Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation: Renga with Friends

I

beach diamonds

a new day crystallized

in sunny surf foam

the taste of salt in the breeze

the smell of salt in the air

~Jane & cie~

II

cold spring breeze

makes the cherry blossom shiver

one heartbeat long

I am thinking of spring rain

the sky opening above

~Chèvrefeuille & cie~

III

The wind from Mt. Fuji

I put it on the fan.

Here, a souvenir from Edo

remembering my childhood

when I learned of Japan

~Basho & cie~

IV

watch birth and death:

the lotus has already

opened its flower.

it waits for me to come home

back to a place without time

~Soseki Natsume & cie~

V

dervishes whirling

- seeking a higher consciousness

third eye opens

I am unsure if I want

to know the enlightenment

~Chèvrefeuille & cie~

VI

flute melodies

across green ocean waves

spring meadows

do you remember our dream

floating away on spring breeze

~Jane & cie~

notes

All of the Hokku were written by the authors indicated.

All of the Ageku were written by me.

Troiku Challenge 2019: Day 6 + Poetry Pantry #482: Chasing a Fly

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chasing a fly

in silent meditation mode

eyes fixed

chasing a fly

which keeps buzzing about me

distracting my thoughts

in silent meditation mode

I attempt to fell the beast

won't you let me be?

eyes fixed

I raise my hand to strike down

it flies out of reach

~Chèvrefeuille & Cie~

Notes:

The "sleigh" of this Troiku was created by Chèvrefeuille. The Three Horses of the Apocalypse were created by me.

This poem actually fits in with my "Legend of Seacliffe" poetry place-holders. The Legend of Seacliffe's protagonist, Randal Messana, is based on my son Michael. Michael loves bees and has neutral to favorable opinions on most insects. However, he despises flies.

I am imagining a scene where Randal is being distracted by a particularly persistent fly while tending to his horse team. Charlie and Jorn are trying to be polite and not laugh at Randal's predicament, but they are well amused.

Tan Renga Challenge 2019: Day 13: Prayer Beads

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prayer beads dangling

a harvest moon prayer...

mountain home

to pray for understanding

the universe shall approve

Kobayashi Issa & Cie

Notes:

The Hokku stanza of this Tan Renga was created by Kobayashi Issa. The Akegu (second stanza) was created by me.

Weekend Tan Renga Meditation: Icicles

 Image Source

Narcissus

in love with his reflection

vainglorious guy

like so many guys I've known

in love with their own image

snowdrops blooming

waving goodbye to Winter

nearly Spring

summer will be here too soon

wave goodbye to what I've known

icicles hanging

at the gutter of the old mansion

sun's reflections

the old place becomes my home

in the middle of nowhere

this cold winter night

laying naked under my quilt

feels like summer

have not felt this way in years

if I ever felt this way

messenger of heaven

circling high above my head -

re-thinking my life

what do you want me to do

why do you want me to do

light of ember

mysterious shadows on the wall -

a cool summer night

here in the home I've run to

long way from the home I knew

Chèvrefeuille & Cie

Note:

The hokku (the Haiku stanza) of each of these Tan Renga were created by Chèvrefeuille. The ageku (the closing stanza) were each created by me.

NaPoWriMo 2017: Day 24: Tripping Thru The Marginalia

All images found on this page.

Tripping Thru the Marginalia

With

The Real Cie and Blooming Psycho

"Come along, Bloomy," said Cie to her friend

"Let's have some fun till we reach the Marginalia's end."

"Sounds like a plan," said Ms. Psycho. "I'm there without fail."

"I hear that these monks are into hybrid cat snails."

"I see a wizard with a familiar of an unfamiliar race."

"I can't help but notice the balls on his face."

"This little gray fox looks terribly shy."

"Well, it's a good thing he has a shell so he can hide."

"Cat snails abound in marginalia here."

"This cat snail looks tough like it has not one single fear."

"Observe ye yon snail-monks who skate the rope tight."

"While escaping from snail-goats which give one a fright."

"The howling of dogs can be heard by the sea"

"The howling of dog-men is what frightens me."

"Did you see that clever dog playing the fiddle?"

"How he got up the tree is a puzzlesome riddle."

"I see yonder a bird-snail with long, stilt-like legs."

"She must bend down far to sit on her eggs."

"I must confess that I've read not one word of this book"

"This is because of the pictures at which we must look"

"Yet another cat-snail, this one looks quite grim"

'I'd not dare touch a hair of its chinny-chin-chin."

"Look here what I see, it's a forest of words"

"I believe in this forest there's not one normal-ish bird."

"Behold yonder fine cat-snail, she is so regal"

"A queen on her throne, feared by basset and beagle."

"Look ye up close at her marvelous sneer"

"Her red antennae and whiskers give me reason to fear."

"Look here at the cat-snail with octopus cat"

"I have not before seen a thing wondrous as that."

"A strange holy chimera holds up a stave"

"Regal is he, and surely no knave."

"Feast your eyes now upon the devil-dog-snail"

"It has foregone hind feet for a most admirable tail."

"I fear I cannot make head nor tail of this beast"

"Does it want to be friends, or does it wish us for its feast?"

"A goat-headed snail quoting philosophy"

"I hear not its words, but it still interests me."

"I fear we have wandered into a private marginalia space."

"Goat-snails giving rim jobs is not to my taste."

"Now, this is more like it--a cute cherub snail."

"I shall ask it if it may tell us a tale."

"This marginal snail-man looks quite pious to me."

"Then let us peacefully let him meditate prayerfully."

"The lair of the snail-deer is no cause for worry."

"Its countenance is pleasant and its ears are so furry."

"What have we here by the marginalia tree?"

"A troubadour playing for a horse-beast I see."

"To end with the marginalia sea-cow seems right."

"It's frightfully wrought but too cute to cause fright."

And now, my friends, we have ended at last

Pray, a round of applause for our most interesting cast!

The Real Cie

and

Blooming Psycho

Cross-posted to:

Dark Hearts Love Too

Strands of Eternity

Tea Time in the Netherworld

Image Source

Sadly I never got to meet any of you while you were alive

But once we are all in spirit together, I'm hoping you might want

To come have a spot of tea with me, so I can sit and listen to

You relive your lives in stories of wild times, triumph and tragedy

You were more than your stories, I know, you were real people, heart and soul

Lemmy, who pulled no punches, rough outsides but a heart of gold within

David, a real star who brought magic from the stars, a true gentleman

Alan the thespian, bringing Severus Snape to amazing life

Prince, diminutive giant, royally blessed with talent supreme

Chyna, gentle, troubled soul, no-one really ever understood

Sad, delicate Malcolm, body still here but spirit already gone

Our sweet beasties; if you think cats don't drink tea, you didn't know our cats

I'm not trying to be pushy, I hope I'm not asking for too much

But if you have a moment in your busy afterlife, you might like

To perhaps take just a minute and stop to have a wee spot of tea

To maybe stay a while, and spend the afternoon with Adam and Cie

Created by Adam and Cie

The invitation is always open!

Prompts used:

(Photoshop manipulation by The Real Cie)

NaPoWriMo 2015: Day 30: Everything In Reverse

Everything in Reverse

Let me be your angel from above

In this frozen hell

Except for my love

Got nothing left to give

~

You’re an angel from above

In this frozen hell

Will you give me your love

Will your loving heart save me

~

Except my love for you, Baby

I’ve nothing of value to give

My life has gone crazy

This place is a wasteland

~

Except the song that I sing

I have nothing left to give

At the end of everything

I come to you

~

You wouldn’t let me be torn apart

You save me from myself

I feel the warmth of your heart

In this frozen waste

~

Is the love I feel for you

The only thing that matters now

It’s what I always do

I persist

~

I guess it’s the end of my line

Don’t know about the rest of the world

Is this the end of time?

Is this Ragnarok?

~

I give you this song

I’ve nothing left to give

That what we feel is wrong

All the naysayers tell us

~

Love is no crime

I offer you devotion

Let me give you mine

In gratitude for your love

~

Let me bring you peace

If my pain breaks your sweet heart

For making you weep

I’m sorry for my struggles

~

You brought me in from the storm

You saw my struggles

You keep me warm

In this frozen waste

~

We could make a new start

I could be yours forever

Hold me here in your heart

Please won’t you keep me

~

I was drowning in tears

Until I found you

My heart lost in fear

My soul has been robbed

~

Was anything what it seemed

In the whole of my life

You’re more than I dreamed

You’re more than you know

~

To beg you to stay strong

Am I asking too much

Can you return my song

Can you give me your love

~

My voice silenced by fright

My life torn away

Day was swallowed by night

Everything has gone wrong

~

Was anything what it seemed

In the whole of my life

You’re more than I dreamed

You’re more than you know

~

To beg you to stay strong

Am I asking too much

You've been alone for so long

I can see that you’re hurting

~

Can you calm the fear in my chest

Can you heal my spirit

My mind is a mess

My heart is broken

~

Can your love make me well?

Can we bring each other happiness?

Even in this frozen hell

I can see points of beauty

~

Rose

Sadie

and Gem

for Gerry

Notes:

The original poem was created by writing sister Sadie and me (with a little help from a spectral friend, and I don't care if you believe that or not) for my story in progress, Fetch, which I'd really like to get back to working on. It's been a couple of months. Working for a paycheck type work kind of took over my life of late, and that sucks.

Prompt:

For the last day of NaPoWriMo, I’d like you to try an odd little exercise that I have had good results with. Today, I challenge you to write a poem backwards. Start with the last line and work your way up the page to the beginning. Another way to go about this might be to take a poem you’ve already written, and flip the order of the lines and from there, edit it so the poem now works with its new order. This will probably feel a bit strange (and really, it is a bit strange), but it just may help you see the formal “opening” and “closing” strategies of your poems in a new way!

Quiet People Have the Loudest Minds

Quiet People Have the Loudest Minds

I

In an industry that praises a man for being a blackguard

You refused to behave like a swine

You were tolerant, but not amoral

You chose to cleave to what you deemed important

Refusing to be some sort of cog in the machine

Your voice was an understated baritone

Your style in no way operatic

You preferred to let your axe do the talking

Coming up from a humble background

You led the poor in a quiet revolt

By teaching us to be unashamed of who we are

If anyone had ever referred to you

As a knight riding in on a white horse

You would have laughed

But you were a hero to many of us

We saw you as strong in spite of your diminutive stature

Which is why we were shocked when it was revealed just how fragile you are

There was no antecedent to predict

How swiftly and fearfully you would be felled

II

When I found out the reason

Why the world would never again hear your restless thoughts poured out in music

It made me shiver and sway

My soul was left a jittering mess

Tumbling into a sick, hellish abyss

My heart landed in the basement

And there is no consolation

Nor any chance for denial

My eyes are swollen from crying

Everybody knows that something's wrong

I never was any good at hiding behind a mask

This is the worst, the absolute worst

Because not only are there no expectations for recovery

There's nothing left of what you were in your head

Although the curtain's not yet drawn on vital functions

The obituary for your soul's been read

I thought it might be whiskey that would take you in the end

She was the one mistress you had trouble resisting

Because she temporarily quieted the voices of self-doubt

That screamed behind your placid demeanor

Quiet people have the loudest minds

I loved yours

Love it still

Love it always

Cie and Mo

for

Malcolm

Writing Prompts:

Mindlovemisery's Menagerie

The Reverie

Cross-Posted to:
Dream About Me Sweet Brother
(Warning: Blog contains explicit, unapologetic slash/erotic gay fiction)
KHEL 666
Poetry of the Netherworld
Rattling Bones Undead Musician Magazine

Notes:

Morella La Muerte (Mo) is the primary writer on the first poem, The Real Cie is the primary writer on the second.

Mo wanted to use the words from both Wordles but became overwhelmed. She emailed Cie asking for advice. We've been collaborating since five this morning! Three point five hours in, we've finally got it cooked to delicious imperfection.

Delicious imperfection could also describe the subject of the poem, although that sounds kind of lecherous. We actually are referring to his personality. He was flawed, but extremely well-intentioned. He created wonderful things without knowing just how wonderful they were. He was also extremely hard on himself. He never measured up to his own exacting standards.

I doubt we'll ever stop writing about this situation. We certainly will never stop thinking that it's a steaming pile of crap on the part of the Universe. We'd have been sad to have the man killed off, but to destroy his mind on top of it, that's fucking insult to injury. His was a beautiful mind. The world has been robbed of a real treasure.

Ignoring the fact that we have to get a spotlight over here because Angus is taking off his clothes again, could we just for a moment pause and ponder the absolutely solid foundation of this very tasty blues-rock number?

Angus spoke about his admiration for Malcolm's style in a January 2014 article from Guitar World:

"Sometimes I look at Malcolm while he's playing, and I'm completely awestruck by the sheer power of it. He's doing something much more unique than what I do-with that raw, natural sound of his. People like Malcolm, Steve Cropper, Chuck Berry and Keith Richards-they're all doing something better than the rest of us. I can't deny that Eric Clapton's and Eddie Van Halen's lead stuff has influenced a stack of people, but for me it's the rhythm thing that's way more impressive and important to a band.

Malcolm is a big inspiration to me; he keeps me on my feet. Even when I'm tired from running around the stage for two hours, I'll look back at what he's doing and it gives me that boot up the backside I sometimes need."

Absolutely.

What a great loss, not only to the world of music, but to the world as a whole.

Photoshop manip by Cie

Original Eye in the Sky image:

Copyright: zadvinskiy / 123RF Stock Photo