Category Archives: my tanka
Dawn
Which do I prefer?
To hold first light’s fragile thread
with an iron grip,
or slipping through my fingers,
set it free to stitch the clouds?
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Papaoneone Beach, Makaha, Oahu, Hawaii
More Share the Joy Thursday ruminations here
More Three Word Wednesday: Grip, Prefer, Thread here
More Carry On Tuesday: “Slipping through my fingers” here
More Watery Wednesday photos here
More Skywatch Friday photos here
More Ruby Tuesday photos here
More REDnesday photos here
More Himmelsk photos here
To hold first light’s fragile thread
with an iron grip,
or slipping through my fingers,
set it free to stitch the clouds?
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Papaoneone Beach, Makaha, Oahu, Hawaii
More Share the Joy Thursday ruminations here
More Three Word Wednesday: Grip, Prefer, Thread here
More Carry On Tuesday: “Slipping through my fingers” here
More Watery Wednesday photos here
More Skywatch Friday photos here
More Ruby Tuesday photos here
More REDnesday photos here
More Himmelsk photos here
Shadow Sweeper
Blindly determined
to keep herself from sin, she
grabbed her sturdy broom
and swept away the shadows
that leered at her like demons.
** ** **
Deep quagmires of sin
can be swept away, my dears,
with a sturdy broom.
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Outside a small shop in Tonalá, Jalisco, México
More Stumbling Towards Ecstasy ruminations here
More Shadow Shot Sunday photos here
More Straight Out of the Camera shots here
More Haiku Heights with the theme “Sin” here. (The first poem is a tanka, a close relative of haiku.)
More One Single Impression poems with the theme “Quagmire” here
More Mellow Yellow Monday photos here
to keep herself from sin, she
grabbed her sturdy broom
and swept away the shadows
that leered at her like demons.
** ** **
Deep quagmires of sin
can be swept away, my dears,
with a sturdy broom.
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Outside a small shop in Tonalá, Jalisco, México
More Stumbling Towards Ecstasy ruminations here
More Shadow Shot Sunday photos here
More Straight Out of the Camera shots here
More Haiku Heights with the theme “Sin” here. (The first poem is a tanka, a close relative of haiku.)
More One Single Impression poems with the theme “Quagmire” here
More Mellow Yellow Monday photos here
Watery Wednesday: Searching
Searching for a sign
as we walk the lonely beach,
our hearts are hoping,
longing to be startled by
pelican’s insistent cry.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: View of Bahía de Banderas (Banderas Bay), Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
For more Watery Wednesday photos, click here.
as we walk the lonely beach,
our hearts are hoping,
longing to be startled by
pelican’s insistent cry.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: View of Bahía de Banderas (Banderas Bay), Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
For more Watery Wednesday photos, click here.
Thursday Challenge: Bordello
Pike Place bordello—
bananas and potatoes
purr seductively.
Johns pick up ripe plums with care,
praying sin is in the air.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Pike Place Market, Seattle.
For more Thursday Challenge photos with the theme “Food,” click here.
bananas and potatoes
purr seductively.
Johns pick up ripe plums with care,
praying sin is in the air.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo: Pike Place Market, Seattle.
For more Thursday Challenge photos with the theme “Food,” click here.
Ruby Tuesday: My Buds
Left my buds behind.
Just can’t find ‘em anywhere.
Sure you ain’t seen ‘em?
Miss ‘em like I miss my dog.
Miss ‘em like a good woman.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken at Twin Arrows, an abandoned trading post along Arizona I-40.
For more Ruby Tuesday photos, click here.
Just can’t find ‘em anywhere.
Sure you ain’t seen ‘em?
Miss ‘em like I miss my dog.
Miss ‘em like a good woman.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken at Twin Arrows, an abandoned trading post along Arizona I-40.
For more Ruby Tuesday photos, click here.
Thursday 13: 2 + 1 = 13
(Two tanka plus one haiku equals 13 lines of poetry!)
These early mornings
when I am barely awake
three redwinged blackbirds
singing in the marsh below
make my weary heart rejoice.
In the sacred grove
seven elders hold council,
the moon is weeping—
what are these incantations
that make the planets tumble?
azaleas afire
burning brighter than ten suns—
holy flames rising
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Join others for Thursday 13 here.
Mellow Yellow Monday: Lovers
Lovers, like flowers
tossed about by wilding winds,
you will fade away,
leaves withering one by one,
petals drooping, scorched by sun.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken at Pike Place Market, Seattle.
For more Mellow Yellow photos, click here.
tossed about by wilding winds,
you will fade away,
leaves withering one by one,
petals drooping, scorched by sun.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken at Pike Place Market, Seattle.
For more Mellow Yellow photos, click here.
Shadow Shot Sunday: Worn Bricks
My heel scuffs worn bricks
and tales spring up of those who
walked here long ago—
drunkards, children, prostitutes,
ministers and businessmen.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken in Pioneer Square, Seattle.
For more Shadow Shots, click here.
and tales spring up of those who
walked here long ago—
drunkards, children, prostitutes,
ministers and businessmen.
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Photo taken in Pioneer Square, Seattle.
For more Shadow Shots, click here.
Thursday Challenge: Creaking
Once I danced lithely.
Now covered with moss my bones
creak like schooner masts
driven by strong nor’westers—
can I keep them from snapping?
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
For more Thursday Challenge photos with the theme “High or Low,” click here.
Now covered with moss my bones
creak like schooner masts
driven by strong nor’westers—
can I keep them from snapping?
© 2010 by Magical Mystical Teacher
For more Thursday Challenge photos with the theme “High or Low,” click here.
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