun beams brightly on her

Balance

Nahaiwrimo (Scale)


empty anger
to receive love ~
emotional balance 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Heart Rhythms

The Haiku Circle (Power)


far from strength
feminine power lies
within the heart

Welcome Spring

Carpe Diem #150 (Spring Equinox)


thirsting for light
welcoming sun with open heart
vernal equinox

***

no ancestors to honor
i bow to Mother Nature
and dance in the moonlight


Photo credit: pixiedusthealing.blogspot.com

Knowledge

Nahaiwrimo (Learning)


wisdom of the ages
tapping into universal mind ~
all I need to know

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Inner Wisdom

The Haiku Circle (Light)



in search of higher self
seventh chakra
lightness of being

Spindrift

spindrift in my face
watching his ashes
float out to sea

#artwiculate

Tuning Out

Nahaiwrimo (Kigo)


equinox today
weather oblivious ~
he does not hear me

Koi Pond

Carpe Diem #149 (Horsetail)


fragile fronds in the breeze
roots quenched at water's edge
Japanese garden

***


shading koi pond
horsetail multiplies
strength in numbers







Photo credit:  http://www.123rf.com/photo_9966032_shoots-field-horsetail--equisetum-in-spring-green-grass-background.html

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Spring Pond

The Haiku Circle (Wings)


dragonfly hovers
then suddenly disappears ~
lotus blossom hums

Morning Dew

Carpe Diem #148 (Green Barley)


spider web on barley sprouts
glistening morning dew ~
the sparkle in her eyes

***

walk through barley field
wet hands
cleansed by morning dew





Photo source: http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2013/03/carpe-diem-148-aomugi-green-barley.html

Baby Shoes

Nahaiwrimo (Shoes)


tiny baby shoes
enshrined in the box
closeted with her tears

Monday, March 18, 2013

Tea & Bread

Haiku Heights (Cacophony)


silence interrupted
cacophonous blackbirds
courtyard gathering

Onitsura's Valley Stream

Carpe Diem Special #27


stones across the stream
holding hands
breeze carries laughter

Miracle Child

The Haiku Circle (Child)


diagnosed in his teens
frozen future children
miracle grandchild

Penguin Pirates

Nahaiwrimo (Crime)


nests of stone
one gathers another steals ~
penguin piracy

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Equinox

Nahaiwrimo (Sound)


sleet tapping at the windows
equinox tiptoes in while
spring naps a bit longer

Cloud of Birds

The Haiku Circle (17 on 17)



swooping down from trees

and powerlines for bread crumbs ~
a cloud of blackbirds



Saturday, March 16, 2013

Tree Whispers

Carpe Diem #147 (First Cherry Blossom)


One day bare branches
bursting with buds
Sun brings first blossom

***

Silent signal among trees
Blossoms unfold

Orchard of blooms






Photo credit: travelimg.org

Blackbirds

Mindful Stone


Bread for the birds
in our tiny courtyard
Four and twenty blackbirds
vying for crumbs
lined on the rooftops
waiting on power lines
Rainbow coloring around their necks
Lovely sight for this
dreary day







Photo credit: allposters.com

Return to Capistrano & Elsewhere

Carpe Diem #146 (Swallow)


tiny spaces...nests of mud
swallows have returned
Spring moon

Rains Follow

Nahaiwrimo (Storm)


swirling clouds gather
darkness blankets my world ~
cleansing downpour
 


Where the Wild Things Are

The Haiku Circle (Animal)



a sixth sense for humanity
for the kindness of strangers ~
all creatures but our own


Friday, March 15, 2013

Freeze

The Haiku Circle (Flight)


fight, flight or freeze
alas only one choice
caged bird 





Photo credit: http://ih2.redbubble.net/image.7701657.6620/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg

Simplistic

Nahaiwrimo (Paper)


Origami swan
simplistic and Zen

complexity obscured





Photo credit: http://www.pxleyes.com/images/contests/origami-swan/fullsize/sourceimage.jpg

Buddha's Journey

Carpe Diem #145 (Buddha's Nirvhana Ceremony)


Buddha's peaceful death
beckons me
to lie beside him

***

Dragonfly hovers
then leads the way
Buddha's journey

Thursday, March 14, 2013

April Snow

Carpe Diem #144 (End of Snow)


April's fickleness
Pink blossoms
tease fate






Photo credit: http://angeladigiovanni.com

The Odds

Nahaiwrimo (Ratio)


once so fragmented
now nearly whole
fractioned at what cost?

Fading Ballerina

The Haiku Circle (Test)


Movement to be fluid
Fluidity now tremulous ~
Fading ballerina







Photo credit: ascendingstardance.com

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Thoughts of Youth

Nahaiwrimo (Transportation)


youthful stride replaced
body hobbles while walking
waning moon

Evergreen

The Haiku Circle (Pine)


pines bunched together
defenseless warriors
against winter's genocide

Deadwood

Carpe Diem #143 (Remaining Snow)


garden frog peeks out
from last of winter's snow
deadwood trembles

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Clearing

Nahaiwrimo (Mystery)


Where art thou, prompt?
Seeking proves fruitless
Alas sleep awaits without thee.


***

mystery floods me
amnesia shrouds my past ~
sun peeks through clouds

Footprints

The Haiku Circle (Field)


field of lavender in my mind
muddy soil of leftover winter
footprints on the floor

Eulogy

Carpe Diem #26 (Camellia)



lying in bed
she eyes her camellias
empty bed when roses bloom




Monday, March 11, 2013

Waxing

Nahaiwrimo (New Moon)


sliver of silver
this cloudless night
wax on, my moon 
 

Tranquility

Carpe Diem #142 (Serene)


Japanese maple
stands sentinel to our home

our tranquility

Seeds

The Haiku Circle (Rich)


hands immersed in
rich soil carefully planting ~

sowing new directions

Eclipse

Full Moon



neither wax nor wane
seemingly still and brilliant
eclipse in my heart

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Spring Forward

Mindful Stone


Day moving quickly
One less hour but more light
I crave light and warmth
Today also an emotional release
Internal safety known
Memory processed
I think...for now

Avian Sentinels

Carpe Diem #141 (Pheasant)


seismic fowl
warn of impending quakes

Japanese pheasant

Self Discovery

Nahaiwrimo (Erosion)


eroding slowly
layers of amnesa
revealing me

War and Peace

The Haiku Circle (Peace)


peaceful mind
at times a gift
amidst an uprising

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Reminder

Nahaiwrimo (Salt)


Last night's tears
still salty
on my lips

Natural Destruction

The Haiku Circle (Forest)


Majestic carnage
Giving trees cut off at the knees
for humanity

Japanese Go

Carpe Diem #140 (Cherry Stone Clam)


Centuries they've stood
braving the battlefield
until captured

Drifting Reality

Mindful Stone


Today a glimpse of clarity
ripped through me like a knife
That brief moment
while searing into my soul
settled quickly into introspection
Deeper meaning may come
but I think I've seen enough for now.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Spring Pond

Carpe Diem Imagination #3 (City Park)

 

dragonflies await
the burgeoning lotus
soaking up sun's light

Seeking New Life

Carpe Diem #139 (Sprouting Grasses)


One dandelion snatched
by night's frozen hand
Each day hoping for new sprouts

Underground Cables Please

Nahaiwrimo (Lines)


The scourge of every landscape
The bane of my photography ~
Powerlines

Still Here

The Haiku Circle (Stand)


By my side you stood
not knowing if I would survive
Having loved you was enough

Thursday, March 7, 2013

City Cat

Carpe Diem #138 (Cats in Love)


city cat wanders restlessly
searching for a mate ~
indoors

Enough

Nahaiwrimo (Status)


the gold ring
forever out of reach ~
peace is in enough

Aftermath

The Haiku Circle (Help)


Independence succumbs
to the aftermath of surgeries
Dependency stitched inside

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Perhaps in Dreams

Mindful Stone


Leaking through my art
another story
puzzle piece
A connection to a puzzle
from years ago
It feels familiar
and frightening

Too tired to create more art
I give in and allow my
subconscious time to rest
or process
Perhaps in dreams
an answer revealed



House of Cards

The Haiku Circle (Picture)


Childhood place in my mind

Reality destroys like a
house of cards

Indoor Wildlife

Nahaiwrimo (Wildlife)


Box Turtle hates outdoors
Prefers prosciutto to worms
My indoor wildlife



Bells

Carpe Diem #25 (Spring Haze)


Spring hangs in the air
The bells of the temple
vibrate into my heart




(Yesterday, I had my first massage in ages. Weary bones and aches in body. I turned myself over to my masseuse and let my mind go into the spa music. The bells (singing bowls likely) seemed to reach my heart and I wanted to write of it before reading the background for this haiku. I referred to the spa as a temple because it felt like a sacred place at the time.)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Beneath the Rubble

Mindful Stone


The sun hitting my face
felt like Spring nearby
Driving to the spa
memories I thought long forgotten
gurgled up
Good memories
My utter devotion to Rod McKuen in the 60s
A line from Cyrano that I'd coveted
Were they hiding beneath the rubble?
Have I cleared enough rubble to see
not all was tragic?
Perhaps my mind clung to what I perceived
as great beauty
to balance what had been the rest of my life.

Icy Waters

Carpe Diem (#137  On Thin Ice)


River thaw
Ice has calved
Fawn crossing is treacherous

Silence is Golden

The Haiku Circle (Sound)


Supersonic hearing
Of the sounds entering my mind
quiet is the one most cherished

Breakfast

Nahaiwrimo (Breakfast)


Circadian cycle wakes me
Each morning a gift
Mochachino in bed

Monday, March 4, 2013

First Spring Gust

Carpe Diem #136


first spring gust
brings longer days ~
more light within

Flicker

Nahaiwrimo (Fire)


Within me burns a fire
called the will to live ~
Pilot light

Feed Me

The Haiku Circle (Food)


food for thought
awaken my mind
nourish my soul




Sunday, March 3, 2013

Mindful Stone


Recurring dreams
once put to rest
now return

Like loose puzzle pieces
found in the bottom of the closet
not knowing which puzzle they belong to
or if the puzzle still even exists.

Peaceful sleep
never taken for granted.
Though I feel so violated
having known that peace
And having it so disturbingly disrupted.

Porcelain

Carpe Diem (Dolls Festival #135)


Porcelain Japanese doll
destined to stand behind a glass wall
Tears of a child





Quick Brown Fox

The Haiku Circle (Quick)


lazy dog jumps over the
quick brown fox ~
typecast

Protest

Nahaiwrimo (Pressure)


Rebel to conform
pressure succeeds ~
Puppet strings

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Return of the Cold

Carpe Diem #134


snow laden blossoms
struggle to survive
the heaviness she bears

Détente

Nahaiwrimo (Dr. Seuss)


Dolls within dolls
Red Sox in Red Square
Détente

Wrong Way

The Haiku Circle (Wrong)


Taking the wrong fork
an obstacle in the road
Fate repositions my path

Friday, March 1, 2013

Spring Begins

Carpe Diem


Melting snow reveals new life
Shifting hues

Mother Nature's wardrobe change

Renewal

The Haiku Circle (New)


Second hand Rose 
is not a friend
but for Mother Earth's renewal

Migration

Nahaiwrimo (Gathering)


along the river
on snow-patched grass
gathering geese