Whirling with Robert Hass
The first line of each haiku or senryu is taken from poems in Time and Materials by Robert Hass.
This week’s whirling words are: marrow, link, store, anchor, wake, navigate, stern, deck, pitch, sink, rail, port
You learned long ago
that buried in your marrow
deadly secrets lie.
~~ ~~ ~~
It is good sometimes
to be the link that’s missing
or an untold tale.
~~ ~~ ~~
Outside you can hear
frozen shadows chattering—
they store wasted light.
~~ ~~ ~~
We cannot have it,
an anchor for our longings,
till we fast and pray.
~~ ~~ ~~
someone falling down
loud enough to wake the dead—
and then a whimper
~~ ~~ ~~
Where dust and sunset
navigate the crooked road,
shadows seek a home.
~~ ~~ ~~
Telling the story,
she became stern and wrathful—
whip about to snap.
~~ ~~ ~~
When the lights went out,
we were standing on the deck—
seven fireflies sang.
~~ ~~ ~~
For the thirsty ones,
fill these cups with boiling pitch,
bid them drink their fill.
~~ ~~ ~~
Now she’s getting dressed;
soon she will sink to her knees
and beg for mercy.
~~ ~~ ~~
His wife is upstairs,
leaning against the oak rail,
plotting her escape.
~~ ~~ ~~
Lustrous in moonlight—
Jaffa, the port where Jonah
ran away from God.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 67
More The Poetry Pantry #109
Posted on August 4, 2012, in haiku, Robert Hass, senryu, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl. Bookmark the permalink. 34 Comments.
Gosh these are beautiful. I simply cannot choose one above the other as a favourite.
Thank you for sharing your appreciation of my work. It means a great deal to me.
If I had to choose, my fave is the third haiku.
Ah, but nobody’s making you choose, so you may enjoy them all!
Magical and Mystical lines, as always
“as always” Ah, someday I’ll surprise you with something pedestrian and boring!
I am visiting from Poets United Poetry Pantry this morning, as I did not write the Wordle poem today. I enjoyed your contribution. My favorite this week was the one about the wife planning her escape. Second favorite, the one about ‘telling the story.’ My Poetry Pantry subnmission today is http://inthecornerofmyeye.blogspot.com/2012/08/december-7-1941.html if you have time!
What fun, but my favorite was the chattering shadows.
I’m glad my words brought you pleasure!
Ooooh wonderful Sunday collection! That wife “leaning on the rail” just stays with me … All are terrific !
I’m so glad you could stop by for a few moments of enjoyment!
inspirational lines for photos too. I love the Jaffa port
I want to be an untold tale! These are terrific.
I hereby give you permission to be an untold tale, Viv!
“Outside you can hear
frozen shadows chattering—
they store wasted light.”
My fave by far!! Lovely
Isn’t it strange how one haiku speaks to one person and another to another?
wow-great haikus!
I’m so glad you could stop by to enjoy!
You ever amaze me. Aye to the link, but that last one took my breath.
Breathless is not a bad place to be!
Every time I visit the messages seem a bit more profound; the writing tighter yet more replete. The second one is ideal.
You have a discerning eye…and heart…
Another great gathering of poetic shorties! As only you can do, MMT! Loving the journey!
Loving your comment, Walt!
These are all delightful!
I’m delighted that you’re delighted!
“You learned long ago
that buried in your marrow
deadly secrets lie.” … (Whew. You sure started out strong … and deep.)
I’m sure the second one is quite true! It’s much better to NOT be talked about.
“Outside you can hear
frozen shadows chattering—
they store wasted light.” … (I love this one, especially “frozen shadows.” Perhaps they are chatty people wasting the light inside them, wasting energy, wasting away rather than being all they are capable of being.)
“We cannot have it,
an anchor for our longings,
till we fast and pray.” … (Sage advice indeed. I am a believer in both prayer and fasting. And you are so right; sometimes our longings should be dropped like an anchor to sink at the bottom of a wet abyss. Often we don’t realize that we need to let go of our desires until we begin to fast and pray. Also, if longings are a ship ever in motion (always changing), we must have an anchor to make them hold still. Without God, a steadying point that does not move, we cannot ever still our heads or hearts.)
“someone falling down
loud enough to wake the dead—
and then a whimper” … (To fall that hard, I suppose you would be pretty close to death … unconscious, at least. But then the whimper. He must barely be alive. A second chance at life, let’s hope. Then again, “falling” can be a metaphor for a spiritual fall or falling off some sort of wagon—failure in some form. So the whimper might be a cry for help. And if he fell that hard in the first place, everyone is probably well aware of his painful circumstances. Hopefully they are not frozen shadows gabbing about his troubles and misery; perhaps they will actually provide support.)
“Where dust and sunset
navigate the crooked road,
shadows seek a home.” … (Darkness always gathers, doesn’t it? Blackness, dirt, messes, sorrow, pain, trouble. They all congregate at sunset.)
“For the thirsty ones,
fill these cups with boiling pitch,
bid them drink their fill.” … (Well this is quite evil. From what I read, pitch is tar or turpentine. Is there another meaning?)
Your incisive comments are VERY much appreciated. Thank you!
So many of these seem like great leads to untold stories… Thank you for all of them.
I’m here:
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/08/sw-wordle-68-staying-afloat.html
That’s a great idea, Jules: Expand the leads into stories. Thank you!
Me or you, or me and you? 1, 3 and 9 especially…But I am sure you could do that with all of them.
each haiku is so profound: getting dress..sink to her knees for mercy, fasting and prayer,
buried in your marrow, deadly secrets lie. wise words all.
Thank you for visiting and letting the words whisper to your soul.
what a wonderful series of haiku and senryu. Awesome read.