WORD ASSOCIATION HAIKU THROWDOWN IS UNDERWAY!

Stephanie Mesler at A Poet's Progress issued an invitation weeks ago for people to participate in her first ever WORD ASSOCIATION HAIKU THROWDOWN Challenge (see her site for the details). I signed up! Lots of writing to do these days and haikus help me flex my muscles.

ROUND ONE ~
Right off the bat, I received the first challenge round. Of course I am knee deep in a chicken soup malaise, so getting started was a challenge in and of itself. But respond I have ... passing the baton forward to the next contestant. The word challenged with was "Dig"

As some know, I am no longer capable of writing a single piece to a prompt. Here's the first haikus I wrote, reflecting how I am feeling today ...

A dig in progress, North Pit, Alcoota fossil site, NT ~ by Mark Harmon

Too much to resist
the snide turning of the knife
not satisfying

I know it is there
spoon digs deep into the cup
noodle triumphant!

Here was my official response - "Dig"

Find what lies beneath
mineral, vegetable
or of the spirit

Next Challenge: "Beneath"

ROUND TWO ~

And on we gooooooo . . .
The word challenged with was "Mistake"

Here's one:

Really a failure

or adventures in “what if”

I meant to do that

Here was my official response - "Mistake"

Two thousand mistakes

brought Edison to the light

incandescent fails

Next Challenge: “Light”

ROUND THREE ~

Swing yer partner, change up order . . .
The word challenged with was "Hope"

Bird song announces
new light, new day, a fresh start
warm plate full of hope

Next Challenge: "Plate"

ROUND FOUR ~
Ah! Now the attempts to stump begin …
The word challenged with was "Due"

That which is my due
is what I owe to others
kind, open, respect

Do what is due too?
do you believe it is so?
give to give alone

Here was my official response –

Man wanders and walks
guaranteed only a chance
due no time, no thing

Next Challenge: "Chance"

ROUND FIVE ~
This was a toughy as I couldn't quite decide where to go …
had to quiet my brain and relax - watched Kung Fu Panda, and it worked!
The word challenged with was "Mind"

One upon one more
thoughts multiply, complicate
requires mind stillness

Open up ones arms
embrace all that can be
this no one can mind

Here was my official response –

Deep, swirling green thoughts
imagination run loose
pranks of a dark mind

Next Challenge: "Loose"

ROUND SIX ~
The word challenged with was "Win"

The game all around
ambition, intrigue, ego
play is not to win

Luck, chance, or a whim
takes the skill out of the win
so what did you learn?

Here was my official response –
Change of heart and thought
to win as an exclusion
is a state of mind

Next Challenge: "State"

ROUND SEVEN ~
The word challenged with was "World & State"

Look around my world
what do I really control
an elusive state

ROUND EIGHT ~
The word challenged with was seven verses total, one each for "Red" "Orange""Yellow""Green""Blue""Indigo""Violet"

"Colors"

A swell of brightness
is passionate one moment
and angry the next

Always looking up
a hue of optimism
or just the surface

Color to cheer you
sunny aspect quickly turns
running away fast

Growing hue of leaf
abundant, verdant but then
jealously guarded

Color me loyal
color me true and steadfast
changing to coldness

Exotic mind hue
intuit and contemplate
it is addictive

Expansive color
imagine all that might be
yet impractical

ROUND NINE ~
The challenge word for this round is “breath” or “breathe,” the verb OR the noun (used in any tense, conjugation or declension). We are challenged to create a single verse haiku using the word, breath or breathe, in all three lines of the poem.

Breathe steady and sure

sound of my breathing with yours
breath stolen by you

Fire flames breathing out
imagine the breath in mind
just embers breathe in

Here was my official response –

Quick and sharp the breath

breathing in cool, ripe, crisp air
breathe the rich autumn

Challenge word – “ripe”

ROUND TEN ~

The challenge word for me this round is “die”

Thousand little ways

can chip away, crack apart

live instead of die

Here was my official response –

Choose how you will die

in pieces, drawn over time

or only the once

ROUND ELEVEN ~

A ten verse cycle, with one repeating line each verse. Theme: halloween or samhain.

Blossom of summer

ripened to rich harvest gold