A Dozen Whirls

Apr 14

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photo 104_zps715f9066.jpg
 
 
The first line of each haiku or senryu below is taken from “A Room in the Past” by Ted Kooser.
 
 


~~ 1 ~~
a kitchen, its curtains
the sigh of the dishwasher
waiting to be filled
 
~~ 2 ~~
 
When she had finished
dusting the ninth tabletop,
she tossed the tired rag.
 
~~ 3 ~~
 
Up in the cupboard,
behind the cereal bowls,
she keeps a small sword.
 
~~ 4 ~~
 
She put them all back,
the cups and saucers and plates—
often in her dreams.
 
~~ 5 ~~
 
Things in their places
saturate her soul with peace—
linen on the shelf.
 
~~ 6 ~~
 
At home in this room,
at day’s end she will unwind
with books and mint tea.
 
~~ 7 ~~
 
the dishes jingling
from a slight morning temblor
then the aftershock
 
~~ 8 ~~
 
blue aprons of rain—
she hopes they might comfort her
at her funeral
 
~~ 9 ~~
 
My grandmother moved
across the darkened threshold
into the morning.
 
~~ 10 ~~
 
morning light so bright
and bold you’d think the bacon
had flashed in the pan
 
~~ 11 ~~
 
morning light so bright
even skeptical women
would think of angels
 
~~ 12 ~~
 
morning light so bright
that no one can control it
not even the gods

 
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More The Poetry Pantry #146
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 104
 
More The April Heights 2013: “Poet’s Choice”

Posted on April 14, 2013, in haiku, senryu, The April Heights 2013, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink. 30 Comments.

  1. Misky | April 14, 2013 at 8:16 am

    Number 9 is brilliant.

    Reply
  2. Lisa A.Williams | April 14, 2013 at 8:24 am

    An amazing write, the 11th Stanza is breathtaking.

    Reply
  3. markwindham | April 14, 2013 at 8:30 am

    someone has spending too much time in the kitchen…hearing the dishwasher sigh is a sure sign

    Reply
  4. Green Speck | April 14, 2013 at 9:48 am

    When all of then are put together, I find a wonderful story of a woman full of life and spirit … beautifully done !!!

    Reply
  5. Sherry Marr | April 14, 2013 at 10:39 am

    I LOVE these SO MUCH! The flashing bacon, the busy dishes and the skeptical woman………fabulous!

    Reply
  6. Sabra Bowers | April 14, 2013 at 11:01 am

    Like them all, particularly like number 3 (because the sword is unexpected) and number 10 (because it reminds me of the 1970s). Fine job.

    Reply
  7. nan | April 14, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Great kitchen set! Loved the feeling these brought. #6 and #12 especially!

    Reply
  8. laughwithme45 | April 14, 2013 at 11:16 am

    Sitting in my kitchen, I sigh, waiting to empty my dishwasher! I liked all of these, felt like a story of a women needing to get out of the kitchen to enjoy that morning light!

    Reply
  10. Nanka | April 14, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Loved all of them equally!! A simple subject and simple routines work all rolled up to shape the haiku chain!!

    Reply
  11. julespaige | April 14, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Number 1 – 5 seem to tell a different story, maybe including 6.
    Reminds me of my lived in home that will most likely not make in, much less the cover of a Home and garden magazine.

    Lovely haiku.

    Reply
  12. Tarun Mazumdar | April 14, 2013 at 11:29 am

    teacher…. I am amazed by this haiku style of storytelling in this.. each is a gem… my favorite is the third one.. I wonder what the small sword is for..

    Reply
  13. brenda w | April 14, 2013 at 11:42 am

    A beautiful string of verse….love the repetition in the last three whirls. You are gifted, my friend.

    Reply
  14. Emma at LLM Calling | April 14, 2013 at 11:43 am

    wow, what an awesome production, it deserves a theatre

    Reply
  15. Maggie | April 14, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    Some of these just take my breath away. Also feel sadness with some. Lots of thought in these.

    Reply
  16. Pamela | April 14, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    4 and 11 are my favs, mmt.

    Pamela

    Reply
  17. Alice Keys | April 14, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Wonderful. I like them altogether. Inspired.

    Reply
  18. oneofaclass | April 14, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Very impressive! An amazing story and a fine tribute to that room in the past. Bravo!

    Reply
  19. GILLENA COX | April 14, 2013 at 12:47 pm

    Wow! a lovely read; Have a happy Sunday

    much love…

    Reply
  20. Mama Zen | April 14, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    I adore the third one!

    Reply
  21. Abin Chakraborty | April 14, 2013 at 1:31 pm

    there’s a touching play of memory, loss and melancholy that makes it quite lovely.love the orchestration of details.

    Reply
  22. Cheryl's Excellent Adventure | April 14, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    I love the kitchen theme going on here. This wordle fell together nicely.

    Reply
  23. Sara V | April 14, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    Number 9 was my favorite–I spend a lot of time in the kitchen too–could definitely relate to the dishwasher sigh–at first I thought I read “dishwater” and thought that was a fun way to play with curtains and dishwater 🙂 It took a lot of skill to put together all those poems and create such a wonderful story–really enjoyed them! 🙂

    Reply
  24. Adura Ojo | April 14, 2013 at 4:19 pm

    There’s a melancholy about it and I like that it ends on a positive note. Lovely string of Haiku.

    Reply
  25. Walt Wojtanik | April 14, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    My favorite ‘Baker’s Dozen’. Your 12 whirls, a cruller and cup of coffee. Always enjoyable!

    Reply
  26. oldegg | April 14, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    These are all so much fun and I tried not to pick a favorite. I am lying of course, no. 4 wins for me.

    Reply
  27. WabiSabi | April 14, 2013 at 7:03 pm

    Your Sunday poem is to be savored and this one is no exception….. The light in the last three verses sounds like the light you are familiar with, out there in the desert, but brighter! And grandmother moved into it so gracefully , it seems!

    Don’t Lay Me Down

    Reply
  28. Suzy | April 14, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    Loved the way you told the story of your grandmother. No 5 was the one I liked best.

    Reply
  29. Stormcat | April 16, 2013 at 5:20 pm

    I felt that you are describing a woman’s life well lived that endures across generations in the light of her purity.
    Very enjoyable.

    Reply

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