Poetry ~ Waka
With snow-filled sidewalks, I’m forced to walk home on the street. Snow plows were only clearing main arteries and our bus skidded a few times across le Pont Champlain. Challenging snow drifts made me only appreciate more, the crunch crunch underfoot upon virgin snow.
© Tournesol ’14
Carpe Diem Special Thomas Transtromer
Oak trees and the moon.
Light and mute constellations.
And the frigid sea
© Tomas Tranströmer
These two shots were taken on my way to my mother’s place last November. I stopped my car on the highway to take a shot on my left, this is the moon and on my right the sun was setting in splendour…cold evening but stayed out long enough to get a few shots.
Early moon rise
salutes shimmering star
through naked trees
© Tournesol ’14
A slight change to place “through” at the last line. Thank you, Kristjaan:) It flows smoothly.
At Carpe Diem the prompt is Chinese Bellflower (or Kikyo)
In researching a bit on the powers of the roots, I found that it is a perennial herb with saponins, the root of which is a bronchodilator and expectorant; it is used for abdominal pain, bronchitis, chest pain, colds, cough, diarrhea, oral abscesses, sore throat, tonsillitis. I can see how it is a sacred autumn flower with such properties as to cure many winter colds and bronchial infections. It truly is a beautiful flower, bell- shaped.
angels ring
bells of blue flora, reaping
herbal tonics
herbal tonics
bred from roots of bellflower
breath of fresh air
© Tournesol ’14/11/08
I reread this beautiful early morning haiku and felt bad that I had not written a more classical haiku with a softer ending that makes you think…a little. I don’t know the names of many birds, most flower and trees. So honestly, Carpe Diem DOES keep me on my toes…haha…and even before that reading many of Georgia’s poems has taught me a little more each day.
I looked at that photo Chèvrefeuille posted with those lovely shiny droplets hanging from the branch and wrote another completion. The only thing I was missing was the name of a bird that IS still here in Quebec, Canada during late autumn and winter months. So I searched again and found this lovely video about winter backyard birds in Canada. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Well, I actually learned a think or two…again (grins).
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch © Georgia
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch
last night’s jeweled remnants
goldfinch stirs from its dream
sky gently
comes to life
daybreak
© Tournesol ’14/11/08
What an opportunity I am often faced with at Carpe Diem to learn more about nature. I am interested in herbal medicine and when I see such pretty flowers that have these qualities, my curiosity gets the better of me. Searching a bit further I wanted to find places closer to home or at least in North America. I was pleased to discover that many have named this Boneset Eupatorium japonicum flower after an American from New England, Joe-Pye who used the plant medicinally for helping people with typhus fever. In addition to its medicinal properties, both the flowers and seeds have been used in producing pink or red dye for textiles.
It is a lovely addition to any garden especially if you want to attract butterflies who love the sweet nectar of these flowers. They grow from 3 to 10 feet tall! If you want to read more click here. I found that remark about butterflies fascinating and found many photos of that exquisite meeting of butterflies and these flowers. Imagine butterflies gathering together to savour this gourmet gala!
blue clusters
flora stretching tall
high heavens
~
gourmet gala
monarch butterflies drunk,
nature’s nectar
© Tournesol ’14/11/07
Daisies are my favourite flower for reasons I have shared in the past. I relate to this flower in so many aspects. It is not especially stunning compared to so many other exquisite floras but it is still attractive and strong. Multiple petals show many facets of my personality…and still many to discover over a lifetime.
Sowing more seeds has allowed me to have daisies for life…children and grandchildren and it all starts with that first born. At that time I thought I would never have enough love to spread…I remember how much I loved my godchild before I ever had children and it worried me a bit. “Is it possible to love a child more than that or as much?” I quickly saw that it was certainly possible and when I had my second child, the love was still in abundance as there is more to spare for my grandson. Recently I’ve had two more grandsons added to our family and the heart seems to just swell more and more. How wonderful to see how the Great Spirit created our hearts and souls.
Today we celebrated the birth of my first born…
(tanka)
daisies for life
meadows seasoned with love
birth of a child
mother’s never-ending love
a family is born
© Tournesol ’14/11/07
yawning blossoms sigh
whisper tender lullaby
through an autumn wind
fairies chant
chorus of yellow flora
sweeten pleasant dreams
~
fleurs béantes soupirent
chuchotent une douce berceuse
par un vent d’automne
fées chantent
refrain des fleurs jaunes
sirotent des beaux rêves
© Tournesol 2014/11/07
Georgia always has such amazing early morning verses you can see at Bastet and Sekhmet blog with colourful tales and beautiful poetry and her exclusive Waka blog. Our host at Carpe Diem has chosen one of her haiku for this week`s tan renga challenge.
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch (Georgia)
Here is our host`s completion:
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch (Georgia)
on the deserted beach
I greet the sun with joy (Chèvrefeuille)
I can’t seem to do this one justice with beautiful completions I have read this morning from others and can`t help think of Georgia’s fondness for humour. This is my humble attempt:
early morning
silence before the rising sun
raindrops on a branch (Georgia)
night owl lurks cunningly
mouse, his bedtime snack (Tournesol)
pink, red, white blossoms
curly petals shaped in a cross
faintness drapes me
bourgeons blanches, rouges et roses
pétales crêpés forme une croix
malaise m’enveloppe
*
blanket of carnations
draped on shiny oak
adieu GrandPapa
housse d’œillets
enveloppé sur chêne luisant
adieu Grand-Papa
© Tournesol ’14
Fragile lily
feigns a budding love affair,
bleeds then..the moon
autumn wind robs all trace
love is but a dream.
© Tournesol ’14-11-05
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
