senryu

standing in the street
a stunning woman watches 
contemplates traffic

     A senryu is a special kind of haiku.  Instead of dealing with nature and natural subjects, the senryu deals with human conditions and human subjects.  It still is written in the traditional 5-7-5 syllable, three line verse, or 17 syllables all together. Like haiku, the senryu is written in present tense.
    I had fun with word play in writing this poem.

Can you try writing a senryu today?  I give you permission to people watch in order to write your poem, just try to be polite and discrete.

How can one be sad on a sunny day?  I'm grateful for sunshine.

senryu

sunshine on my back
and on the butterfly wings
at rest on lantana

flitter and flutter
his wings and my heart 
enjoy a warm glow


   As our weather starts to get colder, we have more butterflies stopping by our flowers.  They are mostly Monarchs on their southerly migration.  Time yourself for a minute.  In that time how many different kinds of butterflies can you name?  Now pick one to write your own poem.  Have fun writing.

"Why should I not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside, looking into the shining world."  Mary Oliver

   Today is Friday, just in time for the Poetry Friday Roundup.  You can find more links to children's poetry and children's poets on Buffy Silverman's blog here.  

   Thanks, Buffy for hosting us today. 

HAIKU

yellow sunshine hangs
heavy on the lemon tree
time for lemonade


My lemon tree has so much fruit this year that some of it is going to the birds.  I've eaten all the oranges, but the lemons seem to just keep coming.  I guess I should make lemon bars and lemon cake.  What else can I do with the lemons?  Can you write a haiku, an acrostic or a couplet about your favorite fruit?  Have fun.

Ars Poetica

Many doors,
many handles
How would you like
to enter this poem?
Shall you tiptoe
into the darkness
or skip flittingly
into streaming sunshine?
Which bird would you like
to be?
To lift yourself 
over the wooden sill
out through the window
into the world?

   I haven't been feeling terribly creative lately.  So, I've been mining my journals for things I've written and haven't done anything with in the past. This poem is something I wrote in 2006 in response to a lecture given by Jim Clark on the ghazal.  I also have a note, "I am so very excited.  I got to hear a young girl read one of my poems to her mother and giggle.  It was wonderful to hear her laughter....One should celebrate laughter and this is a wonderful first."
   Your poetry prompt for today is to write a poem about a "first" for you.  Enjoy your writing.
   Thank you for reading my poems.

haiku

warm desert sunshine
on the fence a butterfly
my heart a flutter

    It is a beautiful day today.  The birds are having a gathering at my feeder.  The wind has settled to a gentle breeze.  I'm thankful for this day and thankful you have stopped by to read my poem.  Can you write your own haiku today?  Have fun writing.

IF I WERE

If I were hot cocoa
And you were the cup
I'd warm you,
you'd hug me
then I'd be drunk up.

      I've been playing with taking two objects and putting them together to see how they would interact.

If I were the water
and you were the pool,
we'd warm in the sunshine
and keep swimmers cool.

If I were a dog
and you were my rug
would you keep me warm,
would you give me a hug?

If I were a sea turtle
and you were the sea
would we swim with the dolphins,
would you want to be me?

If you were paper
and I were a pen
we'd write children's poetry.
Let us begin.


So, here is your challenge for today--take two (or more objects) and put them together.  See what you get for your poem.  Have fun experimenting and writing.

ORANGES

On this chilly morning
Red clouds
Arch the sky
Near citrus trees
Growing globes of fruit
Erupting in the 
Scent of sunshine


     Do you like the smell of oranges?  I do.  I couldn't think of what to write this morning and I was eating an orange.  I was going to write a haiku about oranges, but then I thought an acrostic would let me say more.  It is hard to write a short succinct
haiku that says everything you want it to.  So, here is your poetry challenge for today, can you write your own acrostic about a piece of fruit?  Can you use the letters to tell us something about the fruit, who eats it, or what it is used for or smells like?  Have fun writing your poem.

haiku three

goldfinch this morning
sits on desert marigold
sunshine everywhere

     On my walk this morning the birds were singing from all directions.  The doves from over head on the power lines, the quail on the ground, the finches, sparrows and wrens were flying over--a lot of bird gossip was going on.  It even sounded like a landlord and a tenant were having a discussion over the nest in the saguaro.  A finch landed on the marigold in front of me and it struck me how they are both the same color of gold.  The plant provided camouflage for the bird.  This only took a few moments before the bird flew off, but it was a lovely sight and made me happy to see it. 
    I started to think about the settings we put ourselves into.  They can protect us and keep us safe, and they can expose us, let us shine and stand out.  Which setting are you in today?  Can you write a poem about your setting?  Have fun writing.

Ocean Wave

You are an ocean wave

tossing and blowing.

You crest in the sunlight,

your white foam showing.

You give lift to surfers,

seals love your break.

You are my sunshine

in the joy that you make.

You carry sea turtles

give growth for the krill.

Your sea weed is waving

and I love you still.

You're the salt on my tongue

and the breeze of a kiss.

You always act young

my favorite dear sis.

      O, I had a great time at the Tucson Festival for the Book today.  I attended two workshops presented by children's poet Janet Wong.  For a poetry exercise, she had us write a tribute poem to a relative (mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, grandparent, babysitter, nanny, care-giver, someone you care about) and compare them to a concrete object.
    So, I decided to write a poem about my sister and she has been painting a beautiful sea scape recently.  I got to go with her to her painting class when I visited recently.  This is the poem I wrote.  This was a quick and fun exercise.  Wouldn't you like to try it?
   I'd love to see your poems.
   And just think the festival continues tomorrow.  Oh, I'm so lucky and this is so much fun.  I hope you are having a great weekend, too.

Buenos Dias

Buenos dias, Merry Sunshine,

what makes you wake so soon?

You've scared all the clouds away,

and shone away the moon.

     I hope your day is filled with sunshine.  The sun is important to all our lives.  Can you write your own poem about the sun? 

Missing You

I smell the fresh air

and flowers sweet--

primroses and snap dragons

line the street.

The colors are fresh

and super lovely.

They smell so sweet

and other worldly.

Sunshine and flowers

it doesn't get better than this.
You are the only

person I miss.

I wish you could walk

along the beach with me,

or we could sit

neath the tall pine trees.

     Happy Sunday.  Today is a great day for a walk outside.  Use all your senses and what do you see, feel, hear, smell and taste?  Can you use all of this information for a poem?