Whirling with Wendell Berry

 
The first line of each haiku or senryu is taken from “How to Be a Poet” by Wendell Berry.
 
This week’s whirling words are: charm, willows, crust, rustle, unbearable, explode,
mending, fever, brittle, breeze, piercing, sheaths
 
 

To remind myself
that I’m piercing the darkness,
I write sharp haiku.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Disturb the silence
with the rustle of paper,
the scratching of pen.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Make a place to sit,
take your brushes from their sheaths—
rice paper waiting.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Little words that come
begging on an evening breeze—
invite them to stay.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Shun electric wire.
You will not explode without
a television.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
What comes from silence
is sometimes brittle, broken
and beyond repair.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
A place to sit down
and let the fever subside—
this is all I ask.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
You must depend
on a single crust of bread
to quell your hunger.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Make the best you can
of unbearable moments—
your journey goes on.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Out of the silence
she comes, hoping to charm me
and lead me astray.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
Sit down. Be quiet.
Let the mending of your soul
begin with this breath.
 
~~ ~~ ~~
 
To the one who prays,
even the willows’ rustling
is a clear answer.
 

 
© 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
 
 
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 77
 
More The Poetry Pantry #118