awake before dawn — the creak of the wooden stairs swollen with the heat Kim M. Russell, 10th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #36 “like Basho” This weekend’s meditation special feature is a new one called ‘Deep Within Self’, in which the goal is to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese […]
What is Truth?
Truth is not ceramic moulded and fired only to be smashed in hard light of day. Kim M. Russell, 10th June 2018 My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Fussy Little Forms: Tetractys Marian wants us to try a simple and elegant form this weekend that may allow us to focus on balance: it […]
Kajika
by a mountain stream they bend tiny knees and sing river frog chorus Kim M. Russell, 8th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1449 river frog (kajika) Today our classical summer kigo is from the sub-division ‘animals’ and the kigo we’re working with is ‘river frog’ (kajika).
Sonnet for my students
My students’ eyes are nothing like the sun, it is as if they are not yet awake; they yawn and shuffle in, but never run, until it gets to time for morning break. I have seen some of them arrive on time, to smile at me and greet me at the door. It is delightful […]
Autumn Ripe
I am no gaunt, leafless winter hawthorn: my trunk is not gnarled nor are my branches a twisted mass, no dark hoard of barbs. I am not creamy froth on outgrown hedges, no early dog rose drenched in dew or sun. I dance and rustle with fallen leaves and glow with autumn fruit, nut and […]
Kissing in the Rain
We inhale scent of roadside pines infused in each raindrop that silver-spatters needles and, snail-like, trickles down their sodden spines. A tidal sussuration, the forest weeps with kisame; we taste rain on our lips: teardrops kissing raindrops, kissing you kissing me. Kim M. Russell, 7th June 2018 My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads […]
Losing my Feet
As a child, I loved to run, to feel the ground pulsate as I began to pound and forge my rhythm into speed. Wind on face, the pull of muscle and the burning in my lungs were proof that I was still alive; I could lose my feet and fly. Kim M. Russell, 7th June […]
Afterglow
a shower of sparks fades pink on the horizon euphoria glow Kim M. Russell, 7th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1448 afterglow (yuuyake) Today’s kigo is ‘afterglow’, which means ‘burnt evening’ or yuuyake, the glow of the sky at sunset.
Shincha
early cup of tea infusing leaves in water an innocent joy Kim M. Russell, 6th June 2018 My response to Carpe Diem #1447 new tea (shincha) Carpe Diem’s theme for this month, ‘One Sunny Day’is all about season words and the classical kigo for Summer, as used by the classical haiku poets. Today’s kigo is […]
Invisible Friends
A summer-born child, I lived in my head, I drew, wrote, sang and read, peopling worlds with invisible friends to fill the space where reality ends. Now I feel winter creep into my bones and my poetic graffiti covers the stones, written in lichen of saffron and green; childhood’s buried where it can’t be seen. […]
writing in north norfolk 