I entered authour Stephanie Mesler's Word Association Haiku Challenge in September, and had NO IDEA we'd be still doing it as we headed into the holidays! I have to confess that there have been several times when I considered bailing, because of the pressures of other things that needed doing. But I am glad I have stayed with it. It is a great mind break and I am really pleased with some of the pieces I have written.
I am reposting everything in reverse order, and giving it its own page since even I have trouble finding it now! Be sure and visit WORD ASSOCIATION HAIKU THROWDOWN Challenge to see all the haikus that have come from this and explore Stephanie's site A Poet's Progress
ROUND TWENTY ~
The challenge for Round 20 is to write haiku
of any type on the topic of gratitude.
Inner Life of Gratitude
More than mere “thank
you”
honest nature runs
deeper
to the grateful heart
Freely accepting
the release of any pride
no shame in the need
Demands are not made
open, felicity shifts
finding the pathway
Then liberated
the soul can sing with
relief
for the answer found
The true grateful heart
humbled when grace is
given
never walks alone
ROUND NINETEEN ~
The challenge for Round 19 is to write
compound haiku on the theme of silence.
Beyond lack of sound
the absence is pervasive
begs you to listen
The intake of breath
a deafening nothingness
without an exhale
Like a pausing thought
a universe in stasis
the truest silence
ROUND EIGHTEEN ~
The challenge for Round 18 is to write compound haiku using the challenge words capsule, wind, and herb. Compound haiku are any number of verses in 5-7-5.
Remembering to Walk Forward
“Now” is a capsule,
Marko Samastur from Ljubljana, Slovenia courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
a single blip of the
whole
a limited view
Why define your life
with incomplete
perspective
only “is” and “was”
It is true the “Past”
can educate the present
but it is behind
No looking backward
driving this very moment
by that which has been
Close your eyes and
breathe
let “promise” bare you
aloft
fly on its sweet wind
Tomorrow is close
and forever will come
too
despite your effort
Inhale what “might be”
an herbal balm to your
soul
spark of that within
We are simply “All”
“loser,” “winner” both
inside
who is it chooses?
Or does Fate await
in patience, with
amusement
while we just struggle
Use what is inside
be both vanquished and
victor
each as it comes you
The moment is not
definition of the whole
embrace the large view
Learn from the one
chance
while you engage the
“what if?”
“all” you are given
The challenge for Round 17 is to write double
haiku using the challenge words above. Double haiku are two verses of
10,14,10 syllable lines - my prompt “Yearning”
“Yearning”
Thoughts that come
unbidden to my commute
night time imaginings of
the scent and the feel of you
your voice rumbling up
my spine, held close, tight
Ghostly hands massaging
my aching neck
grasping my arm,
entreating me to come away from toil
a thousand sly glances
and shared laughter
ROUND SIXTEEN ~
Fours stanzas for Veteran’s Day in an ABA rhyme scheme on the
prompt “Experience.”
A reality
one’s self is changed
forever
skilled maturity
Trained for all action
committed at high level
participation
Can we understand
their sweat, their
blood given us
in a foreign land
Our best acquaintance
ever honor, and duty
their experienceROUND FIFTEEN~
The prompt word was “Life” and the haiku had to rhyme. I hate
rhyming. I have a single rhyming
gene. It becomes active for about 48
hours every decade, usually at the most socially annoying moment, and I become “rhyme
possessed” for that period of time. As you can see from my submission, this is
not one of those times.
Language is not rife
even armed with hunting knife
of good rhymes for “life”
ROUND FOURTEEN~
The challenge word was "Mystery"
We look at the road
viewed through the lens of desire
seeking certainty
We want in our hearts
the confidence of the known
mastery of change
The journey observes
laughing at all our conceits
the need for control
Fate allies with glee
coiling and uncoiling threads
feeding our desire
They know the secret
that thing which we struggle with
in our need to know
The richest texture
is in the discovering
joyous mystery
ROUND THIRTEEN~
Write a Haiku for Halloween of any length on the theme "The Horror Lies"
Into The Unknown - Version One
Marching time, to come
so swiftly present then
past
what is it we know?
Ours is the control
or so we slyly believe
audacity brims
There is joy and fear
they are always a
constant,
possible, lurking
Each moment has both
dark and light, joy and
fear
ever in balance
And our mastery
Is an utter illusion
ourselves only fooled
The journey could be
dark or light, we know
not,
there the horror lies
The Unknown
What we see, we know
what we believe we
affirm
confident and sure
If we disagree
we reject, ascribe to
fools
again we see, know
In between is gray
it is neither dark, nor
light
none are its master
It waits in shadow
unseating our certainly
there the horror lies
ROUND TWELVE ~
Three Verses …Then, Now, Still To Come
The world wide open
endless opportunities
infinite time, then
The relentless clock
marking the death of moments
life has limits, now
Of the years yet passed
felicity or abyss
that is still to come
ROUND ELEVEN ~
A ten verse cycle, with one repeating line each verse. Theme: halloween or samhain.
Blossom of summer
as the wheel comes ‘round
Damp, cold, and fall mists
creep in with bounty’s decay
as the wheel comes ‘round
Mortality knocks
beckoning our acceptance
as the wheel comes ‘round
Spirits known and not
rise to remind of the time
as the wheel comes ‘round
The veil is thinnest
invoke fire, gourd, spice and spook!
as the wheel comes ‘round
But none may you mock
these souls grimly remind us
as the wheel comes ‘round
Our time too shall come
life season curve to a close
as the wheel comes ‘round
Light the blaze to bright
see past veil, mold, clinging fog
as the wheel comes ‘round
For the wheel yet turns
there is no end, no stopping
as the wheel comes ‘round
Just a moment’s pause
living and dead face to face
as the wheel comes ‘roundROUND TEN ~
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 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 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 SEVEN ~
The word challenged with was "World & State"
Look around my world
what do I really control
an elusive state
ROUND SIX ~
The word challenged with was "Win"
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
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
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
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
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
ROUND ONE ~
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
the snide turning of the knife
not satisfying
I know it is there
spoon digs deep into the cup
noodle triumphant!
spoon digs deep into the cup
noodle triumphant!
Here was my official response - "Dig"
Find what lies beneath
mineral, vegetable
or of the spirit
All Haikus (c) Judith Cullen
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