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Spaces
A red leaf among pine debris, Lockett Meadow Campground, Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, autumn 2016
On the forest floor
even hidden spaces hold
both darkness and light.
Photo and haiku © 2017 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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More Midweek Motif at Poets United: “Space”
Light
A Yuma County, Arizona home still glows with Christmas lights in 2017.
Though Christmas is past,
light still shines in the darkness
of a desert night.
Haiku and photo © 2017 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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Enough
Decorative candles on a church wall, Yuma County, Arizona
only a candle
to drive away the darkness
but it is enough
Haiku and photo © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Hyperbole
A section of a church bookshelf
Many years ago I was invited to teach an adult Sunday school class. I read the text that we were supposed to discuss, the words of Jesus from Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
“This is an example of hyperbole,” I said. “Jesus is exaggerating for the sake of emphasis. He doesn’t really expect you to hate those who are near and dear to you.”
Willard bristled at my statement. “My Bible says that you have to hate them,” he said.
“It’s a figure of speech,” I countered. “Can you follow Jesus and hate your wife?”
“It’s not a figure of speech,” Willard insisted. “It says hate and it means hate.”
The rest of the class grew increasingly uneasy as Willard and I traded verbal blows.
At last I said, “I guess we’re just going to have to agree to disagree.” And I moved on.
one way to the light
goes through the house of darkness—
I open the door
Haibun and photo © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Ruby Tuesday Too
More Midweek Motif at Poets United: “Hyperbole”
Hem
Virgin of Guadalupe candelabrum by artist Anado McLauchlin, La Cieneguita, Guanajuato, México
the hem of her dress
blazing a way through darkness
thread by slender thread
Haiku © 2016 and photo © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Haiku My Heart at Recuerda Mi Corazon
Downplay
Discarded materials from a construction site gathering evening shadows, Southern Arizona
In a box of castoff wood,
Shadows do what shadows should:
Downplay darkness, accent light,
Making all the world seem right.
~~ ~~ ~~
Shadows find homes in strange places.
Text and photo © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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Warrior
Yuma Pioneer Cemetery, Yuma, Arizona
holy warrior
doing battle with darkness
at a loved one’s grave
Haiku and photo © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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Riddle
Yuma Pioneer Cemetery, Yuma, Arizona
The shadows are long, the cross is askew;
What Death has accomplished, who can undo?
A riddle, I think, whose answer is right:
Forsaking all darkness, look to the Light.
Poem and photo © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Poetry Pantry #295
More Shadow Shot Sunday 2
Travel Tales
Each breath-of-a-poem begins with a phrase purloined from A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes.
~~ 1 ~~
day for gathering
praise in a sturdy backpack—
travel sustenance
~~ 2 ~~
above the doorbell
only a hint of darkness—
first day of summer
~~ 3 ~~
into his pocket
shoving the works of darkness
written on a scrap
~~ 4 ~~
a French pastry shop
on a cobbled city street—
the lure of éclairs
~~ 5 ~~
sesame cookies—
hungry children devour them
Sunday afternoons
~~ 6 ~~
a basket of bread—
giving thanks for seven loaves
baked fresh this morning
~~ 7 ~~
the map in the car
showing a tortuous way
through the wilderness
~~ 8 ~~
going the wrong way
not discerning north from south—
careless traveller
~~ 9 ~~
communion wafers—
seeking counsel on the way
from tasteless morsels
~~ 10 ~~
olives everywhere
but no wine for the thirsty—
traveller’s nightmare
~~ 11 ~~
Massive olive trees—
my enemy chops them down
with his keen-edged axe.
~~ 12 ~~
a full moon ago
traveller fainted at dusk—
on the road again
Haiku © 2016 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Poetry Pantry #292
More Sunday’s Whirligig #49
Protected
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México
a house protected
from the powers of darkness—
only three sorrows
Haiku and photo © 2015 by Magical Mystical Teacher
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