Garden of love (tanka)

At Carpe Diem this week, the Ghost Writer #16, is Jen of Blog It or Lose It on ”Tanka by Shiki”. Not surprising she did her research and did justice to the poet Masaoka Shiki. I encourage you to read more here and read more haiku and tanka by Shiki, Jen as well as Kristjaan.

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As my evening was ending, I was reflecting on gardens and wondered what I would write to contribute to this beautiful post. I could not help but think of my own garden I have created over the years, seen the seedlings blossom and nurtured them to maturity. I even saw them multiply into grand blossoms.

And yet, it’s not as if I have a family of ten children but I do consider my family as a garden that we weather through the seasons with joy and hard work but mostly with love. As a gardener toils in his garden, the labour is fueled by love.

Summertime, I am reminded of my past summers watching my children play in parks, soccer and soft ball games, swimming and sailing at the lake at our summer camp. I am also reminded of the work I still do working with youths and realize that I do continue to garden in my own way; and to me as well, it IS a labour of love.

summer breathes new life

parks fill with busy children

working in their garden

mud pies and sand castles

swings and slides bud acrobats.

Tonight is the eve before I leave for my vacation. My son came over for a visit and we went out for a nice dinner and came back here and watched a movie which I had recorded, Star Trek; I had saved this movie to watch with my son…a movie experience is always richer when shared with a loved one, non?

dinner and movie

marks the start of summer break

with pleasant company

blossoms of my own garden

shared good times ‘til twilight

So although this prompt was in honour of gardens and flora, I hope this offering fits as well.

Unknown sky (haiga)

Carpe Diem #509 Chiyo-Ni (2) ”in an unknown sky”

meigetsu ya ittemo ittemo yoso no sora

autumn’s bright moon,
however far I walked, still afar off
in an unknown sky

© Chiyo-Ni a well known haiku poetess from the 18th century.

clouds horde June sky
walk on darkened path
my dog howls ahead.

Missing them already (haibun)

I love traveling by rail and do as often as I can. The trek Montreal to Toronto by car can take about 5 to 6 hours and by train if I am lucky and get the express which only stops at 3 places, it takes 4 and a half hours. Some other trains can take up to 7 hours and the bus takes 6 hours and costs anywhere from $18 to $50. Just fuel to get there one way costs me $70. Now if I am really lucky, I try to book a few days before departing and can get on business class for one-third of the price. That means, I get longer leg room, can get a seat alone by the window and am paying the economy class price.

At business class, we get a 3-course meal with all the before dinner drinks, wine, and after dinner drinks you want. Well, I stick to a glass or two of wine but there are some who can sure pack it in. I would be crawling off the train if I tried to keep up. Last winter we were stalled for an extra two hours due to the cold weather, the tracks were iced and they could not switch tracks. So we waited for all the trains to pass on one particular track as a safety measure. I sure was glad I was in the business class…nice and roomy, blogging away on my laptop.

I visit once or twice a year to see my family now. I rarely go see my friends as there is not enough time but to catch a lot of my friends and colleagues, I pick up a shift in Toronto since it’s the national office of where I work. Every time I leave, I feel homesick barely a few miles out of the city. I have two places I call home since 1997 and it is with mixed feelings I leave each time.

train slows down
nearing a crossing by the lake
echoes on the beach

picking up speed
whizzing by lakes and farmland
my heart aches

Submitted for: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #507, Shiki, Smoke Whirls

A fallen flower (CP Tan Renga Challenge #41)

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge #41, ”a fallen flower” by Moritake

This week’s Tan Renga Challenge is a beautiful haiku written by Arakida Moritake (1473-1549), a Japanese poet who also wrote haiku (in his time it was called haikai or hokku). This is a Dutch translation of a wonderful haiku written by Moritake.

a fallen flower

flew back to its perch

a butterfly

a fallen flower

flew back to its perch

a butterfly © Moritake

wings shining with dew’s presence

trying out its new freedom.

© Cheryl-Lynn

Submitted for: Carpe Diem tan renga Challenge /41

Buttercups by the river (haibun) CP#499

Last Saturday I went to visit my mother in my hometown. I was pleased to be with her and it was also on the longest day of the year, summer solstice. So on my way home, I decided to drive by the church where I was baptized and received most of my sacraments including matrimony. What is lovely about sitting across the street from this huge cathedral styled church is the river. There are benches where you can look down and see and hear the water flow over the dam.

I like hearing the water rushing downstream like that. I could feel some of sombre thoughts float along with the current. The river has always listened to me, somewhat like my private journal, only I don’t have to speak and I don’t have to write. As I followed the flow of the water, I could see the sun setting in the east…so beautiful even this late!

I noticed that the town has also added park benches and planted some flowers. My eyes turned towards the humble garden.

sitting solemnly

deep in thought, until

I saw buttercups

I was quite surprised to see only two buttercups blossomed in that huge mass of green leaves. As I got closer, you could see the buds of future blossoms. {I must drive down next week}. It was still a beautiful sight and I was so pleased to be able to still capture some nice shots at such a late hour. It was 9;30 P.M.! But hey, guess that’s why they say it is the longest day of the year. Seeing the flowers changed my mood. Walking towards another bunch of bushes, I saw more buttercups. I’m not sure if they will withstand the wind by the river but that bright yellow sure looked nice.

By the river

swaying in the wind

buttercups.

Written for: Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #499 Buttercups

Summer freedom (Carpe Diem #497 nakedness

hot summer night

skinny dipping in the pool

kids sound asleep

toddlers giggling

splashing in the wading pool

naked

end of summer

children rarely seem to have

tan lines.

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #497 Nakedness

Shawbridge Creek (haibun)

I spent many summers when I was a young child at Kilarney Cottage in Shawbridge (Prevost) Quebec in the Laurentians. My great grand-father O’Donnell immigrated to Montreal from Ballybunion, Ireland before the Irish famine; he built this cottage for his family of seven children.

My great-aunt took over hosting when her father passed. There was a creek where we spent hours hopping from rock to rock until we reached a pool of water and where I first learned how to swim. There was always something to explore in that creek. The cottage had 15 rooms and my great-aunt always hosted many friends and family that came from Montreal. Thank goodness the sound of the creek at night buffered the loud sounds of adults partying until the wee hours.

My aunt (father’s sister) did this painting of the creek years ago and I am so happy I still have this as the photos never gave it justice. This painting is only a glimpse of this long creek that led to mini cascades of water falls and one huge pool of still water. I still hear the sounds of that creek and the ice-cold water, brrrr.

hear the rapids
foaming swirls
creek

jumping rocks,
dodging frigid water
splash

lazy days
lying on our big rock
fingers paddling

fall asleep,
water flowing
white noise.

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/06/19

Submitted for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #494 Creek

Canyon (haiga)

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon

panoramic view

breathtaking.

mystic breeze

whistles in the shade

telling tales

sun shines

canyon awaits

twilight

spirits roam

whispering legends

coyote howls.

Submitted for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #492 Canyon

Strawberry (haiga) Carpe Dieme Haiku Kai #501

At Carpe Dieme Haiku Kai, Challenge #501 Strawberry, Kristjaan has written an extensive post on haiku on strawberry and more importantly on the reference to Strawberry Fields Forever and the Beatles. Illustrations, music video and ending with a lovely song that we all remember John Lennon singing “Imagine”. With this theme in mind, here is my humble contribution.

Strawberry

straw hat and sunscreen

squatting under bushes

picking strawberries.

children giggling

sunburned without a care

red smeared faces.

big pot of redness

controlled temperatures making

strawberry jam.

desert delight

angel food cake, whipped cream

fresh picked strawberries.

summer nights

they dance under the stars

sip strawberry wine

Isle d’Orléans – Berry picking

à l’Isle d’Orléans

les corbeilles se replissent

c’est l’temps des fraises

cueillette estival

sous le soleil brulant

fraises juteuses

imagine a world

pure air, open minds

love all around.

imagine a world

communicating love

and peace.

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

By the river (haiga)

golden glow

reflecting on the water

river flows.

bonfire

on the riverbank

bullfrogs moo

children laughing

toasting marshmallows

staying up late.

campfire blazing

teens singing along

acoustic guitar.

Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #492 Nights of Summer

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Strawberry

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

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