meaning of life (haiku)

should I feel remorse
defying its true purpose?
escargot à l’ail

~
please Great Spirit
don’t let me return as a snail
the walk will kill me

© Tournesol’15

CP Little Creatures series – Mud Snails

Home sweet home (haibun)

Sogi’s haiku that our host so beautifully translated gives me such a beautiful image of hope.

abandoned house
the garden taken over –
butterfly home   © Iio Sogi (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

I get expectant feelings as  I imagine butterflies,insects, stray cats, rodents and birds making a home wherever they can especially during our cold winter months. Even a homeless person who may find a “good spot” shielded from bitter cold winds and rain appreciates  our view of “nothing” as “home”.

Verger d’Emilie
winter’s hostage
free rent

~

abandoned kiosk
finch and sparrows
moving in

~
moving in
cats and mice playing nice
catch me if you can

~
padlocked fruit stand,
awning offers shelter,
beggar’s castle

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem Sogi’s Butterfly Home

lost interest (tan renga with Ese)

the endless night
unable to count the stars
in the frozen pond
(Ese)

snow clouds floating overhead
bored,  I soon lost interest
(Tournesol)

CP Tan Renga with Ese

lost count (tan renga with Ese)

the endless night
unable to count the stars
in the frozen pond (Ese)

how can one keep count
when they are frozen in time (Tournesol)

CP – Tan Renga Challenge with Ese

flowers or snow (haibun)

(c) Clr '15
(c) Clr ’15

This should be fun although  I love both kigo words  snowflakes representing weather my part of the world and the sunflowers being admired by my Aussie friends….lucky Sandy, Jen and Michael, I will write on both.

Snowflakes are pretty but when they stick to your lashes and the cold wind makes my eyes weep, well, it’s a dangerous combination, that’s all I’m saying.   Tonight I walked home in the bitter cold at minus 27 C and who knows with the wind chill…I was prepared with extra warm socks in sheep skin lined boots (Saute Mouton), layers of wool sweaters under my warm coat,  Gortex glove and mittens, cagoule under pilot hat and eternity mohair scarf…but my cagoule kept slipping leaving my face exposed to the frigid air.

snowflakes

on my lashes blind me

slipped on ice

*

frostbitten cheeks

snowflakes adorn the trees

fancy a sunburn

The sky was clear tonight with the odd cloud splashed here and there on that navy canvas and I knew it was the last night to savour this full moon.  I had to take a glove off my right hand to take a few photos with my smartphone since it works only with the heat of a hand….click, click until I could no longer feel my fingers…that was my warning to head into the warmth.  It was so worth the cold hand. The moon smiling down on me was as if my mom was somewhere nearby.

  *******************************

This summer I hope to take more advantage of just relaxing and reading outdoors.  I tend to carry my tablet everywhere to write….but by a lake or pond would be  a nice change.  I look forward to that, and sitting a garden of daisies or sunflowers…or both!

 copy-sunflower-logo1.jpg

summer read

sitting  by the pond

sunflowers grow

*

sunflowers

become a part of me

 nom de plume

(c) Tournesol’15

MindLoveMiserysMenagerie with Heeding Haiku with HA

first full moon of the year (haiga)

cold winter night
hidden by the old elm tree
first grown-up kiss

~

hidden by the elm
old woman blind to carnal sins
full moon beams

© Tournesol `15

 

au clair de la lune (haiku)

valser sur glace
au clair de la lune
baiser langoureux

~

waltzing on ice
by light of the moon
languid kiss

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem

too much glitter (haiga or photoku)

20150104_182629_Android (2)

20150104_182754_Android (2)

sparkle trouble

cars whoosh by as I wait

bus stop

© Tournesol ’15

Photoku Challenge: word prompts “sparkles & whisper”

thriving souls (haibun)

This prompt made me think of the tall golden grass in the autumn. I wonder if I could have collected some and braided it, somewhat like our autumn decorations at Thanksgiving with dried corn cobs and long braided husks.

© Clr '15
© Clr ’15

Walking in the freezing yesterday, I noticed the long golden grass had frozen as if promises for Spring were frozen in time during the cold winter months. Perhaps winter is a time to percolate ideas and spring is to put some of these into action and fruition.

As we begin a new year, the Japanese culture adorns their front doors with sacred rope to ward off evil spirits…somewhat like protecting the hibernation of treasured thoughts, hopes and prayers.

© Tumblr Shimekazari

braided rice straw
hangs at the entrance
barring evil spirits

hangs at the entrance
open to abundance
budding souls

barring evil spirits
faith in the new year
holding treasures

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem Sacred Rope

Frozen in time (haiga)

grassland
defies winter’s bitter frost
frozen in time

~

ice cannot bar
golden hues of straw
implies its strength

© Tournesol ’15