Pilgrims Awhirl

~~ 1 ~~

her knitting needles
ticking out a little tune
on the sweater neck

~~ 2 ~~

a small hymn of praise
too small for mice to measure
except crumb by crumb

~~ 3 ~~

crimson kimono
worn by her erstwhile patron
now a tattered rag

~~ 4 ~~

even in the heat
the urge to spend consumes her
emptying her purse

~~ 5 ~~

inns along the road
tables spread with bread and wine
hungry pilgrims, come

~~ 6 ~~

the path before her
uncertainty and raven
her sole companions

~~ 7 ~~

the arduous trek
a cloud guiding her footsteps
to her journey’s end

~~ 8 ~~

setting out alone
in a tattered state of grace
for her odyssey

~~ 9 ~~

prowling holy ground
looking for the host to come
with some bread and wine

~~ 10 ~~

a sacred story
told by day and dreamed by night—
the pilgrims’ footsteps

~~ 11 ~~

fifth year on the road
still hoping for a rescue
from the stones and snares

~~ 12 ~~

votive offering
a race to see who gives it
to the holy one

© 2015 by Magical Mystical Teacher

More Poetry Pantry #237

More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 197

Posted on February 1, 2015, in 5-7-5, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged cloud, day, host, humility, measure, patron, race, rescue, spend, spread, state, ticking. Bookmark the permalink. 21 Comments.

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Comments 21

Old Egg | February 1, 2015 at 5:48 am

There is certainly a feeling of nostalgia with the needles in No. 1 from a child’s secure feeling of being at home so many years ago.

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jae rose | February 1, 2015 at 5:55 am

I love those clacking needles like hard worn feet on stones…and the red kimono…she certainly has some kind of battle on her hands..or in her head…

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- magicalmysticalteacher | February 1, 2015 at 6:14 am
  
  …or in her heart
  
  On Sun, Feb 1, 2015 at 4:55 AM, Magical Mystical Teacher wrote:
  
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  - jazzbumpa | February 1, 2015 at 11:39 am
    
    Faulkner said the human heart in conflict with itself is the only thing worth writing about
    
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jae rose | February 1, 2015 at 6:55 am

Of course…just call me tinman!

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- magicalmysticalteacher | February 1, 2015 at 6:59 am
  
  What? No heart?
  
  On Sun, Feb 1, 2015 at 5:55 AM, Magical Mystical Teacher wrote:
  
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Jae Rose | February 1, 2015 at 7:04 am

A rusty one 😦

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Susan Chast | February 1, 2015 at 7:32 am

These comments are almost as fun as your poem. I always love the sense of a unified tale I get along with your nuggets of delight. I’ve never seen the race in the votive offering, but I should have before now. I like the sounds–the knitting needles,, the hymn of praise, how the crumbs grow into food at the inns and then into holy bread. We who have been pilgrams bow to you.

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Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | February 1, 2015 at 7:43 am

I always find it fascinating to follow a narrative in your words.. I think it might be, but on the other hand each haiku stands firmly on its own..

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- magicalmysticalteacher | February 1, 2015 at 7:58 am
  
  I hope each one can stand on its own. Sometimes I try for the “weaving a story” effect, but not always.
  
  On Sun, Feb 1, 2015 at 6:44 AM, Magical Mystical Teacher wrote:
  
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keiths ramblings | February 1, 2015 at 8:03 am

I suddenly feel like a hungry pilgrim – cheers!

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Mary | February 1, 2015 at 8:14 am

A cloud can be a wonderful guide….keeps a person looking up!

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Misky | February 1, 2015 at 9:35 am

The first one is without doubt my absolute favourite. Made me smile; made me think of my mum and her endless knitting. Thanks for that.

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Annie | February 1, 2015 at 10:32 am

Outstanding, all. The ticking needles at the neck of the sweater – what an image!

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jazzbumpa | February 1, 2015 at 11:40 am

mystic, these are superb

cheers
jzb

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Donna@Living From Happiness | February 1, 2015 at 4:45 pm

I love so many of these but especially….

setting out alone
in a tattered state of grace
for her odyssey

I have been there….

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1sojournal | February 1, 2015 at 5:57 pm

I think most of us live in a tattered state of grace, after all, we are only human. Although I always look for connections between your haiku, I don’t always find them, yet find that I enjoy them as a whole just the same. Hope that made sense on some level, lol…

Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/

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Ann (bunnygirl) | February 1, 2015 at 11:31 pm

I like the second one best, but they all point toward a common journey, even though most of us don’t realize that we are indeed all travelers.

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Sherry Blue Sky | February 2, 2015 at 11:07 am

You spread your table with a banquet of your poems, and we hungry pilgrims come. Beautiful offerings, my friend.

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humbird | February 2, 2015 at 2:00 pm

With your tune we’re walking to survive the pilgrimage…good if we find something unique in this ‘race’ …maybe if going slowly like mice ‘crumb by crumb’ ~ always fun to read your haiku.

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glmeisner | February 3, 2015 at 4:42 pm

Number seven really speaks to me. Great set.

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