Saturday, May 23, 2009

Wild Onions




still night
a wandering spirit
stirs the wind chimes /ec

all alone now
a year I'd like to forget /b

clear and cold
every now and then
startled by a spark /bt

sock it to-um
a family motto /gj

elk tracks found
under the hunter's moon
good omen /tm

shooting star...
my thoughts return to you/ ec

conversing
in our autumn voice
snails and birds /b

apology flowers
their passion yet to wither /bt

low tide
she shows me
her stretch marks /gj

abstract art
not my thing /tm

ignoring the signs
a growing distance
from myself/ ec

close friend's return
back in touch with my heart /b

sunday blues
she sneaks up on me
the summer moon /bt

invoking the tamborine
a fragrant breeze /gj

sultry whispers -
warmed by the whiskey's
amber light /tm

sparks from the fire
eyeing the leftovers /iy

the hillside ablaze
california poppies
rolling unto the sea /ec

spring dreams
days etched in black and white /b

muddled footprints
they fade out quickly
in remaining snow /bt

dusty pick-up
turns into the dirt road /gj

crackling storm
the ozark highlands
rumble /tm

bucking in the far field
spooked horses / ec

wild onions
the cabin become
too close for comfort / b

wood stove
the heat of family scrabble /bt

high noon
a herd of lab mice
set free /gj

joined in flight
mosquito hawks make love /tm

songs of devotion
the rhythm
of her breath /ec

wind and clouds paint
infinite shades of gray /b

harvest moon
her lullabye
becomes a whisper /bt

dust of the boulder
instant mashed potato /gj

the sumo wrestler
calls his cat -
late night meal /tm

the spicy tuna maki
tastes a little fishy/ ec

the foreman's cold stare
a dog takes a last bite
of alarm clock / b

the flute raised slowly to her lips
decrescendo /bt

six perceptions
reduced by infinity
-white cherry blossoms /gj

afloat in tranquil waters-
songs of silence /tm

Completed May 31, 2009

el coyote
bandit
bluetoque
govindajohn
t.migratorius
irie yogini

51 comments:

T.Migratorius said...

Hey guys,
Today we made an impromptu decision to take off in the morning and spend the night up in Fort Bragg for the holiday.

I'll take a couple quick check's here before we leave and if my turn is up, I will post a verse. Otherwise, I will be back Monday evening to check on your progress.

Don't worry about moving along without me if that works out best for everyone.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend. I've been having fun here, all your verses are great. :)

bandit said...

might as well give it a go El C.
Irie's gone missing...

bandit said...

Ah, there you are!
If you could check in every day, that would be great. Like John said,
"sometimes we play hot potato..."
and knock off verse quickly when the mood is upon us. You remember
how we used to do, exchanging quips.

bandit said...

Can we change 'sparks' to embers, irie? We already have a spark in
'toque's 'clear and cold' verse.
Part of the challenge is not to repeat words.

T.Migratorius said...

Have returned to my nest...

I realized that I had repeated with 'sultry voices'. Have changed it quickly. That line may get tweaked when I can think...

bandit said...

Sorry I'm late-God, what a day.
I never, ever, play with other people's money, but man, some of these developers and contractors think the world is their personal bank. willie had to go get mean...

T.Migratorius said...

You get 'em Willie. The Spring Dreams verse is really good.

bandit said...

Has anyone been in proximity to the California fires?
El C, don't you frequent the high,
dry places?

T.Migratorius said...

The fires have all been in Southern Calif as far as I know. I am not much of a news watcher. Not too up to date on the fires right now. I am in Northern Calif a few miles from the coast.

bluetoque said...

I may tweak that a bit but it's late here in the east. Willie: I hope your day is better tomorrow.
All: I'm enjoying the verses and discovering the links. cheers!

John Merryfield said...

No fires here in Tahoe. The snow is still melting. Don't let the bastards (Developers and contractors) get you down bandit.

Bluetoque- I've leave it for tomorrow and see if your verse changes or stays.

Enjoying everyone's verses. Great links.

bandit said...

Not so much bastards as dreamers-or space cadets, maybe. Overextended on credit binges, they begin to juggle different accounts to compensate; pretty soon you have a house of cards. Sometimes they need enlightenment;
but nothing teaches like real honest to goodness pain. When that happens, is when you really seperate the men from the boys, so to speak.
The trick sometimes is to know when to be the rat, and get off the ship if you think it's gonna sink!

bluetoque said...

Go ahead John.

John Merryfield said...

The responsibility I feel to link such beautiful, ephemeral verse is large and I hope to hit the mark. Thanks everyone for raising my vision higher.

Bandit- You couldn't have said it any better than you did about those who are overextended and in the Trades, and how they need some enlightenment. Don't we all though! The realtors for me right now are helping me with opportunities for growth. "Can you paint this foreclosed house for 10 bucks, do it yesterday, while we have an open house, and oh by the way, your check should be coming next winter from Dubai!"...

breathing in suffering-
the smell of cigars
from the other room

bandit said...

Dynamite!
Don't lose that one, Johnny!

T.Migratorius said...

Wow John..what a meaningful haibun you have here. So many layers of meaning to think about in the verse.

Thanks for the dusty road verse...it brought up great memories for me of my grandpa's little bait shop out in the boondocks in the Ozarks of Missouri, and our great summer visits there when I was a child. Funny how a verse will bring up smells, sounds and feelings of the past so quickly.

I don't know the stories behind everyones verses here, but I love peeking into your views of life for a quick moment. Thanks!

bandit said...

Go ahead El C.

T.Migratorius said...

really nice sequence you guys have going here!

el coyote said...

Not sure if irie is still participating... I went ahead and posted. :)

bandit said...

Haven't heard hide nor hare from her.

bandit said...

Got a song repetition, 'toque.
No renku for you! One year!

Basho Nazi

bandit said...

I never did say what a kick I got outta 'low tide' shifting to 'abstract art'-it still cracks me up.

T.Migratorius said...

Glad I could give you a chuckle Bandit. I was kinda putting the idea out of stretch marks as body art...they are so randomly individual it could be abstract! Well, in my warped mind anyway! I was crackin' myself up too! In your kasen instructions that line had the option of using the end of love, so I was hoping that kind of fit in too!

That GJ is a hoot! It took me awhile to figure how in the heck to link to lab rats new found freedom! Luckily, the other day I saw those 'skeeter eaters havin' some fun in mid-air!

T.Migratorius said...

Ha!
You are are really testing me now, GJ!

T.Migratorius said...

so... is he feeding the cat, or eating the cat? hmmmmm....

bandit said...

So, did you say you're in California, now? I thought you were in Alabama.

John Merryfield said...

TM- Your links are wonderful! I absolutely love "joined in flight" and the "sumo wrestler". I'm not sure this idea of linking has to be on the cognitive level. So much in life is connected but overlooked and unnoticed. My imagination tells me, yes, I understand that connection. These renku have helped me with my haiku tremendously. So far, TM, you've been very much up to the "test"!

T.Migratorius said...

Bandit,
I've never been to Alabama.

Thanks John, I am more comfortable with renga this time around. I was nervous and took it too seriously the first time I did this. You are definately stretching my imagination!

Have a great day everyone!

bluetoque said...

Hmm, yes, perhaps that will teach me not to HWI (haiku while intoxicated).

dishwasher
throbbing through the cycle
of a morning hangover

bandit said...

There's something to be said for
haiku while intoxicated (see my drunk tank-a)But I've revised one of those while not under the influence! And you should have seen the ones that got away-NOT.

I was just joshing you about the Basho Nazi thing. So many things to remember.

I've joined the WHCbeginners group for badly needed instruction and practice-i was previously accepted to their workshop, but that may have been a hasty decision.

So far I've learned there are many conflicting theories on what is proper form.

The only answer I have at my disposal is read, read, read, and write, write, write!

Ooh, EC's given me a challenge...

bluetoque said...

Ahh, Saturdays. We've had a nice turn in the weather- I was out taking advantage. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

el coyote said...

Beautiful John!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in awe!

T.Migratorius said...

It's a wrap!

Nice!

bluetoque said...

Nice finish, GJ/TM!

bandit said...

nice ending, 'Bama!

El C, did you find a title in these verses?

T.Migratorius said...

Bandit...

What does bama mean???

el coyote said...

I noticed the hot/cold dichotomy come up again and again....

perhaps something along the lines of "cold sweat" ??

bandit said...

Ala-bama!

Often a line from the hokku is used-(wink, nod)or a line from one of the other verses- what do the others think?

a wandering spirit

startled by a spark

my thoughts returnto you

ignoring the signs

she sneaks up on me

invoking the tamborine

days etched in black and white

too close for comfort

spooked horses

a herd of lab mice (catchy)

instant mashed potatoes

This is too much fun!

John Merryfield said...

Hey, that was alot of fun to read and as always an honor to collaborate!

Title? How bout "crimson tide"....just kidding... Alabama reference.

Ec... the feeling is mutual dude.

Bandit.. Big thanks, and alot of respect.

Until next time everyone!

bluetoque said...

I like the food references:

- instant mashed potatoes (!!)
- wild onions

Or, the more sublime:

- days etched in black and white

Thanks, that was fun. You people can write!

T.Migratorius said...

Thanks for explaining "crimson tide" John... I wouldn't have gotten that one either! :)

Thanks to everyone once again for the experience. Great fun!

bandit said...

Yeah, I like instant mashed potatoes-my dad would make them with steak in the '60's.
See what those preservatives have done for me?
Hey, you guys should check out Issa's Snail again. Some really imaginative links; for that matter, remember the link is in the side list on the home page.

el coyote said...

I loved the wild onion line

bandit said...

You the man!

All agreed on wild onions, then?

Gillena Cox said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gillena Cox said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gillena Cox said...

enjoying the kasen

much love
gillena

bluetoque said...

wild onions, yes

T.Migratorius said...

I love the Wild Onion title

John Merryfield said...

wild onions... yep.

T.Migratorius said...

I really love this photo you added along with the title. It looks nice!