Whirling for Good or Ill

Mar 1

Posted by

201 photo 201_zpsicgp6ah1.jpg
 
 


 
~~ 1 ~~
 
her passport photo
veins bulging in her forehead
from the night before
 
~~ 2 ~~
 
ocean on the floor
the toddler’s howl of dismay
as she spills her milk
 
~~ 3 ~~
 
tangled old orchard
filling her with fear and dread—
the fruitless plum trees
 
~~ 4 ~~
 
a secret language
spoken only by bruised flesh
women understand
 
~~ 5 ~~
 
a silver whistle—
the weight of it in my hand
greater than my life
 
~~ 6 ~~
 
in the stone circle
waiting to welcome the moon—
the owl calls my name
 
~~ 7 ~~
 
empty begging bowl
not a single grain of rice
gracing the bottom
 
~~ 8 ~~
 
on a blue table
bouquet of yellow roses
dropping their petals
 
~~ 9 ~~
 
ghost of a corn stalk
blasted by hot winds and drought—
this crop of ruin
 
~~ 10 ~~
 
smashing a spider
with a granite paperweight—
the terrified child
 
~~ 11 ~~
 
names of the war dead
chiseled in a granite wall
stray dog lifts his leg
 
~~ 12 ~~
 
old haiku poet
sadness drifting through her words
still she dips her pen

 
© 2015 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More Poetry Pantry #241
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 201

Posted on March 1, 2015, in 5-7-5, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 19 Comments.

  1. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | March 1, 2015 at 8:26 am

    Many amazing images in these haiku.. I especially liked the one that made me smile with the dog lifting its leg. The language of bruises made me cold.

    Reply
  2. http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com | March 1, 2015 at 10:40 am

    As usual you have shown us your versatility and skill.

    Reply
  3. annell4 | March 1, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Yes, a dip pen is just the right speed…enjoyed each one!

    Reply
  4. Sumana Roy | March 1, 2015 at 11:31 am

    beautiful word pictures…

    Reply
  5. Donna@Living From Happiness | March 1, 2015 at 11:58 am

    Oh your pen is mighty and thankfully you still dip it…I loved and felt this one so strongly…we do only know and can speak that language with our eyes as we see the black and blue flesh…

    ‘a secret language
    spoken only by bruised flesh
    women understand’

    Reply
  7. Susan Chast | March 1, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    I enjoyed the sequence as usual, and found a few particiulatrly unique and perceptive: 2,3,4,5
    and 10, 11, 12. I love the different uses of “granite” in 10 and 11.

    Reply
  8. Sherry Blue Sky | March 1, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    So lovely….especially the stone circle haiku and your closing one about the sad haiku poet….still dipping her pen. Yay! Keep dipping!

    Reply
  9. 1sojournal | March 1, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    And yet again, I couldn’t help connecting several of these. The bruised flesh that only women understand, the silver whistle that calls to the crossing of a finish line, and the owl who calls your name inviting you to let her teach you how to bring light into the darkness. Several more, including that final one because that old poet, no matter the feeling, will continue to do what she alone can do and I am grateful for that,

    Elizabeth
    https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/mythopoesis/

    Reply
  10. Snakypoet (Rosemary Nissen-Wade) | March 1, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Long may you continue to dip it! I always enjoy what comes forth.

    Reply
  11. Ann (bunnygirl) | March 1, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    The first one makes me think you got a glimpse of my driver’s license photo. I had to wait over an hour and was thoroughly exasperated by that point.

    Reply
  12. Bastet | March 1, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    A lovely series of haiku with each splash of vision one can see so clearly …

    Reply
  13. Gillena Cox | March 2, 2015 at 4:38 am

    i luv the last haiku; its so in essence, the plight of every artist
    have a good week

    http://myblog-verses.blogspot.com/2015/03/29.html
    much love…

    Reply
  14. Jae Rose | March 2, 2015 at 7:24 am

    This one took us for a spin…if the last verse is autobiographical – you are sprightly in form and pen!

    Reply
    • magicalmysticalteacher | March 2, 2015 at 7:38 am

      So much in your comment hinges on the biggest little word in the English language: if!

      On Mon, Mar 2, 2015 at 6:24 AM, Magical Mystical Teacher wrote:

      >

      Reply
  15. kaykuala h | March 2, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Like the last one! It shows tenacity against the throes of the aging process! Wonderful set MMT!

    Hank

    Reply
  16. glmeisner | March 2, 2015 at 10:01 am

    The last one fills the screen more than any other.

    Reply
  17. Panchali | March 3, 2015 at 8:50 am

    LOVED the creativity.

    i am still soaking in the images, MMT!

    Reply
  18. purplepeninportland | March 7, 2015 at 6:10 pm

    Keep dipping your pen! Such wonderful haiku. The last one touches me with reality.

    Reply

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