Seeking One Ripe Plum

~~ 1 ~~

Seeking one ripe plum,
I approach the laden tree
with a grateful heart.

~~ 2 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
behind the blue pantry door—
no one has a key

~~ 3 ~~

Seeking one ripe plum
to split among my children—
each will taste a slice.

~~ 4 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
to the east of the grain field—
three crows menace me

~~ 5 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
to give to the single mom
in Apartment 3

~~ 6 ~~

Seeking one ripe plum
I scratch my head in wonder
before the gnarled tree.

~~ 7 ~~

seeking one ripe plum—
depending on the moon’s phase
I might find seven

~~ 8 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
while the player piano
rolls out tinkly tunes

~~ 9 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
for the youngest of my sons—
his birthday present

~~ 10 ~~

Seeking one ripe plum—
the glint in her eye tells me
she’ll split the bounty.

~~ 11 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
on a level garden path
wingless butterfly

~~ 12 ~~

seeking one ripe plum
while spiders attach their webs
to my eyes and ears

© 2014 by Magical Mystical Teacher

More Poetry Pantry #207

More Sunday Scribblings 2: “Plum”

More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 167

Posted on June 29, 2014, in 5-7-5, Sunday Scribblings 2, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged approach, attach, each, glint, grain, key, level, phase, player, present, scratch, single. Bookmark the permalink. 36 Comments.

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Comments 36

Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | June 29, 2014 at 2:26 am

This is so perfect. Like a complete poem with those repetitions – I would go so far as saying that you have invented a new form. It has the strength of a Villanelle but rooted in the haiku tradition.

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Susan | June 29, 2014 at 2:41 am

LOVE! perfect. A blackbird of an absent plum of a poem. Thank you.

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 2:56 am
  
  Thank you! The plum is definitely the missing centerpiece! 😉
  
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jrbsays | June 29, 2014 at 2:57 am

Every one a plum MMT 😉

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jae rose | June 29, 2014 at 2:58 am

They are elusive those plums…maybe that’s what makes them so special to pass along – 5 is my favourite this week

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http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com | June 29, 2014 at 2:58 am

The repeating format adds interest to the wordle words.

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Old Egg | June 29, 2014 at 4:21 am

Curiously what comes across with all of these is a memory of a simpler life, where small things are appreciated and help is freely given to others. Just one ripe plum but a wealth of friendship.

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Mary | June 29, 2014 at 5:25 am

A beautiful set. I do like the idea of gratitude when I read the first one. We seek only one (plum or anything) and we find we have many, many more than we need. This Sunday I am grateful.

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annell4 | June 29, 2014 at 7:03 am

Interesting that your pieces are so full of color, even though you don’t mentions their names too often….(1)plums=red violet, laden tree= perhaps red and green,(2) red violet=blue door and gold=key, (4) red violet, gold, and black,(6) red violet, gnarled tree=green and maybe brown, red violet, the dark blue of the nighttime sky, and the silver of the moon and on and on…..

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 7:35 am
  
  Thanks for pointing out “the hidden,” Annell!
  
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Tammie Hefty | June 29, 2014 at 7:53 am

Love it! All of them!!!

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Sabra Bowers | June 29, 2014 at 8:42 am

Enjoyed the repeating first line because in my mind, it became one long piece. You amazed me again.

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ZQ | June 29, 2014 at 8:52 am

Perfect! Wonderful! Well written!

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marcoantonio arellano | June 29, 2014 at 8:56 am

what a wonderful and lovely take. this gave me a true appreciation of the richness of ‘a plum’. always have loved them. gracias

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marit | June 29, 2014 at 11:57 am

This is great! I especially liked number 5. I am a *very* new teacher and planning to try out haiku on Wednesday with my students… so this was inspiring 🙂

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 12:03 pm
  
  Good luck with the haiku. A word of caution: Everything written in 5-7-5 format is not necessarily haiku!
  
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Sherry Blue Sky | June 29, 2014 at 11:57 am

I LOVE this series of plum poems, and all of the potential recipients. Very cool.

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 12:07 pm
  
  A little koan for you this Sunday morning: How do you handle a hot plum? 😉
  
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keiths ramblings | June 29, 2014 at 11:59 am

Brilliant! Enough plums for a pudding there!

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 12:04 pm
  
  If pudding is your desire, then pudding you shall have! 😉
  
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Belva Staples | June 29, 2014 at 12:46 pm

Beautifully done! The second one is my favorite.

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1sojournal | June 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm

Again, I have no favorite. The whole of it speaks deeply of a wise, accepting, and generous spirit. The plum is perfect because its deep purple color speaks to personal power, and you wield it wisely and well. You have created a deep purple path that I hope many will follow,

Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/

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scotthastiepoet | June 29, 2014 at 1:44 pm

Sparkly and inventive work – glad I dropped by again… With Best Wishes Scott http://www.scotthastie.com

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Gillena Cox | June 29, 2014 at 1:49 pm

You’re done so much delicious verses with that one plum, you are amazing, have a nice Sunday

Much love…

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humbird | June 29, 2014 at 6:24 pm

Haha, the last one – winner…for me ~ sounds like a proverb!

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Myrna | June 29, 2014 at 6:38 pm

This is so creative. I like the gratitude, the attitude of giving and sharing in this. The last one baffled me a bit, but guess we all seek a ripe plum when a web shades our eyes and closes our ears. Very well done!

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 6:42 pm
  
  Sometimes bafflement is the way of haiku! 😉
  
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James Jamztoma Toma | June 29, 2014 at 7:17 pm

Wow!!! this was a masterpiece. really loved the consistency of the 5-7-5 structure. I enjoyed this, thanks!!!

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Cathy | June 29, 2014 at 7:25 pm

Very good, I did have a chuckle with 3. First read, I thought you wrote spit instead of split. Must be my old age catching up with me.

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- magicalmysticalteacher | June 29, 2014 at 7:36 pm
  
  “Spit” might work! 😉
  
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The Pensive One | June 30, 2014 at 12:13 am

I REALLY enjoyed this piece. It’s very enigmatic in its simplicity.

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Bastet | June 30, 2014 at 6:38 am

Such a lovely tale of plums!

seeking one ripe plum
mystical teacher inspired
his greatful readers

😉 Bastet

http://bastetandsekhmet.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/sunday-whirl-june-29-2014/

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wabi sabi | June 30, 2014 at 8:36 am

Ah…..I’m never disappointed when I visit you, the ‘mast-ress.’ And you have managed to honor not one but two poets and do them both justice! Bravo, teacher. Now i’m going to the store for some ripe plums!

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Paula Tohline Calhoun | June 30, 2014 at 9:35 am

As always I love your interconnected haiku. I find myself seeking one ripe plum, except it would be for me a nectarines! Great work!

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Pamela | July 1, 2014 at 8:15 am

I love the use of the plum in each one, mmt. Very nice each one.

Pamela

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readinpleasure | July 3, 2014 at 3:50 am

Great set!

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