Category Archives: The Sunday Whirl
Whirling with Robert Frost
The first line of each haiku or senryu is taken from “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.
~~ 1 ~~
I could not travel
the bleak and nebulous roads—
blazing ways I sought.
~~ 2 ~~
Way leads on to way,
even when you’re short of breath
and the timing’s off.
~~ 3 ~~
Be one traveler,
not two or three, divided
in vision and touch.
~~ 4 ~~
in the undergrowth
a torch to cut through darkness
and welcome the light
~~ 5 ~~
in a yellow wood
a broken slab of tombstone
where three wraiths hover
~~ 6 ~~
I shall be telling
an opaque tale that will crush
the strongest of souls.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 109
Whirling Here and There
~~ 1 ~~
Hawk with broken wing,
will you be circling the sun
only in your dreams?
~~ 2 ~~
from her mouth strong words—
a vow to love him always,
binding heart to heart
~~ 3 ~~
Still on moonless nights
she chants space between each star—
planets mouth her song.
~~ 4 ~~
the crook of her arm
protecting her nose and mouth
from his smashing fist
~~ 5 ~~
how the preacher’s drone
takes me to my childhood cave
where the dragons dance
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 108
Whirling Along
~~ 1 ~~
thunderous applause
rolling across the meadow
crickets know the score
~~ 2 ~~
spit and dirt
Jesus’ home-grown cure
for blindness
~~ 3 ~~
messages from God
sent to my Gmail account
forgot the password
~~ 4 ~~
count the ways
you love me—more than
one I hope
~~ 5 ~~
soup du jour
tomato lovers
shedding tears
~~ 6 ~~
Thousand or seven—
which number is the better
to track tragedies?
~~ 7 ~~
red planet
hurtling through the sky
while I sleep
~~ 8 ~~
dish of honeyed pears
gracing the kitchen table
brandy in a glass
~~ 9 ~~
Front Street empty
until the next shootout
in Dodge City
~~ 10 ~~
dressing the pheasant
for the Thanksgiving table
dreaming of turkey
~~ 11 ~~
Charm the holy One
into telling you only
what you want to hear.
~~ 12 ~~
pulsing with desire
for a romp in the backseat
when she backhands him
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 107
More Postcards from Paradise at Recuerda Mi Corazon
A Little Whirl with Ted Kooser
The first line of each haiku comes from various poems in Delights and Shadows by Ted Kooser.
~~ 1 ~~
Sometimes they hear us,
grubs in the garden, and try
to make out our words.
~~ 2 ~~
The swaying nettles
do not have to guess their place
in the universe.
~~ 3 ~~
Bloom at the roadside,
when the old beggar saw you,
she trembled for joy.
~~ 4 ~~
The redwing blackbirds
swear an oath to the north wind:
We will outlast you.
~~ 5 ~~
From behind the trees
arise thin incantations,
sung by things unknown.
~~ 6 ~~
Nothing but flowers,
and nothing rare, but common,
can tame my wild heart.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 106
More The April Heights 2013: “Poet’s Choice”
Forever Spent
The following poem is composed of bits and pieces borrowed from other Wordlers this morning. Those who unwittingly contributed will recognise their work, and I thank them profusely. Links to the poems whose lines and phrases I have purloined appear in order at the end of this poem.
Nearly two years have passed
since
news was shipped in from all corners of this land:
The infidels you hated
in the struggle,
who bomb the city at their whim,
promise to thrive.
What can we do but
seek shelter within the confines
of
this land of lush, bursting possibility,
even though our
hardened hearts rage against
the
shock of recognition
that we ourselves are the ones we fear?
It feels like resilience dies here,
forever spent.
“Journey of Resilience” by P. Wanken
“Complications” by Jules Paige
“Journey of Resilience” by P. Wanken
“In the Naked Glory I Forget Myself” by Gautami Tripathy
“Culture Aftershock” by Walt Wojtanik
“Caught” by Brenda Warren
“Ah Infidels” by Pearl Ketover Prilik
“Culture Aftershock” by Walt Wojtanik
“After Breaking” by Elizabeth
“Our Silent Struggles” by Leo
“Ah Infidels” by Pearl Ketover Prilik
A Dozen Whirls
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”
Do You Know
~~ 1 ~~
What do you know, teen,
about the technology
cradled in your hand?
~~ 2 ~~
What do you know, cook,
about the delicious pies
cooling on the shelf?
~~ 3 ~~
What do you know, cock,
about the shrill notes you sing
to startle morning?
~~ 4 ~~
What do you know, monk,
about the mantra you chant
to the holy One?
~~ 5 ~~
What do you know, child,
about the smudge on your cheek
from rivers of tears?
~~ 6 ~~
What do you know, wife,
about the urge to desert
the man who beats you?
~~ 7 ~~
Driver, do you know
how to merge into traffic
when the coast’s not clear?
~~ 8 ~~
People, do you know
that unity of spirit
is the path to peace?
~~ 9 ~~
Children, do you know
that to be inquisitive
may lead to greatness?
~~ 10 ~~
Cellist, do you know
that your stellar performance
is a passing breeze?
~~ 11 ~~
Pilgrim, do you know
how to activate the map
that shows you the way?
~~ 12 ~~
Prophet, do you know
how to project the Lord’s voice
through the words you speak?
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Poetry Pantry #145
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 103
Awhirl with Richard Wright
The first line of each haiku or senryu is taken from Haiku: This Other World by Richard Wright.
~~ 1 ~~
Over steaming rice
she sprinkles magic powders—
tonight, her lover!
~~ 2 ~~
In the drizzling rain
she calls out to her lover—
three crows mark her tears.
~~ 3 ~~
Under yellow leaves
she finds the letter she lost,
sodden and unread.
~~ 4 ~~
On a wet tree trunk,
three words written long ago
tell of a lost love.
~~ 5 ~~
In a flower pot
she buries a smooth white stone,
hoping it will grow.
~~ 6 ~~
In the morning sun
a pilgrim stabs her oak staff
up the mountain trail.
~~ 7 ~~
Obscuring the moon,
an ominous mountain peak
blights the pilgrim’s path.
~~ 8 ~~
To change this cold wind
after the rose petals fall,
she will need magic.
~~ 9 ~~
Brighter than ever
the cathedral door locks glow
with unholy fire.
~~ 10 ~~
Two men are parting—
one of them walks toward a pit,
where strange angels dance.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Poetry Pantry #144
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 102
A Dozen Whirls
Each haiku or senryu below begins with one of this week’s Wordle words, and is meant to be read as a discrete unit.
~~ 1 ~~
Hurry, they are here,
the ones you have waited for,
teeth sharp, eyes aglow.
~~ 2 ~~
Disguised as a clown,
Christ prowls the broken alleys
of the shantytown.
~~ 3 ~~
Tree in the forest,
when the axmen came for you,
great was your keening.
~~ 4 ~~
sand between my toes
scuffing the beach at twilight
searching for a sign
~~ 5 ~~
Country of my dreams,
will I walk this way again
before the sun sets?
~~ 6 ~~
jar of sweet pickles
hidden on a cellar shelf
picnic-in-waiting
~~ 7 ~~
forgotten photos
moldering in the attic
family fragments
~~ 8 ~~
Yesterday they came
to take the old man away—
the door stands ajar.
~~ 9 ~~
Across ten time zones
someone is waiting for me—
I forget his name.
~~ 10 ~~
Mind you, green cricket,
it is no small thing you ask
of my aching heart.
~~ 11 ~~
Wound me if you must,
blossom brittling into dust—
one more seed springs forth.
~~ 12 ~~
Stirred by the small bird
frantic to escape her soul,
she scribbles haiku.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Poetry Pantry #143
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 100
Whirling with Bob Atkinson
The first line of each haiku or senryu is taken from “The Poet as a Politician” by Arizona poet Bob Atkinson.
that murky water
settling in darker places
where we dare not swim
~~ ~~ ~~
By weeping mothers
the name of the street is changed—
Desparecidos.
~~ ~~ ~~
In spite of our way,
we are able to create
music that God sings.
~~ ~~ ~~
A blanket woven
from worn words and wren feathers
warms the old woman.
~~ ~~ ~~
In other places
the calls to die come daily—
here we stop our ears.
~~ ~~ ~~
Primitive demon,
I would have you change my mind—
train me in your ways!
~~ ~~ ~~
We love each other,
even though March winds chill us,
causing us to faint.
~~ ~~ ~~
Truths devised our dream—
now we share that dream with you,
master-in-training.
~~ ~~ ~~
I like this writing—
it can stretch the galaxy
to admit our souls.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Poetry Pantry #142
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 100
More We Write Poems, Post Your Poems Day
that murky water
settling in darker places
where we dare not swim
~~ ~~ ~~
By weeping mothers
the name of the street is changed—
Desparecidos.
~~ ~~ ~~
In spite of our way,
we are able to create
music that God sings.
~~ ~~ ~~
A blanket woven
from worn words and wren feathers
warms the old woman.
~~ ~~ ~~
In other places
the calls to die come daily—
here we stop our ears.
~~ ~~ ~~
Primitive demon,
I would have you change my mind—
train me in your ways!
~~ ~~ ~~
We love each other,
even though March winds chill us,
causing us to faint.
~~ ~~ ~~
Truths devised our dream—
now we share that dream with you,
master-in-training.
~~ ~~ ~~
I like this writing—
it can stretch the galaxy
to admit our souls.
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Poetry Pantry #142
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 100
More We Write Poems, Post Your Poems Day
