Category Archives: senryu
A Wednesday Trio
The perfect poem,
free of blemish or error—
can no one write it?
~~ ~~ ~~
In the parking lot
I hear a little jingle—
pennies tumbling round.
~~ ~~ ~~
The reclining god
will vindicate all sinners—
but his fee is steep.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Error, Jingle, Vindicate”
Are Mere Blooms Enough?
Are mere blooms enough
to celebrate the exploits
of a daring soul?
Text and photo © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Grave of a WWII veteran, Wellton Memorial Cemetery, Wellton, Arizona
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Celebrate”
More Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
More Floral Friday Fotos
More Ruby Tuesday 2
More REDnesday
Long and Winding Road
Long and winding road,
you have led me to this place—
my heart blooms with joy!
Text and photo © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Prickly pear blossom, Northern New Mexico
More Carry on Tuesday: “The Long and Winding Road”
More Poetic Bloomings: “The Walk of Life”
More Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
More Mellow Yellow Monday
More Haiku Heights: “Joy”
More Floral Friday Fotos
More I Heart Macro
More Macro Monday
Weary Traveler
Weary traveler,
long and winding is the road
leading on and on.
Text and photo © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Huichol woman ascending Cerro de la Bufa, Zacatecas, México
More Carry on Tuesday: “The Long and Winding Road”
More Poetic Bloomings: “The Walk of Life”
More Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
More Shadow Shot Sunday 2
More Skywatch Friday
More Blue Monday
More Himmelsk
Hear My Voice, O God!
Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Psalm 64:1, King James Version
Hear my voice, O God!
Save me from fearing my foes,
and preserve my life.
Text and photo © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Statue of General Francisco “Pancho” Villa atop Cerro de la Bufa, Zacatecas, México
More Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
More Shadow Shot Sunday 2
More Psalm Challenge #64
More Skywatch Friday
More Himmelsk
Half a Whirl Is Better than None
The first line of each haiku or senryu below is taken from “The Hotel Normandie Pool” by Derek Walcott.
This week’s whirling words are: scrape, tongue, brittle, austere, barnacles, drenched, chalk, flinty, blur, burnished, cocoon, rough
Around the cold pool
little groups of drenched children
huddle, shivering.
~~ ~~ ~~
Now my pen’s shadow
emerges from the cocoon,
takes flight, vanishes.
~~ ~~ ~~
To a frowning sun
I sing brittle little songs
and watch them shatter.
~~ ~~ ~~
The poems gather,
golden rivers on my tongue—
honey, milk and thyme.
~~ ~~ ~~
one mango flower
burnished with afternoon sun—
we burst into flame
~~ ~~ ~~
A cloud fills my hand,
a little blur of moisture
sweet as mango juice.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 58
More The Poetry Pantry #100
Six Forks in the Road
A fork in the road—
to the right or to the left,
what does it matter?
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
somewhere a flowered serpent
lurks along the path.
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
here you survive on outrage,
gnawing on old bones.
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
the air is thick with spirits
willing you to stray.
~~ ~~ ~~
a fork in the road—
an ancient leather suitcase
stuffed with maps and stones
~~ ~~ ~~
a fork in the road—
mists and shadows and specters
grabbing at my feet
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More It’s Post Your Poems Day at We Write Poems, Prompt #106
to the right or to the left,
what does it matter?
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
somewhere a flowered serpent
lurks along the path.
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
here you survive on outrage,
gnawing on old bones.
~~ ~~ ~~
A fork in the road—
the air is thick with spirits
willing you to stray.
~~ ~~ ~~
a fork in the road—
an ancient leather suitcase
stuffed with maps and stones
~~ ~~ ~~
a fork in the road—
mists and shadows and specters
grabbing at my feet
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More It’s Post Your Poems Day at We Write Poems, Prompt #106
A Wednesday Trio
All flesh is as grass,
so say the biblical words—
is that all there is?
~~ ~~ ~~
novice with an axe
swinging wildly at the wood
sudden gush of blood
~~ ~~ ~~
Though you sear my soul,
words of harshness, words of spite,
grace will ice your heat.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Flesh, Novice, Sear”
Six Takes on ‘Drift’
I say I love you
hands touching for an instant
then you drift away
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Do not let me drift,
my God, anchor me to you
with strong chains of love.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
When your true love comes,
you will never drift away
for another one.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
The plates are empty,
diners drift away to seek
fresh solace in wine.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
We had a good life,
then we watched it drift away—
cloud puffs in the wind.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
It would be stupid
just to drift from job to job
with no map or plan.
Text © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Drift”
hands touching for an instant
then you drift away
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Do not let me drift,
my God, anchor me to you
with strong chains of love.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
When your true love comes,
you will never drift away
for another one.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
The plates are empty,
diners drift away to seek
fresh solace in wine.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
We had a good life,
then we watched it drift away—
cloud puffs in the wind.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
It would be stupid
just to drift from job to job
with no map or plan.
Text © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Drift”
Whirling Haiku and Senryu
The first line of each haiku or senryu below is taken from “August” by Arizona poet Richard Shelton.
This week’s whirling words are: hips, marrow, crocuses, stillness, massive, secret, flower, grief, window, perhaps, hand, clatter, colors
As if she owned them,
she charged her hips to swagger
down the dusty street.
~~ ~~ ~~
bruised moon and darkness
the marrow of the heavens
leaking from cracked bones
~~ ~~ ~~
a great blue peacock
seven golden crocuses—
eight spring gifts for you
~~ ~~ ~~
Our little fingers
settled into stillness,
then formed holy signs.
~~ ~~ ~~
We see her old ship,
its massive sails billowing—
no one at the helm.
~~ ~~ ~~
The lady in black
imparts to me a secret—
I decide to flee.
~~ ~~ ~~
In the market place
she buys a single flower—
then it turns to stone.
~~ ~~ ~~
She wears the postures
of grief and consternation,
mumbling to the fox.
~~ ~~ ~~
over her window
a map of all the sorrows
she has ever known
~~ ~~ ~~
We bring her our hands—
perhaps she can persuade them
to write poetry.
~~ ~~ ~~
With its dark cargo,
my hand is fit companion
for the furtive ones.
~~ ~~ ~~
Run out on the floor
with a clatter and a shout—
Spirit wants to dance!
~~ ~~ ~~
As if they belonged,
the colors settled on us—
lingering spirits.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 57
More Poetry Picnic Week 36
