first day in May (Troibun) Daily Moments – Tan Renga

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.ca/2017/04/carpe-diem-tan-renga-challenge-month.html

Aw, finally spring is really here!  She loves May for many reasons…budding blossoms giving hope, lilac trees burgeon and tulips reaching to the sky in so many brilliant colours.   She remembers as a young child in primary school, the month of May meant she was allowed to go out on a school night.  She would put on her Mary Jane’s that her mother had brought from the shoemaker.  The taps had been added on the tip and heels. They said it was to prevent the wearing of the shoes. But she just loved to hear the clickety click when walking on the sidewalk to church.  She would change into something pretty, bring a sweater for the walk back home and of course place her rosary in her little purse.

Clickety click, and on she went but entering the church the clicks echoed so loudly, even tip-toeing made heads turn. Old ladies with thin lips and silly hats frowned disapprovingly but there were always one or two that knew her mother or grandmaman and nodded approving her presence to recite the evening rosary to  Mother Mary.

(Troiku)

first day in May
walking through the park
lovers hand in hand

first day in May
begins the month of Mary
droning Hail Mary’s

walking through the park
hair blowing in the wind
cherry blossoms wave

lovers hand in hand
kiss under the cherry tree
petal on her nose

©Tournesol’17/05/01

Daily Moments – First day in May (Troibun)

I had not read the meme properly and just realized we were to write a tan renga…since it is May 1st, I can’t help keeping the same theme as my daily thoughts.

©Clr`16

on a gust of wind
the cherry blossoms dance through the streets
in praise of the Creator

© Chèvrefeuille
girls clutch their rosary,
month of Mother Mary begins

©Tournesol ‘17/05/01

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai – Tan Renga

time spins (troibun)

Our host, Chèvrefeuille, at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai presents us with a meme of the Spiritual Way – Imagination giving us the choice of four photos for our inspiration.

 

 

 

Time seems to loiter
slowly crawling uphill
each laboured breath
wheezing to the top
mayhem starts to enter
idol pandemonium
down, down, down
spiralling carelessly
or so it seems to me

twists and turns
clutching by the sides
hurling anecdotes
of a drawn-out past
settles in the present
warning for the future
unless…

mastering these moods
feelings and obssessions
hurdles that care less
dealt once in the past
habit keeps them near
patterns that have settled
trick me into believing
how powerless am I
and yet…

given it some thought
rational and real
oh! silly do I feel
preoccupied with naught
then…

praying to the universe
chanting consciously
feeling the absurdity
lifting and disappear
now…

how I must be mindful
when time does unravel
effort downhill travel
with an intense speed
settling’s just a habit
how I do know better
and I have discovered
this long-awaited gift
spirituality and me,
chanting passionately
gently brings me back
to virtual reality

Dandelion Tattoo
http://likesuccess.com/img4122062

(troiku)
hanging on to
likelihoods
the unknown

hanging on to
unlikely and naïve
dandelion puffs

likelihoods
only calculations
do add up

the unknown
invisible to humans
held by the divine

©Tournesol’17/04/29

Daily moments – Time spins April 20 2017 – troibun

bliss… frozen in time (troibun)

©Clr`17

Walking through the thicket, the woman stops a moment to admire wild daisies. It is mid-day and the sun is commanding nature to acquiesce to her splendid rays. Birds perched in the shade of their home are silent as they embrace their afternoon siesta except for a few chirps from fledglings resisting their nap. And then, the concert begins…from tree to tree sopranos tell their story while another group sing the refrain…piercing sounds mesmerize and finally the last of the fledglings give in to their lullaby.

spellbound
cicadas take centre stage
nature listens

The woman crouches slowly, taking a picture of her subjects; she smiles at the effect the soft wind has on the flowers. It appears the daisies are waving and smiling with their golden centres boasting towards the sun. And then, she freezes…

blue butterfly
perpetual trace
on her cheek

blue butterfly
on tender petals
wings unfold

perpetual trace
sounds of summer
of her youth

on her cheek
fluttering wings,
still caress

©Tournesol’17/04/29

At Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, our host and mentor, Chèvrefeuille gives us a spiritual meme where we can choose among four photographs for our inspiration. They are A young mountain monk, Laughter, Time Flies and Tranquility.  The image of a clock depicting how time flies is what inspired my haibun/troibun but more than just time flies…how a split second experience can imprint forever in my mind.  The blue butterfly visited me from April to November, 2015 following the death of my mother December 2014.  I have never seen such a constant presence as this beauty before or after.  I know, deep down, she was helping me in my grief. 

 

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.ca/2017/04/carpe-diem-namaste-spiritual-way-8.html

And now the memory of my experience with the blue butterfly brings me such joy…

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.ca/2017/04/carpe-diem-namaste-spiritual-way-8.html

I feel such laughter in my heart, imagining the daisies also chortling…like the monks in the photo our host has given us.  By the time I had completed the troiku(a new form of haiku created also by Chèvrefeuille), I felt my whole being washed with a sense of tranquilty. So, I suppose I was influenced by all four photos and left with a lingering sense of wellbeing.

 

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.ca/2017/04/carpe-diem-namaste-spiritual-way-8.html

Perhaps I was also the young monk from the mountain observing the memories of my youth…my mother and the blue butterfly.

http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.ca/2017/04/carpe-diem-namaste-spiritual-way-8.html

cleansing rain Daily Moments April 26 2017

spring enters slowly
cleanses season’s debris
beauty’s worth the wait

©Tournesol’17/04/26

season’s promise ( Soliloquy no renga)

Image may contain: plant, tree, flower, outdoor and nature
©Clr’17/04/22 (Queens Quay, Toronto, On)

April showers
cleaning winter’s debris
skies are grey

intermittent gold reprieve
drops of sunrays’ budding hope

nature ripens
browns to greens
spring’s burning promise

©Tournesol’17/04/24

April 24 2017Daily Moments – season’s promise –  Soliloquy no renga

Haiku Horizons 

When I looked up Haiku Horizons this week’s prompt had not been posted yet but I mistook “drop” last week’s as this week. Oh dear! But adjusting my last line made it all work out (smiles)

Daily Moments Apr 21-17 – Quiet of day (haibun)

That time of day where words are not required…silence carries a life of its own. The homeless man whose weary feet, too heavy to continue, marks a spot to rest an hour or five. The rush hour street car groans its morning tune…his lullaby.

Heros of the night who keep watch for those where pain and suffering visit at two in the morning..nursing homes, hospitals, police stations, helplines…winding down their long day seeing flashes of their comfy bed mingled with the trauma they just witnessed. No words…just thoughts, visions…turning into a steady hum.

Stray cats seek a dry abode, giving chirping critters the eye that says it all. Birds chant their morning praise, feeling lucky to be alive… singing melodies of joy, hoping to see that worm raise its lovely head…

Bakeries and coffee shops are already ready to help mankind jump-start the day.

Mornings are such a foreign thing to her. So, this is how the other half lives …some starting their day and others winding down. She, falls in between …feels as if she is always trying to catch up…

Hear the silent hum
Melodies
Brew at dawn

(c)Tournesol’17-04-21

new beginnings (troiku) – Daily Moments April 17- Easter Monday

(Troiku)

spring is in the air
Easter weekend came in sprints
sunshine here and there

spring is in the air
awakenings
playful loves resume

Easter weekend came in sprints
mournful for a day or two
rising with a smile

sunshine here and there
dropping old resentments
kindling life anew

©Tournesol’17/04/17

HaikuHorizons: drop

A Troiku is a new formed haiku created by Chèvrefeuille at Carp Diem Haiku Kai

rencontre amicale/friendly meeting (troiku)

dimanche après-midi
rencontre improvisée
échange amical

dimanche après-midi
bavarder de ci, ça
et de tout

rencontre improvisée
plongeant dans les hauts et les bas
des larmes et des éclats

échange amicale
la vie, comme il se doit
réunir entre femmes

Sunday afternoon
impromptu get-together
friendly exchange

Sunday rendezvous
talking of this, that
and everything

impromptu get-together
swimming in highs and lows
tears and giggles

with a real friend
connecting as women do
life, as it should be

©Tournesol’17/04/10

Haiku Horizons: Swim-baigner

 

under a spell (Friday Music @MindlovemiserysMenagerie)

At  Friday Music we are given a beautiful Québecois song for our inspiration. The song is even more special since it is by a Québecois singer/songwriter,  Alex Nevsky [formerly Alexandre Parent) from Granby, Québec which is in the Eastern Townships where I was raised. I decided to write a haibun concluded with a tanka. I have not added the English translation as the literary translation does not do the song justice.

Jeter un sort, par Alex Nevsky Cœur de pirate

Lyrics for Jeter un sort by Alex Nevsky feat. Cœur de pirate

Qu’importe le temps et les promesses
Si longtemps ce n’est que maladresse
Et j’attends de toujours ton regard

Qui se pose sur mes lèvres en retard

Qu’importe le bleu de l’océan
C’est le vide que je vois finalement
Pris ici et rien pour s’arracher
De nos coeurs si intimement liés

J’ai jeté un sort
Sans trop savoir ce qu’on deviendrait
Corps à corps on disparait
À travers l’aurevoir

Et j’ai tout donné à cette cause
Cette fois c’est assez
Laisse nous au moins partir
Laisse nous au moins vivre

Laisse moi au moins vivre

Qu’importe la beauté du pardon
Aucun n’oiseaux ne mourra si nous partons
Chacun pour soi vers les jours malheureux
Tout nous déçois, mais veux-ton vraiment mieux

Est-ce nécessaire de regarder
Loin devant soi
Pour comprendre qu’on c’est égaré
L’horizon n’est peut-être plus dans tes yeux
De précision, mais plus jamais de feux

J’ai jeté un sort
Sans trop savoir ce qu’on deviendrait
Corps à corps on disparait
À travers l’aurevoir

Et j’ai tout donné à cette cause
Cette fois c’est assez
Laisse nous au moins partir
Laisse nous au moins vivre

J’ai jeté un sort
Sans trop savoir ce qu’on deviendrait
Corps à corps on disparait
À travers l’aurevoir

Et j’ai tout donné à cette cause
Cette fois c’est assez
Laisse nous au moins partir
Laisse nous au moins vivre

Laisse moi amusions vivre

Sitting in the café, she lifted her head and rubbed her neck from writing for so long. Her eyes turned towards the fireplace. A young man was reading, with his head leaning against the ear of the armchair. She could vaguely read the title…Bonheur d’O… She wondered if this was fate…this handsome man reading one of her favourite love stories by Gabrielle Roy, Bonheur d’Occasion.

She lowered her head slightly to return to her writing and only slightly tilted her head…she was fascinated to see a man read such a romantic book and now she was curious. Was he a professor or a grad student?

Then he turned towards her direction…

plunged in liquid blues
swimming in transcendence
breath held a moment
time’s at a standstill
bliss multiplied by two

©Tournesol’17/04/08

More about Gabrielle Roy in English from The Canadian Encyclopedia 

Alex Nevsky

Written for Friday Music at MindLoveMiserysMenagerie

taste bud’s delight (free verse – Haiku)

Sipping ice tea
with a zest of lemon
sweetened lightly
with a drop of honey
softens the tangy
taste on her tongue

Some things need only
lips brushed softly
tasting the sweetness
of A baby’s bum

Dollops dropped
of boiling maple syrup
on a bed of snow
turning nanas
into a little girl
laughing, dancing
fancy-free
drawing her into
her happy place

coffee too bitter
to an innocent child
still needing time
to taste the world
with sweet melons
tart apples and chewy
fiddleheads
now aging in time
to appreciate and slurp
roasted java to her taste
sending aromatic
pleasure to her delicate nose!

a broken heart
or a wounded soul
certainly do taste
like sour grapes
hidden in sorrow
mended with care
tea sweetened by the hand
of a loyalSipping ice tea
with a zest of lemon
Sweetened lightly
with a drop of honey
Softens the tangy
Taste on her tongue

Some things need only
Lips brushed softly
Tasting the sweetness
Of A baby’s bum

Dollops dropped
Of boiling maple syrup
On a bed of snow
Turning nanas
Into a little girl
Laughing, dancing
Fancifree
Drawing her into
Her happy place

Bitterness of coffee
To an innocent child
Still needing time
To taste the world
And then be enticed
By aromas of Sipping ice tea
with a zest of lemon
Sweetened lightly
with a drop of honey
Softens the tangy
Taste on her tongue

Some things need only
Lips brushed softly
Tasting the sweetness
Of A baby’s bum

Dollops dropped
Of boiling maple syrup
On a bed of snow
Turning nanas
Into a little girl
Laughing, dancing
Fancifree
Drawing her into
Her happy place

Bitterness of coffee
To an innocent child
Still needing time
To taste the world
And then be enticed
By aromas of loyal friend
yet late at night
alone in her bed
his taste still lingers
on wanting lips.

sweet smelling rose
 silken petals
softens the heart

©Tournesol’17/04/07

Written for Tale Weaver at MindLoveMiserysMenagerie on Taste