Whirling Haiku and Senryu

May 6

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The first line of each haiku or senryu below is taken from “Torture Chamber” by the Chilean poet Enrique Lihn, English translation by Mary Crow.
 

The door of your house
has been painted cobalt blue—
why are you weeping?
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
I disguised myself
so that when I had the chance
I could disappear.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
The only hotel
with elephants emerging
is The Proboscis.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Your German shepherd
will not let me clear the fence,
so I slink away.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
My indecision,
in contrast to your boldness—
guttering candle.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Your tranquility
is a little dot of cloud
on the horizon.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
My tribe is concerned
about the hook in the mouth
sewing tongue to cheek.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
When I go begging,
I wink at the passersby—
nothing to lose now.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Tearing your clothes off,
my tongue begins to vibrate—
which part shall I lick?
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Some friendly country
where they print the years in breath—
this is what I seek.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Your fork is my spoon,
but I cannot align it
with my crooked mouth.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Your torture chamber
will grind the life out of me—
blood and cell and bone.

 
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 55
 
More The Poetry Pantry #99

Posted on May 6, 2012, in haiku, senryu, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl. Bookmark the permalink. 22 Comments.

  1. Pearl Ketover Prilik | May 6, 2012 at 1:21 am

    I can’t quite put my finger on the why… but these seem to have a different playful voice.. that has me smiling this early morn 🙂

    Reply
  2. vivinfrance | May 6, 2012 at 5:39 am

    An impressive collection, and so clever to make it a first-line cento. Kudos.

    Reply
  3. Mary | May 6, 2012 at 6:22 am

    I say again: Make thee a chapbook. You have a wonderful unique voice with haiku, and it amazes me how you never run out of ideas. I just cannot decide on a favorite or even two favorites. Kudos.

    Reply
  4. brenda w | May 6, 2012 at 7:02 am

    Haha! The third one made me laugh out loud, now I’m going up to read the rest…
    Brilliant. You make me feel I am sitting at the feet of a master every Sunday morning.

    Reply
  5. margo roby | May 6, 2012 at 7:23 am

    These seem more diverse than usual, as if you are trying different voices, seeing what you can do with such a short form. I love that I can study at your feet, so to speak.

    Reply
  6. b_y | May 6, 2012 at 8:35 am

    I have no idea how you do this.

    Reply
    • b_y | May 6, 2012 at 8:37 am

      That didn’t sound right. (See what happens when I try to be concise.) Comment should have undertones of awe and admiration .

      Reply
  7. 1sojournal | May 6, 2012 at 9:23 am

    Rather than a path of precise stepping stones, these are a handful of stones scattered from above, that settle with a sigh of satisfaction.

    Elizabeth
    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/still-possibilities/

    Reply
  8. Mr. Walker | May 6, 2012 at 10:33 am

    As always, enjoyable to read your poems. I love the question of the first one. And “your fork is my spoon” puzzles and delights me.

    Richard

    Reply
  9. wordsandthoughtspjs | May 6, 2012 at 11:25 am

    What a clever idea using Enrique Lihn as a stepping stone, mmt. As always a beautiful collection. What is your real name, I always feel silly calling you, mmt. That is if you don’t mind me asking.

    Pamela

    Reply
    • magicalmysticalteacher | May 6, 2012 at 11:38 am

      MMT is fine. You may also address me as “Magical” or “Mystical” or “Magical Mystical”—or nothing at all! At this point, I prefer to be as anonymous as possible, because I’m a public school teacher. One day I may come out of hiding, but for the time being deep cover is best. I know it’s unnerving for some of my readers not to know who I really am, but it gives me a sense of security—and it protects my school district. Thank you so much for your visits—and I hope you’ll come back again and again!

      Reply
  10. julespaige | May 6, 2012 at 11:56 am

    Your German shepherd
    will not let me clear the fence,
    so I slink away.

    I think of this as the voice of the fox wanting to get into the chicken coop!

    I also like this one:

    Some friendly country
    where they print the years in breath—
    this is what I seek.

    It reminds me of ‘Brigadoon’ in some way…only living one day out of every 100.

    Thanks for your visit and nice words to my blog spot post on this #55 Wordle.
    “From the first piece where the older boy dismisses his ‘parents’ with apparent ease, to finding Smudge in the second piece, I wanted in this third addition to attempt some reconciliation or justification to the ‘less’ fortunate characters. I can only hope I did that. :)”

    Reply
  11. irene | May 6, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    Nice haikus and senyrus – like the second one.

    Reply
  12. Diane Belleville | May 6, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    Powerful vignettes, intriguing, visual, thought provoking.

    Reply
  13. tmhHoover | May 6, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    I feel the need to paint something cobalt blue… maybe my front door. Once again a wonderful assortment of images and feelings. I love knowing that your first line came from another writer.

    Reply
  14. Janet | May 7, 2012 at 12:01 pm

    always a WOW-treat here! Your first one lured me in…’
    Some friendly country
    where they print the years in breath—
    this is what I seek.’…esp. loved this!

    Reply
  15. seingraham | May 7, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    Your proficiency with haiku just humbles me … there are so many great ones here, I hesitate to pick favourites but I’m going to anyhow: I particularly like the one about elephants, and the one about “sewing tongue to cheek” – oh and the first one also, “why are you weeping” tugs my heart-strings, it just does

    http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.ca/2012/05/things-of-which-we-believe-ourselves.html

    Reply
    • magicalmysticalteacher | May 7, 2012 at 4:29 pm

      Without readers, haiku are nothing. Thank you for coming. You are always welcome here.

      Reply
  16. Hannah Gosselin | May 8, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    Very nice!! Such variations throughout! Entertaining and thought provoking. I really enjoy the idea of this one:

    “Your tranquility
    is a little dot of cloud
    on the horizon.”

    Reply
  17. Mary Mansfield | May 9, 2012 at 10:33 am

    Once again another thought-provoking collection…my favorite has to be the one with the fork, the spoon, and my crooked mouth. 🙂

    Reply
  18. Kim Nelson | May 9, 2012 at 2:42 pm

    Each one is so terrific, but this one speaks volumes about family, community:

    My tribe is concerned
    about the hook in the mouth
    sewing tongue to cheek.

    Reply

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