HAIKU DIALOGUE – Haiku Prism – Red
Haiku Prism – A World in Color
During this dark time we could all use something to brighten up our weeks. I believe that each one of us carries an inner light that can be a source of solace for others. So let’s take that light and channel it through the magic and wonder of haiku to express our world in all its glorious colors. Let’s let haiku be our prism.
Each week I will be providing a new color for you to meditate on and write about. You do not need to name it in your haiku, simply let it be an aspect. You can take this in any direction you like from various flora & fauna, fruits & vegetables, clothing items, celestial bodies, household objects, etc…to various associated moods. Even think in related colors such as pink for red or gold for yellow. I am also happy to accept sub-genres including scifaiku and mythku.
next week’s theme: Orange
Please send up to two unpublished haiku by clicking here: Contact Form, and put Haiku Dialogue in the Subject box. The deadline is midnight Eastern Standard Time, Saturday, May 30, 2020.
Selected haiku will be listed in the order they are received with a few chosen for commentary each week.
Please note that by submitting, you agree that your work may appear in the column – neither acknowledgment nor acceptance emails will be sent. All communication about the poems that are posted in the column can be added as blog comments.
Below is my commentary for Red:
Red, the color of extremes. From passionate love to anger, fiery danger to adventure, it is primal, the color of our blood. It draws out intense emotions, many of which can be found in this week’s haiku and senryu. It has truly been an exhilarating ride through your submissions, and I thank you all for giving me such an exciting week!
There is nothing more iconic than red lipstick when it comes to expressions of feminine beauty. No wonder it showed up so often! I’ve gathered the “red lipstick” senryu out of my selections for this week, as a mini-collection for commentary. Each one presents a different situation, as well as a strong “aha” moment.
office party
her scarlet lipstick
everywhereMarion Clarke
This must have been quite a party! I enjoy the amount of space a reader is given to play with the interpretation. Is this a secretary? Is this the boss? Or is it the same shade of red on every woman’s lips?
funeral…
the red shrill
of her lipstickBrăilean Mirela
“Shrill” is not a word I see often in haiku or senryu. It is visceral and arresting. Was the deceased done up in shockingly red lipstick? Is there a woman in attendance whose lipstick color feels out of sync with the somber atmosphere? Or is there a woman grieving whose lips match the intensity of her pain?
red lipstick kisses
smudged on my cheeks
gramma’s lovedianne moritz
I wonder how old the subject of this senryu is. Is it Dianne as a little girl? A teenager? A young woman? Did Dianne mind the kisses? Was it an obligation her parents required her to put up with? Or a joy she looked forward to?
dress-up game
she puts red lipstick on
daddyPat Davis, NH
The love of a father for his little girl knows no bounds. Even if that means letting her doll him up in, most likely mommy’s, makeup. Did he take it off as soon as playtime was over? Is this a regular part of their playtime together? How comfortable is he wearing lipstick? Does this challenge in any way his ideas of what it means to be a man?
Chanel rouge lipstick
just the right shade to say
I’m in chargePeggy Hale Bilbro, Huntsville, Alabama USA
A bold accessory or lipstick color can be quite a “power move.” It could be a way of commanding respect at work, by making people take notice of her, or a means of taking control of a situation at home by exuding a sense of authority. What I want to know is: did it work?
wedding day
through the veil all he sees
is her red lipstickMinal Sarosh
Is the bride in this senryu so heavily veiled that her red lips are all that can shine through? Or is it that her lips are all that he is able to focus on? Is this a hint at the groom’s thoughts of the soon to be had enjoyment of his wedding night? Or does he find it intimidating?
coloring
outside the lines
mommy’s lipstickRich Schilling, Webster Groves, MO
I envision a small child drawing on the walls or furniture, somewhere way out of bounds. Perhaps innocently, perhaps not, depending on the age. I can also see the laughter or anger on the mother’s face as she discovers what her child has done. From a different view, though, I can see a mother who is aging and has shaky hands. Thus, her lipstick goes where she doesn’t want it to be.
red lipstick …
a tilt of desires
under the burkaVijay Prasad
This is a topic that is rarely touched on in senryu, let alone this effectively, and myriad questions come to mind every time I read it. Where did she get the red lipstick? Is this the first time she’s done this? How old is she? If she is a mother, do her children know of this little rebellion? Does her husband know? What desires are welling up to the surface for her? There are many ways to finish this story and each one as rich as the last.
I hope you enjoy this week’s selections as much as I have. It is a week full of surprises and depth. Orange will be the last prompt in the Haiku Prism series, so stay tuned for what’s next! Happy reading!
car argument
seeing red
in the roadside treesKristen Lindquist
home alone
a cardinal
mends its nestAgus Maulana Sunjaya, Tangerang, Indonesia
tomato sauce-
in each jar
grandmother’s smilevincenzo adamo
bloodshot
the sleepless nights
take their tollChristina Sng, Singapore
thinning red
of the rainbow
both sorryGüliz Mutlu
the red flag
in your silence
blood moonJackie Chou, Pico Rivera, CA, USA
red eye
the silent skies
these daysNancy Liddle
just that
touch of red
feng shuiRehn Kovacic
make belief brides
little fingers stained
in beetChristina Chin
beach–
her red rose tattoo
burningTeiichi Suzuki
love blooms —
a rose is a rose
is a roseWillie Bongcaron
rust …
november rain
on my sillruggine…
la pioggia di novembre
sul davanzaleDaniela Misso
evening horizon
the flying birds uplift
the crimson wavesHifsa Ashraf, Pakistan
snowflakes
but for the red
of this foxAlan Summers, England
spring creek
a cardinal knee deep
in its reflectionBryan Rickert
first tattoo-
next to your name a red roseprimo tatuaggio-
accanto al tuo nome una rosa rossaAngela Giordano
on the table
a glass teapot of rooibos
she pours out her heartSari Grandstaff, Saugerties, NY
red kimono…
the silence before
the ceremonyTsanka Shishkova
on the highway
the red stain
and a featherSlobodan Pupovac, Zagreb, Croatia
deep-red
in the inkstone
a poppy eruptsPamela A. Babusci
red beans and rice
first date
with a veganValentina Ranaldi-Adams, Fairlawn, Ohio USA
he doesn’t want kids
the yellow flags
reddenTim Cremin
new moon
the red hot shriek
of a sirenSandi Pray
prom night
a touch of blush for
Daddy’s little girlCarolyn Coit Dancy, Pittsford, New York
new stilettos
discovering her stocking’s hem
with my tongueJoshua Gage
rose trellis
pinning up
the red silkLaurie Greer
her lips grow nearer Nepenthes ventricosa
*carnivorous pitcher plant with a red rim
Robin Anna Smith
still wrapped in plastic
the tiny red shoes
she never got to wearJohn McManus, Carlisle, Cumbria, England
twilight
the red moon
bathing in the riverNisha Raviprasad
her red shoes –
every step
in painDorothy Burrows
VA ward –
nurse gathers
unfinished poppiesJacqueline Watanabe
caught
between grass blades
ladybugAnn K. Schwader, Westminster, CO
the first bite
into a strawberry
pursed lipsChrista Pandey
blood brothers…
the tree fort
outlasting usMichele L. Harvey
red red wine
the two a.m. confession
i left on her lipsClifford Rames
divorce-
her vermilion box
on the dresser*vermilion in India symbolises marriage. Many traditional women wear vermilion in their hair or on the forehead
arvinder kaur, Chandigarh, India
funeral day
the mourners wear
rose-coloured glassesLouise Hopewell
blood moon
forced to become
a womanIsabel Caves
bloody mary
the girl talk becomes
saucierVandana Parashar
higanbana…
will you bloom again
in late summer?*”Lycoris radiata” or “red spider lily” is called in Japanese “higanbana”, because it blooms during the Buddhist festival of Higan to celebrate the autumnal equinox
Elisa Allo
where she lived before the war poppies
Marisa Fazio
bloodshot eyes…
a late night movie
and then anotherMadhuri Pillai
chickenpox
the boy with a red crayon
poxes everyoneRandy Brooks
even through
the morning fog
a cardinalJessica Wheeler
at the turn-off
to the old logging road
wild strawberriesOlivier Schopfer, Switzerland
initiation
his gang’s color pools
on the asphaltJonathan Roman
seeing red
a crowded market
without masksM. R. Defibaugh
the pain
behind her words
red poppiescezar-florin ciobîcă
red amaryllis
rekindling the passion
in our relationshipCristina Apetrei
red crayon on the wall unleashing her inner Picasso
Susan Burch
self-isolation—
we squeeze out the last
of the boxed wineCarole MacRury
hand-dancing
in the car to bob marley
no red lights for meisabella mori
raspberry patch
the songbirds and I
breakfast togetherGreer Woodward, Waimea, HI
morning prayer
carpet of gulmohar petals
on the roadNeha R. Krishna, Mumbai, India
Guest Editor Tia Haynes resides in Lakewood, Ohio, near her beloved Lake Erie. She was featured in New Resonance 11: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku and has appeared in journals and anthologies worldwide. Much of her inspiration comes from the landscape and people of the American Midwest as well as life with her two small children. Her chapbook, leftover ribbon, (Velvet Dusk Publishing) is available on Amazon. Follow her on Twitter: @adalia_haiku
Lori Zajkowski is the Post Manager for Haiku Dialogue. A novice haiku poet, she lives in New York City.
Managing Editor Katherine Munro lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and publishes under the name kjmunro. She is Membership Secretary for Haiku Canada, and her debut poetry collection is contractions (Red Moon Press, 2019).
This Post Has 45 Comments
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Congratulations, Christa Pandey, on this lovely haiku! I think your first appearing in THF Haiku Dialogue? Perfect image in each line… ending in “pursed lips”
the first bite
into a strawberry
pursed lips
Christa Pandey
Commercial or corporate parties can get wild with copious alcohol mixed with adrenaline with or without John McClane! 🙂
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office party
her scarlet lipstick
everywhere
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Marion Clarke
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This can be of course a harmless excited employee, or boss (Tia mentioned?) merely pecking everyone on their face. In six words this haikai verse perfectly highlights the wind down of business stress for at least one evening-into-morning party, possibly a Christmas party.
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One of my best Christmas parties ever was an off-duty Santa invited along by my elves, and we had ice fights and more in Nandos, as well as a number of us chased by security smoking cigarettes (nothing heavier). I only wish we had been in full costume and caught on cellphone footage, darn it! 🙂
It is a great treat, and also a useful discipline, to see haiku poems under a single theme of red, in its various manifestations. Writing to a prompt is something that will occur from time to time for a poet, whether the haiku dialogue themes, or anthology themes such as set by recent anthology editors.
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This haiku reminded me that on occasion I will unwind by being transfixed by the old method of sitting before a television! 🙂
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bloodshot eyes…
a late night movie
and then another
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Madhuri Pillai
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Often if I find a new series that I can green link, I’ll click the green button to see the next episode instantly, while in olden times I might have to wait another seven days!
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That was the case of a previous night! 🙂 While last night it was to watch a derivative movie by a company that makes low-budget versions (mockbusters) of blockbuster movies, followed by half a Cloverfield movie, which I’m sure I’ll see the other half later this year!
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It will certainly be fascinating to see what comes up next week with ‘orange’! 🙂
Have you all quite finished?
Good.
Adieu.
Thank you for including my haiku here Tia! Lots of excellent choices as always. This one especially caught my eye:
red eye
the silent skies
these days
Nancy Liddle
Ok Robin,
I thought long and hard about entertaining your invitation.
So, a work of unbridled genius. An offering to be savaged.
A focus for ‘the community’ to devour.
How very Japanese and historical.
A fencing competition.
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The sun rises.
Curtains keep it back.
“Play with your sister.”
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Enjoy!
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I only asked a question.
And, if the prompt had been ‘lipstick’ I would have composed thusly.
I didn’t pose to grief.
I just like answers to questions.
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My rebuttal. (And last word, I assure you).
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Fools rush in where angels dare to tread. Okay, Darren, I can be considered a fool.Having said that, I generally submit every week, but I don’t always find my haiku in the mix. Case in point, neither of my haiku was chosen. So, I can appreciate the ones which were. Yes, normally there are a few haiku that Tia focuses on for commentary and are disparate from each other. This time all happen to use the RED of lipsticks, but they also demote differences in tone, and I thought her commentary was wonderful because of it. Would another editor, especially a male, choose different poems to comment upon? Possibly. Would another editor choose other haiku? Again, possibly. In a sense, we are all held to a kukai standard, in which poets choose what they think is a good haiku on
a theme. I have participated in several, and not only is difficult to narrow down many good haiku into the three best from 100 or more, your own haiku is being chosen for votes (or not). Tia has to do this every week. A very difficult task in my opinion. She has asked for people to make comments about those haiku that they connect with or even to give up what prompted their own haiku, also. The back story, if you will. It’s funny that people read into an individual haiku something the poet never ever considered, and they do remark on those haiku that resonates with them. Those short three lines can be construed in so many ways and that is one of the beauties of writing in this genre of poetry.
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Now, exiting soapbox mode…I have a kukai that I need to look over and choose three haiku from a long list of excellent haiku. Not an easy task, but that is the nature of competing in the kukai.
.Darren, I wish you well and don’t forget that you have until tonight under 11:59PM to write a haiku or two on the theme of Orange. Good luck.
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Congratulations to all of the poets on the theme of red.
You prove my case. Savage away.
Sorry to disappoint you, Darren, but I don’t disparage any haiku. I am still trying to learn to write a good haiku. Sometimes I get close; most times I don’t so I am not going to ‘savage’ any haiku here including yours.
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If you read all of the comments, I was one of the first to comment, and yes, I called out my fellow poets where I live because I happen to personally know them. I also referred to Alan Summer’s red fox haiku and the crayons on the wall ones, which resonated with me because as a young child, my best friend Jeff B. and I colored the wall of the closet in a bedroom. I used purple, my favorite color, as my mother reminded more than once through the years. That wasn’t the only time I did something to add art to the walls, either, which is why when my young sons colored the wall in our dining room, I was not that upset…and repainted it.
Peace
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Women wear lipstick; men have women in their lives who wear lipstick; some men even wear lipstick. The commentary doesn’t mean they are necessarily the best of the selections, just the ones the editor chose to comment on. Unbridled, genius?
Humour.
Thanks Tia, for your color themes this month and your interesting choices and commentary.
I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites too, and surprisingly, they were all found next to each other in about the middle of the list of poems.
at the turn-off
to the old logging road
wild strawberries
Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland
Having traveled on many a logging road myself, I appreciated this setting, and the pleasant discovery of wild strawberries in a place where trees are being cut, the land ravaged to the logging industry. Of course, my imagination took me to thoughts of bears too, knowing how they can also be found on those roads, and probably appreciating the berries too.
even through
the morning fog
a cardinal
Jessica Wheeler
So enjoyed this simple image, not so simple really, as it shows just how ‘red’ a cardinal in that even morning fog can’t hide it. A lovely moment.
chickenpox
the boy with a red crayon
poxes everyone
Randy Brooks
Had to laugh at this one, brought out my inner child. I remember chicken pox…itchy horrible for kids, and loved this boy’s efforts to share his chickenpox. LOL
caught
between grass blades
ladybug
Ann K. Schwader, Westminster, CO
Simply love this image…..this focused moment. The writer is obviously very observant, and it helps to be a bright little red dotted ladybug to stick out among those blades of grass. Something I see often, but nice to see in a haiku. The definitive word, caught….which of course makes me look at the ladybug just a little bit differently than I might have…
Carole
Sorry…it looked great before I clicked send…not sure how formatting works in here…but hopefully you can read it all even though jammed together… 🙂
Carole
Still looks and reads great, Carole
I’m quite sad at certain comments aired here, but can’t reply directly to them, maybe because they’ve run their course.
As a relative newcomer to micro-poems of the Japanese ilk, I had first been attracted to this genre for their perceived gentleness and empathy, especially important these days.
Dear Ingrid,
It’s an extremely rare occurrence on this side of the THF site. Be assured, that on the other side we have only lovely inclusive comments made. Lipstick or no lipstick. 🙂
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It’s a one off this side, the THF blog. I’m no longer a moderator but have witnessed years of just friendly banter and rarely had to step in other than in a good humoured way. 🙂
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Enjoying the ongoing themes that Tia sets everyone, and so well!
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warmest regards,
Alan
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Thank you to Tia, Lori and Katherine for their roles in putting together another fascinating column. I am delighted to have a poem included in this eclectic and thought-provoking collection. Again, I enjoyed reading all the poems. Again, I find it challenging to pick out particular poems for praise as I liked so many of them. My personal favourites included
*
beach–
her red rose tattoo
burning
Teiichi Suzuki
I love the image of sun burn on the beach and the untold story of her red rose tattoo burning. Is it burning because her relationship is deteriorating? Or is it just sunburn?
*
seeing red
a crowded market
without masks
M. R. Defibaugh
A very pertinent image for these troubled times. It captures the zeitgeist.
*
initiation
his gang’s color pools
on the asphalt
Jonathan Roman
This is so cinematic. There’s a film in these three lines.
*
snowflakes
but for the red
of this fox
Alan Summers
Another great cinematic image!
Many thanks to all the poets. I have learnt so much by reading your work.
Thank you! 🙂
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I’ve been doing round the clock Call of the Page commentaries so I haven’t got round to fully reading every haiku and commenting, but great set.
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Being able to use these themes as a resource has been a brilliant asset. I know if I want to look at a certain theme, there might have been one set by the various Haiku Dialogue editors! 🙂
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Alan
chickenpox
the boy with a red crayon
poxes everyone
.
Randy Brooks
.
red crayon on the wall unleashing her inner Picasso
.
Susan Burch
.
blood moon
forced to become
a woman
Isabel Caves
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snowflakes
but for the red
of this fox
.
Alan Summers, England
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a brief focus!
how wonderful they are
together
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Thank you guys!
Thanks Robert. 🙂
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Again, I’m thinking anthology, and a colour chart anthology, of all the hues each color can bring.
I’m a bit confused. The theme was ‘red’ ? Maybe ‘lipstick’ or ‘lips’ would have been more appropriate or maybe restrict the theme to women only or whatever is clearly on the mind of someone…
Last time for me reading this fiat.
The theme was red. It just seems that many of the writers first thought was of lipstick or lips. That doesn’t change the theme. There were many haiku written on poppies, several on the blood moon, raspberries, strawberries, red crayons, and at least one on a red fox. I think that’s a pretty broad range of topics. Anyone is welcome to respond to the theme as he or she is inspired.
You miss the point. Only lipstick was selected. I do not argue that anybody is not free to submit what they like. That is irrelevant. But never mind I can see you wish to avoid my point.
There seems to be a clique here to be honest. Full of cliches, sexism and students marking their own homework. It’s ok to be negative, but defensiveness plus diversion…The poetry of power…the poetry of I’m in charge.
So, let’s see your prize-worthy haiku. The rest of the community will be happy to judge you, I am sure. I don’t know who you’re calling defensive when you just posted to whine.
Perhaps you would’ve rather seen posts about footballs or fishing rods or other manly pursuits.
Or perhaps you think the color red is the color of misogyny. It certainly is the color of the puffed up penis…such as you are.
Dear all responsible for this creative forum,
greetings. Many thanks for this educative insightful writes,
published. List is endless.
Of so many my picks for this week comprising:
red kimono…
the silence before
the ceremony
Tsanka Shishkova
the pain
behind her words
red poppies
cezar-florin ciobîcă
snowflakes
but for the red
of this fox
Alan Summers, England
ed crayon on the wall unleashing her inner Picasso
Susan Burch
How many different perspectives of RED images dipped in words of wisdom,indeed words beggar description
Dear Radhamani sarma,
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I agree, a wonderful array of haiku on the theme of red.
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Hope to see how poets approach the color of orange! 🙂
Another wonderful batch. Thanks, Tia, and everyone who contributed. As usual I liked too many to mention them all. These seemed to have special resonance:
*
just that
touch of red
feng shui
Rehn Kovacic
*
yes, who can say why something works? Color, balance, visible and invisible harmonies–same goes for a good haiku
*
red kimono…
the silence before
the ceremony
Tsanka Shishkova
*
wow–would never think of red for quiet! Loved the disrupted expectation, the sense of passion disciplined–or the passion for discipline–fascinating to imagine the ceremony
*
the first bite
into a strawberry
pursed lips
Christa Pandey
*
so precise! red of berry and lips, plus all the contrasting shapes. A beautifully painted detail
*
blood moon
forced to become
a woman
Isabel Caves
*
a lot behind that “forced”! I sense it’s as much cultural as biological, or even more so..
*
at the turn-off
to the old logging road
wild strawberries
Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland
*
I hope it remains a disused “old” logging road! Such a hopeful sign for berries to take root where nature was plundered and wrecked.
*
seeing red
a crowded market
without masks
M. R. Defibaugh
*
boy oh boy–I see it every day on uncrowded sidewalks. People think carrying a mask is good enough, it seems.
*
Looking forward to the oranges!
Laurie, Thank you so much for commenting on my poem. I really appreciate it.
Thank you very much, Laurie, for mentioning my poem!
Just been reading through these again this morning.
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raspberry patch
the songbirds and I
breakfast together
—Greer Woodward
Not only a wonderful image, but such a delightful way to start the day. You have certainly seized the moment with this gorgeous verse.
Wow, Carol, for mentioning my poem! I don’t think I’ve ever received a nicer compliment. Sadly, I can no longer eat raspberries because of their seeds, but I have a thriving raspberry bush in my backyard and plenty of songbirds. This poem was a combination of putting two and two together and wishful thinking.
Thanks also to Tia for including my poem in this week’s collection.
Always a pleasure, Greer, and thanks too for your reply, have many more seed free mornings while enjoying that sharing caring moment 🙂
Thank-you Tia for editing this column and for including mine. Congrats to all the poets.
red crayon on the wall
unleashing her inner
Picasso
Susan Burch
This one really stood out for me. Sometimes parents don’t recognize their children’s talents and why they do what they do, instead seeing only the result…a wall marked with crayon instead of an artistic rendering.
This makes me think of several childhood memories.
I had read a story once about a mom walking in on her child who was coloring in all the square tiles on the kitchen floor. Before getting angry, she stopped and asked herself why this was happening. Was her child intentionally misbehaving or did they not realize what they were doing was against the rules because they were so lost in their coloring? The take away was that “it’s not about the tile.” That has stuck with me as I’ve navigated life with my own wall-drawing children who are both wonderful artists. My youngest has even created a large mural next to her bed.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise to see my senryu commented upon by Tia! Thank you! There are so many wonderful pieces here that I will have to come back and read them again to decide which I might mention as a little more special for me than all the others. Congratulations to all.
Thanks to Tia, Lori, and kj.
I’m happy to be included with the other red-lipstick poems, and appreciate Tia’s commentary. So much strong work in the whole collection!
A wonderful collection, I too loved the lipstick verses.
Congratulation to all poets.
Thankyou Tia and all the unseen who work tirelessly to bring us this very entertaining feature.
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funeral day
the mourners wear
rose tinted glasses
—Louise Hopewell
Not only is this true it is also uplifting, and has a touch of humour, even when the person is no longer present, we all look for the good things to remember and talk about.
However what is said behind closed doors is another matter 🙂
Apologies –
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funeral day
the mourners wear
rose – coloured glasses
—Louise Hopewell
Quite a collection this week. Loved all of the lipstick haiku and the various interpretations. I rarely wear lipstick especially red, but am always impressed with those who have the courage to do so. Alan’s red fox in the snow stood out for me as well as the war ones and the red crayon walls. Mine was a purple crayon.
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Congratulations to my fellow Ohio poets and to Tia for another outstanding column.
Thanks Nancy! 🙂
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Yes, get set of red-colour-haiku! 🙂
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I remember being sponsored for visiting schools while I was a haiku poet-in-residence for the first and biggest Festival of Nature. Along with easy visits I also visited a special needs school, and a pre-school. It was at the pre-school that a four year created a poem out of purple! 🙂
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She used the sheets of paper I had, with that purple crayon, and then continued off page onto her coat and onto herself! 🙂
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I just had to show the entire poem to the class and her class teacher. Such ingenuity for someone so young! I’ve been inspired to replicate that poem which turned white space on its head and became purple space! 🙂
That’s a fantastic story, Alan 🙂
It was very rewarding. So I’ve had renga events where the youngest was perhaps a year old, with mother, and someone just short of 100 years old, with the SAS in her garden, as I talked to indoors! 🙂