Category Archives: The Poetry Pantry
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
A Wednesday Trio
Lord of the feathers,
do not dampen my pinions
as I cleave the air.
~~ ~~ ~~
You spit in the dirt
to keep my heart from straying,
yet I drift away.
~~ ~~ ~~
Tremble on this ground,
for it is consecrated
by ten thousand tears.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Dampen, Keep, Tremble”
More The Poetry Pantry #99
More Poetry Picnic, Week 34
Whirling Haiku and Senryu
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
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
Six Takes on ‘Spring’
It still hurts too much
remembering that last spring—
all-day divorce court.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
almost every night
throughout the long, languid spring—
cricket serenade
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I wish we were back
in the cold days before spring,
warming each other.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
one brimming moment
seven years ago this spring—
she still remembers
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
a serpentine path
leading her down to the spring—
there she slakes her thirst
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
It is a strange dance,
this pas de deux, with winter
twirling fragile spring.
Text © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Spring”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
Another Wednesday Trio
Nothing quite makes sense
if you are not generous
with your heart and soul.
~~ ~~ ~~
burnished river stone—
just one more rock in his eyes,
but in hers, a gem
~~ ~~ ~~
She chooses silence
to penalize her lover—
why is he so slow?
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Generous, Just, Penalize”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
A Wednesday Trio
You may be certain
that a generous woman
will demand payback.
~~ ~~ ~~
With wilting flowers
there is just one thing to do—
go tell the raven.
~~ ~~ ~~
Penalize, my God,
those who probe in sacred wounds
with no healing art.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Generous, Just, Penalize”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
that a generous woman
will demand payback.
~~ ~~ ~~
With wilting flowers
there is just one thing to do—
go tell the raven.
~~ ~~ ~~
Penalize, my God,
those who probe in sacred wounds
with no healing art.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Three Word Wednesday: “Generous, Just, Penalize”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
Lady Spring
A wound was the place
where my Lady Spring did hide,
much to my surprise.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
How do you escape
wild onion snows, Lady Spring?
Tell me your secret!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I am not giving
anything to Lady Spring—
she must give to me!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I am not certain
that Lady Spring cares for me—
why is she not here?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
If I keep working,
surely Lady Spring will come—
where is my shovel?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I was delighted
when my Lady Spring announced
she had time for me.
Text © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Spring”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
where my Lady Spring did hide,
much to my surprise.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
How do you escape
wild onion snows, Lady Spring?
Tell me your secret!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I am not giving
anything to Lady Spring—
she must give to me!
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I am not certain
that Lady Spring cares for me—
why is she not here?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
If I keep working,
surely Lady Spring will come—
where is my shovel?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I was delighted
when my Lady Spring announced
she had time for me.
Text © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Sensational Haiku Wednesday: “Spring”
More The Poetry Pantry #98
A Dozen Wonders
Here is a wonder—
a thimbleful of water
quenches all my thirst!
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
from the advancing darkness
someone calls my name.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
with art and revolution
light comes to the soul.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
a sudden desolation
may refresh your soul.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
along an ancient highway
you may find new life.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
my teacher is a poet
but can write no rhymes.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
if the geese have lost their way,
you must be their guide.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
the mermaids cannot save you
from the waves that rage.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
the sea of grass before us
parts when crickets sing.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
across the silent water
dance three unicorns.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
one morning in Chicago
backstreets turned to gold.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
I cause a brilliant wreckage
when I brush your lips.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #17
More The April Heights: “Wonder”
More The Poetry Pantry #97
a thimbleful of water
quenches all my thirst!
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
from the advancing darkness
someone calls my name.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
with art and revolution
light comes to the soul.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
a sudden desolation
may refresh your soul.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
along an ancient highway
you may find new life.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
my teacher is a poet
but can write no rhymes.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
if the geese have lost their way,
you must be their guide.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
the mermaids cannot save you
from the waves that rage.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
the sea of grass before us
parts when crickets sing.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
across the silent water
dance three unicorns.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
one morning in Chicago
backstreets turned to gold.
~~ ~~ ~~
Here is a wonder—
I cause a brilliant wreckage
when I brush your lips.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #17
More The April Heights: “Wonder”
More The Poetry Pantry #97
A Whirling Baker’s Half-Dozen
(Each haiku or senryu below begins with a phrase taken from Carl Sandburg’s “Many Hats.”)
The wind has a song
richer than buckwheat honey
spread on thick brown bread.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Across the desert
a forceful wind is roaring—
only sands rejoice.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
We will give a name
to all things sweet and fragrant—
try not to lose hope.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
The broken pieces—
push them all out of your way
and build something new.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
You can see her bones
and how flexible they are—
grind them into bread.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I met four people,
dramatic in their smallness—
they looked just like me.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I saw a blackbird
but he did not glance at me—
wingtips smeared with stars.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #15
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 52
More The Poetry Pantry #97
richer than buckwheat honey
spread on thick brown bread.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Across the desert
a forceful wind is roaring—
only sands rejoice.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
We will give a name
to all things sweet and fragrant—
try not to lose hope.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
The broken pieces—
push them all out of your way
and build something new.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
You can see her bones
and how flexible they are—
grind them into bread.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I met four people,
dramatic in their smallness—
they looked just like me.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I saw a blackbird
but he did not glance at me—
wingtips smeared with stars.
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #15
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 52
More The Poetry Pantry #97
A Whirling Half-Dozen
(Seven more haiku and senryu with the rest of the Wordle words will follow later this morning.)
seven worshipers
coming to exchange their bread
for the flesh of Christ
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Speaker of the Word,
tell me how you blend the sounds
to bring forth new life.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
How could I forget
the energy that drove me
dancing down the lane?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
She can do nothing
without the tricks in her bag—
what will she grab next?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I tell her to leave—
she turns and spits flames at me,
charring skin and bone.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
sweetening the air
with her clover-blossom breath—
Bee Maiden singing
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #15
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 52
More The Poetry Pantry #97
coming to exchange their bread
for the flesh of Christ
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Speaker of the Word,
tell me how you blend the sounds
to bring forth new life.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
How could I forget
the energy that drove me
dancing down the lane?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
She can do nothing
without the tricks in her bag—
what will she grab next?
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I tell her to leave—
she turns and spits flames at me,
charring skin and bone.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
sweetening the air
with her clover-blossom breath—
Bee Maiden singing
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More We Write Poems: NaPoWriMo #15
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 52
More The Poetry Pantry #97
