Haiku Monday: Water





Good afternoon folks,

 

Taking over from Serendipity, her post topic last week was Seed. I decided it needed little water, so that's this week's topic. You folks know the drill, see you in the comments.

 



Haiku Monday: The Finale.

 

Back in December of 2010, a gentleman by the name of Troll came up with a contest or meme. It was called: Haiku Monday. Troll was a mentor and without his tutelage, I would have never learned to enjoy haiku. His knowledge of the art of writing these poems help to create what Moi once called "the longest running meme in blogosphere history".  For that, I would like to thank him.

 

The time has come to end the contest. Many have found other interests, run out of time to play or simply got tired of playing. As folks meandered away, finding replacements has become a challenge. I'm hoping that those of us that remain can come up with a rotation or some other method of continuing haiku without the challenge of picking a winner and writing up the winners post. I'm open for suggestions. To all the contestants who've played over the years. I would like to say it has been entertaining, instructional, and an honor to compete with all of you. Your differing perspectives and wit on each topic is, what has made this contest last so long. 

Master Basho would not likely recognize what we now call haiku. However, for us the idea is to have some fun. 5-7-5 syllables used for structure. The best haiku make use of both Kigo( seasonal reference), an’ Kireji (“cutting” word or punctuation ).  You can post as many as you want. Have fun with it. There will be no winner to this contest, nor will there be a closing date. The topic: is endings and beginnings.

And the winner is...

Good evening Folks and welcome to Haiku Monday's wrap up. Thanks to all of you who showed up and played, even though it was a busy holiday weekend. (why do I get all the holidays?)

Doom was first in the loop with his perspective on spring providing the following:

sailing on warm breath
earth giving us a fine break
and a sunny smile

cool to warm - ready
rain and growth, green, blue, and grey
the world is calling

a step out the door
a spring in my step, a pack
on my back - go time!

Then Foam went hunting for hunters, who knew where to find their prey. However the wild turkeys seem to figure out how to hide in plain sight:

Spring! The turkey hunt!
Hunters in the wilderness,
turkeys in the 'hood

Rafael provided us with some insight to the reality of the fog that comes in off the Pacific. Locals live with it. Tourist brochures never mention it:

June gloom come early
Casting shadowed silhouettes
Blue skies washed in grey

Lovely One (last week's champion) gave us 2 from differing perspectives. She must be in southern Cal, since it's already hot. And then her perspective on children looking forward to school being out for summer. Here in the northeast, school being out for summer won't happen until July for many. My 2, who are home schooled, will be happily going by the bus stops saying; Needer Needer Needer. Since they missed no school this season. Does teacher need a break yes she does. Grandparents, a couple of airline tickets and a week off, should do it.

Not too hot or cold
For California, springtime
Only lasts three days.

Teachers need a break
The children can’t concentrate
How many days left?

Serendipity while dealing with her new hip still had time to give us a few. I'm glad to see you're progressing so well. Her first a reminder that no matter how small, each animal is looking for the biggest stick to control their own world. And sometimes that doesn't work out so well.

New grass waves in wind.
The swallows have returned. Pting!
Sparrow wars renew.

Having a good mentor, will help him to find his good catches throughout life:

Spring Break – visit Aunt?

Ice-out trout call flyfishers.
Nephew scores big one!

And her third, to my mind shows the need to be active after one has been restrained:

Dang! Want to turn dirt.
Garden begs for turning fork.
Surgery too new.

Her fourth, keeping control your parts. I know this problem well. My daughter's handgun is a Walther P22. We have yet to be able to clean it, without launching the recoil spring.

Disassembling gun,
“tinggggg…pinggg…plink!” dammit lost it!
Shoulda’ used a bag.

Becca gave us 2, one from a cat's perspective and one from a babe, heading to the beach. Her first stealth quickness and quiet. All properties I appreciate. Her second freedom and fun. Reminders of the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean come to mind. (Well, to my mind maybe not yours)

he lays and waits, prey
quiet, stillness no sound made
spring action quick paw

bare feet on dashboard
wind blowing threw my hair, free
first trip to beach, spring

And finally, Colonialist via Serendipity provided this one:

You tickle the frog
Under the soles of his feet
That does make it spring! :)

Better to tickle his feet than to slowly raise the temperature in a pot of water.

So now we come to picking the winner.

Third place goes too: Becca

bare feet on dashboard
wind blowing threw my hair, free
first trip to beach, spring

Second place goes to: Doom

sailing on warm breath
earth giving us a fine break
and a sunny smile

And our winner this week is: Foam

Spring! The turkey hunt!
Hunters in the wilderness,
turkeys in the 'hood

The Ku in this poem just struck me as fun. Thank you all for playing this week. And dear Foam, the feather blows to you.

Haiku Monday: Spring

Time for Haiku Monday. Lovely One was kind enough to give me the win in the last contest. So here we are. This weeks topic is Spring. I think all of us can agree that the weather this year has made for an interesting one so far. The Osprey are back and yet the diving ducks are still here. I've never seen this before. One day we have temps in the 80s and the next high's in 30s. So far I've had to cover my plantings to keep them from freezing, reinstall the winter insulation on the beehives. And still had the pleasure of watching 2 lovely bikini clad young women motor by the boat. So as far as I'm concerned spring has sprung just maybe with the few leaks in it. So let me know how's your spring going. What do you plan to do with it.

(This photo was borrowed from a website. I didn't take it, the post just needed a little color. Although it is a similar depiction of the girls that went by the other day.)

Standard rules apply. Please use 5-7-5 format and as many as you wish. Midnight Pacific is the deadline on Monday, April 21. Have Fun!

Haiku Monday: Exercise, the winner.

Good afternoon Folks, 

Time for me to exercise my mind and pick a winner for this week. First off, I'd like to thank y'all for stopping by and submitting your haiku's. Each one was thought provoking and fun to read.  

Serendipity: Was first in and had enough time in her busy schedule to give us 3 good ones.

Once a gym rat. Now?
Hiking, biking, fence building.
Urban flight rewards!

Human X seven.
Dog and I hunting antlers.
Score is one to one.

After a long snooze,
One must warm up before flight.
Trumpeter swan ‘flies.

Doom: Next in with the importance of mentally exercising to keep yourself sharp.

haiku and sudoku!
plans, goals, decided logic!
just staying awake?

I think thus I am
So long as I think, I am
What was I saying? 

Foam: Was off on a winters hike. Reminding us, being out in winters cold can be stimulating for the mind as well as the body.

Rhythmic footsteps crunch..
Wondering ramble leads to
Frozen pond delight.

BlazngScarlet: Yes, most would choose the cerebral instead of the physical. However for good health, we really need both

Kettle bells, squats, planks
All designed to get me fit
I prefer Scrabble 

Becca: She points out one of the most important aspects of exercise, for the body to follow, the mind must lead.

 

seconds tick slowly
pain sears ones flesh hot burning
mind over body

steady rhythm, pounding
stress melts with winter snowflakes
running, life renewed 

Fishy: Reasoning with a toddler is an exercise in futility. And then there's yoga. Not exactly my cup of tea either. Besides, those pants make my butt looks fat.

 

Toddler defiance,
Exercising free will. No!
Me NOT go home now.

Breathe in, breath out, s-t-r-e-t-c-h
Right ankle bruising my ear,
You think this feels good ??????? 

So this gets as to the choice of winner for this week's contest. Third place goes to Becca for:

seconds tick slowly
pain sears ones flesh hot burning
mind over body

Serendipity in second place with:

After a long snooze,
One must warm up before flight.
Trumpeter swan ‘flies. 

And Foam you get the honors for:

Rhythmic footsteps crunch..
Wondering ramble leads to
Frozen pond delight. 

Thank you all for playing this week.

Haiku Monday: Exercise

Welcome to Haiku Monday. This week's topic is Exercise. Fishy over at the pond was kind enough of to give me the win last week. (almost an act of charity) Exercise is a hard topic for many. Some don't like it, some embrace it. I am and the latter category. It helps me to think and to persevere. Exercises is as much mental, as it is physical. And for this week, unless you want to upload of video of you exercising. This will be mental. Let me know how you exercise both mentally and physically. Do you enjoy it, do you not? The standard rules apply. Post as many as you wish, only one will become the winner.

 

Have fun.

 That's what this is all about.

Haiku Monday: Your way.

Good evening folks,

It's posting time for Haiku Monday. Serendipity was kind enough to give me the win in the last contest. So here we are. Please listen to the video below. Particularly the wording in the song. I want you to tell me, how you did it your way. Relate to how you excelled. Regrets if any. How you did it, your way.

 

You know the drill. 5-7-5 syllables used for structure. The best haiku make use of both Kigo( seasonal reference), an’ Kireji (“cutting” word or punctuation ).  You can post as many as you want. Have fun with it. Closing for entries will be midnight Pacific time on Veterans Day, 11/11/13.