Category: Video

a silent wash of tears (haibun)

Amma

It was my first retreat. I  was sharing a room with a long time devotee I  had never met.   I was not even worried but what did unnerve me,  was how would I  react when this spiritual Mother, this world renowned guru would arrive?  Would I  feel something special within?  Would there be a sign from the universe? I was going out of curiosity that summer of 2014  as I had been seeking something to help me grow spiritually. I was open to learn.

The first day I arrived I waited with my token,  in a long line,  to be embraced by this amazing woman. I  reached the stage and sat down waiting to be summoned to move forward. I could feel my body shake out of anticipation or nervousness.
I wasn’t sure which.

My mind went back to when I had to face the bishop as a child  at my Confirmation.  I  was so nervous I had to pee so bad!  Not unusual since I was confirmed at five years old. Young? Yes, but I was  tall and my  mother wanted to spare the embarrassment of towering over my peers, so the priest gave his permission.  I took extra Catechism lessons and memorized The Apostles’ Creed and I would be led to that man with the tall pointed hat!  I  did not appreciate the slap on the cheek (The teacher forgotten to tell me about that part)

Minutes later, I  was standing in front of the beloved Mother and I  lowered my body to be embraced. Her warm hug was like that of my  grandmother’s, as if we knew each other forever and yet we were strangers…or had we once met in another lifetime?

Three days of similar rituals, meditations, warm compassionate talks and beautiful stories,  singing…so much singing and the tap tap of the Tabla drums filled the room.   On Devi Bhava, after Amma had completed all her hugs, her blessings and it was time to leave…she stood up on the stage,  looking at all her devotees for one last long endearing moment.

The vast room filled with thousands of people fell  silent…mere echoes of a far away cough, a tiny baby gurgling and Amma’s eyes on all of her devotees; was it possible to feel this pure love wash over each and everyone in that hall?

crowd falls silent
Holy Mother’s reverent gaze
beat of a heart,
echoes in the chamber of a chest
tears roll softly down a cheek

© Tournesol ’15

by the river (haiku)

throat singing
ice flows down the river
whistling wind

© Tournesol ’15

Beaver Full Moon (Haibun)

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© Clr’15/11/24 Beaver Full Moon

 

 

Walking home late a night one would think she should be frightened.  But not tonight with the light of that bright moon.  The moon was almost full under a clear sky.   Tomorrow it will a perfect circle but she didn’t take a chance. “What if it rains? What if the sky is filled with snow clouds?”  No, she would not take a chance and tries to capture the greatness of this moon.  The air is cooler than the past few weeks and it smells  like snow should be coming very soon. Yes, at minus 4C the next precipitations would surely snow.

She removes her leather gloves to manipulate her smart phone to take the photo.  It is nippy and she can see her breath blow white smoke.   On this long dark street filled with old warehouses of the 1940’s slowly transforming into funky lofts.

November full moon was called Full Beaver Moon or Full Frost Moon since it was a time when Native Americans would set  their traps before the swamps froze. (Farmer’s Almanac)

Click…and off she continues on her journey home.  Seconds before arriving, she notices her shadow in front of her was a fatter version of her, to her right was a paler shorter shadow and to her left a tall stretched out version of her. No, she has no reason to be scared on her walks home…she definitely has plenty of company.

 

Setting up traps
before water freezes over
Beaver Full Moon

Beaver Full Moon
accompanies her home
lights up her path

© Tournesol’15/11/24

Beethoven-Moonlight Sonata (Mvt. 1)

Sunday’s Concert (haibun)

Our host, Chèvrefeuille, at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai explains that “Tengri” means ‘sky worship’;  haiku is part of Tengrism … look around you …. see the signs of nature and read them … just read them.

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IMG_4352
© Cheryl-Lynn ’15/11/22

On her walk Sunday, she was attracted by the sounds of hundreds of birds chirping in several trees. Her head up she sees flocks of birds flying south.  What were these birds doing in the trees. It was nippy that day as well with very cool winds. She regretted not having brought an extra sweater to put under her spring coat, better still, her winter coat would have been a much wiser choice.

So many birds were flying past this tree filled with birds.  “Perhaps they are resting before flying further south,” she thought.  She stopped to take in the concert and listen to the birds harmonize. Such wonder to stop for a moment and breathe in nature’s richness, even in a big city!

A collective
birds plan their long journey
gathered together

gathered together
sort out their pecking orders,
sing in harmony

sing in harmony
she listens with reverence,
nature’s grace

© Tournesol ’15/11/24

dancing raindrops (tan renga)

raindrops on bamboo
shimmer in the sunlight
little diamonds
© Chèvrefeuille

gems pirouette to the rhythm
spotted munia’s breakfast call

© Tournesol ’15

driven to distraction (haiku)

Venom reeks on Mondays
back in the day of party-lines
laundry day

watching her wiggle
Saturday at the movies
Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe
distracted from DiMaggio
charming the troops

© Tournesol’15

Three Word Wednesday: Venom, distract, wiggle

dancing in the wind (troiku)

Freestyle dancing
rhythm of the wind
last tango

freestyle dancing
swaying to autumn’s hum
fickle puffs

rhythm of the wind
catch the locomotion
nature’s refrain

last tango
autumn’s last abandon
free and footloose

© Tournesol ’15/11/06

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai 

Last Dance Video by Cheryl-Lynn R.’15

Mocking trees (haibun + haiga)

Sitting in her living room she gazes out the window at the leaves.  This was a bush planted a few years ago that kept climbing to the heavens.  Her landlady asked her last fall, if she wished to have it trimmed to get a clearer glimpse through her window.  “Oh, no!! please let it reach the roof and beyond if possible.  I love the privacy it offers me so I can keep my drapes drawn and have my cloistered view of life outside my little world.”

Her landlady understood being a woman and living alone on the main floor, a busy street, she might benefit with this sweet discretion nature could provide.

The leaves were giggling and dancing like teenagers at a sleepover. Most of the grownups were fast asleep waiting for the next season but not this rebellious bush. She loved to see the life still withstanding the wind and the rain.

November 6 2015 Hanging on to dear life, leaves flutter fly freely

free flutter fly
giggling at the wind
children make believe

This morning, the rains and wind had stripped many trees out front.  Her favourite tree in front of her patio window, next to her desk where she spent hours wandering in the forest of her mind, was no longer waving with those yellow leaves of last week.  Now the branches, skinny and some thick and strong, crooked and curved were waving to her, inviting her to this new part of the season.

“Look at me sway back and forth!! I am still alive just wearing a new suit.  I am mature and wise and will be here with you to lean on even in the dead of winter. So don’t cry over spilt leaves.  Tomorrow will bring back strong, fragrant and green robes.  You will see. Until then, just lean on me, my trunk can weather almost anything and certainly can hold you for the rest of this season and winter too.”

(c) Clr '15
(c) Clr ’15

how valiant am I!
timberland’s warden – always,
lean on me

She smiled at this lovely invitation.  It felt like a love letter from a strong, steady lover who may not show his colours but is always there if and when she needs to lean on him.  Chuckling to herself aloud, her cat twitches an ear and lazily lifts her head one short moment and returns to her feline haven.

Now did she imagine all of this or did she actually hear the tree speak to her?  She slips back into her private woodland hearing sylvan whisper des mots d’amour.

November 6 2015 golden hues hand show off their beauty

each leaf shows off
clinging for dear life
mocking at the tree

© Tournesol ’15

CDHK Messenger of  gods Wind

Merci Chèvrefeuille (tanka – haiku)

I am trying to keep the mood of our host and mentor for already, almost three years of hosting haiku memes.  Rather than translate word for word, I have written both a French and English interpretation of his haiku:

haiku poets
write about transience … a short moment
lasting in time

© Chèvrefeuille

haiku poets
come together in passing – still,
virtual and real

poètes de haïku
rendez-vous précaire – encore,
virtuel et vrai

© Tournesol ‘15

And this is my thanks to our mentor, Chèvrefeuille, who shares his passion and thoughtfully teaches us more than words, daily.

haiku lover
shares his passion, teaching
patiently
one moment comes to life
seventeen syllables

© Tournesol’15

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai – Time Machine

I chose this video of More Than Words (one of my most favourite songs)  with the original  Extreme in front of a live audience. I think this shows our “coming together” at Carpe Diem as a family.   Merci Kristjaan pour ton dévouement . Cheryl-Lynn

migrating (haiku)

how long
until synergy forms V
geese fly south

© Tournesol ’15