The Lessons of the Scarecrow 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Willgard Krause from Pixabay

harmless and straw-stuffed

diabolic rural fiend

what is Scarecrow's truth?

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-special-12-busons-scarecrow.html

Image by Holger Grybsch from Pixabay

Sometimes, an image is wonderful, but it isn't the right choice to convey your intent most effectively. This is true for both visual and written work. 

I initially selected the image of the friendly straw dolly-style scarecrow to illustrate my poem because I didn't want to use the stereotypical horror movie scarecrow. However, this image was not the most effective choice. The shadowy scarecrow figure's ambiguity perfectly conveys the poem's message. It's just a harmless old scarecrow hanging in a field--isn't it? The shadows seem malevolent, but that's just a trick of the light. Probably.

The right image at the right time brings power to your work, lending it a lasting impression. There's nothing wrong with the straw dolly. She can be repurposed. In fact, she will be my model for today's etching. She simply didn't bring the most evocative energy to my scarecrow poem.

I once read an essay about writing good Haiku. Unfortunately, the only thing that stuck with me from this article was that it referred to certain of its samples as "bad" rather than simply showing how they could be written more effectively. Nothing discourages aspiring artists, poets, and writers more than the fear that their efforts will be ridiculed. Shame is not an effective motivator. It is more likely to encourage a person to abandon their efforts than to spur positive changes. 

My scarecrow Haiku will never win any prizes. It probably breaks several rules of Haiku perfection. However, my motivation when writing it was not to win any prizes. I wanted to contrast the harmless scarecrow archetype with the horrific version and raise the age-old question: can you judge a book by its cover? Are scarecrows funny, floppy beings, or sinister creatures hiding wicked secrets? At the heart of it, my true motivation was to pair philosophical concepts with a bit of fun, and I believe I succeeded in that goal. 

I'm not going to do a combination post this time. This post will work nicely for my Substack and as a free post for my Ream channel. 

While I am still committed to the 30 Days of Haiga project, not all 30 days will take place in September. Because of other commitments, I am taking the pressure off myself by making this a quarter-long project rather than a month-long one as I've done in years past. If I write the last of my 30 annual Haigas in December, it's fine.

I'm still learning to pace myself rather than beating myself up for being unable to comply with the too-ambitious goals I tend to set for myself. I consider this decision a win. Creativity should be enjoyable rather than feeling like horrible homework. 

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Image by LoneWombatMedia from Pixabay

Scarecrows and I have something in common; we're both outstanding in our field. 

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Follow 30 Days of Haiga and other Fall poetry projects

http://poetryofthenetherworld.blogspot.com

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https://reamstories.com/naughtynetherworldpress

Ornery Owl's Substack

https://naughtynetherworldpress.substack.com/

Cold Crow and Drab Duck 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

either cold or hot

crow is a dish best not served

choose your words wisely

The prompt put me in a Senryu state of mind.

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-71-cold-crow-kangarasu.html

I know this bird is actually a raven. But it makes a nice stand-in for a crow on its nice, snowy background.

Image by Bianca Van Dijk from Pixabay

Mandarin Duck

Image by Yana Vakulina from Pixabay

mandarin she-duck

beautiful in her own way

despite drab feathers

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-72-mandarin-ducks-oshidori.html

Image by eriko okuno from Pixabay

I believe the only place you'll see ducks like these is when taking a trip, and I'm not talking about going for a drive to the local pond in your car.

Do you pity the female Mandarin duck because nobody compliments her drab plumage? I don't. I wish I could be more like her.

When I was younger, I thought I wanted men to be ga-ga over my looks. I was also very conflicted about my body. I hated it when my hips developed but I wished I had bigger breasts. I hated it when gross men whistled or shouted at me from car windows or construction sites, but I wanted the guys my own age to want me. 

I never had the kind of looks that would have made me a sex object. I had a big butt and thighs with a modest chest. My face was "too round" even when my weight was "proportional to my height." I had cosmetic work done on my chin and teeth to make my face more conventionally attractive. 

After having liposuction on my chin, my delightful boss at the airport clothing store told me I should get something done about my "chipmunk cheeks." As she said this, she pinched my cheeks. I was too astounded to say anything. My face was bruised and puffy, I had a compression bandage wrapped around it to help reduce the swelling, and this maniac was pinching my cheeks. This is one of those times where there simply were no words. 

As I got older, I attracted attention because I have the "wrong kind" of body. I have the kind of body where everyone thinks it's their right to tell me how I should change my body. I think it's my right to tell them all to fuck off. 

Unlike my younger self, I don't want to be noticed for my looks in any way, whether it's positive or negative. I look different, so my looks attract attention. I want my creations to get noticed, not me. 

Peter Frampton once said he didn't understand why photographs always focused on his face when it was his hands that made the music. Phil Lynott said that even though he didn't encounter serious racial prejudice (his mother was Irish and his father was from Guyana) he was, nevertheless, aware that he was "other," and it bothered him. 

I resonate with both of these thoughts. What difference does it make if I look like a Playboy centerfold or if I look like a Playhutt centerfold? I'm not a pinup girl, I'm a poet and writer. You don't have to see me to read my words. If you're thinking about me rather than what I've written, either you're a stalker or I need to improve my technique.

As for being "other," I spent decades trying to change my appearance because I thought I looked ugly.

I may never have been beautiful, but I didn't look ugly. I looked like an East European peasant with my round face and stocky body. If that's not your thing, that's fine. I'd never try to force anyone to pretend they think I'm beautiful. 

Here's the thing, though. If you behave like someone not resembling your ideal bed partner is presenting a personal affront to you simply by existing, you, not they, are the problem. Not being attracted to someone is not a reason to treat them like garbage. 

Rather than seeing people's appearances as attractive or ugly, I see them as attractive or neutral. It's a person's behaviors that make them seem ugly, not an asymmetrical face, wonky teeth, the size of their body, or any other external factor.

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Final Market of the Year and Hawks 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by G.C. from Pixabay

browsing unique gifts

final market of the year

in a lengthy life

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-69-year-market-toshi-no-ichi.html

I ran the photo through several filters. I really like the stark contrast between the light and shadows. 

Image by Nicky ❤️🌿🐞🌿❤️ from Pixabay

Here's the image I (ahem) DREW inspiration from for today's etching.

I had no idea scratching out a bunch of gnomes and other weird things would take so long. I don't think I'll be etching a hawk today. Maybe tomorrow. 

Red tail hawk by Jim Black on Pixabay

out on the prairie

hawks perching atop fenceposts

watching for a meal

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-70-hawk-taka.html

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Winter Grasses 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Agata from Pixabay

grasses gone to sleep

creatures hibernate beneath

winter has arrived

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-68-winter-grasses-fuyu-kusa.html

Here's my first image. From a graphic design standpoint, this is fantastic! The simple lines and bold colors make a strong visual impact, and I tried to ensure that my text art blended in with the feel of the grasses and berries rather than trying to upstage the background.

I'm a graphic design school dropout. I went for one semester in 1998 and never went back. I was hoping to get into video game design. The very first instructor I had took a disliking to me. I really didn't want to go into advertising design, which was her focus, and she seemed to take that personally.

I didn't want to simply copy the above image for my hand-drawn version, so I chose a different picture.

Image by Edyta Stawiarska from Pixabay

Oh boy, it's a horse. I suck at drawing animals. Challenge accepted anyway because the rainbow scratch paper may make my awful rendition charming in spite of itself.

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Return to Spring

 

Flowers by Mink Mingle on Unsplash

if I could return

rushing back to springtime days

would I miss winter?

notes

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/2023-november-pad-chapbook-challenge-day-26

Write a time poem.

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/11/carpe-diem-special-8-spring-peace.html

Prompt: spring peace

I added text art to the image using Pixlr.

This Haiga is available as a sticker from Ornery Owl's Underground.

https://www.zazzle.com/return_sticker-256804388677537448

Today is the last day to grab my sticker sets for just $3.63 for a sheet of 20. They return to the usual price of $7.25 tomorrow.

Sharing with

http://myjustsostory.blogspot.com

Free use image by Gordon Johnson on Pixabay

Legal Eagle's Corner

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

 BY: credit must be given to the creator.

 NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.

 SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.

If you want to use this Haiga for commercial purposes, drop a comment with your contact information and I'll contact you.

Odontophobia

 

Base image by Umanoide on Unsplash

Click to enlarge

Oh, how dearly I fear 

Dental appointment day.

Only I don't overly mind

Needing my teeth cleaned.

The thing that unsettles me most is sitting

Open-mouthed for long

Periods of time.

Having my face numb,

Orifice probed with a drill,

Being unable to leave

If I choose,

And feeling like I'm choking to death.

notes

Buckle up, Bitches, it's gonna be a rough ride! If you're sensitive about swearing, it's best that you hit the back button on your browser and go bye-bye now.

The beautiful picture poem was inspired by this beautiful prompt, asking participants to prettily share a phobia via an acrostic poem.

https://experiencewriting.com/2023/10/12/oct-12-prompts-pulling-back-the-veil/

Poem, not phorm. What the phucque is a phorm?

I added text art and effects to the image using Pixlr. You're welcome to share the poem with all your dentist friends or anyone else, but please credit Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl and maybe leave a link back to this blog. Thanks in advance.

I have fairly severe odontophobia. I'm not afraid of my dentist. He's a decent guy, unlike the first dentist I saw at ten years old, who told me to shut up and enjoy having my teeth pulled. Not to put too fine a point on it, but he was a cunt.

My history of sexual trauma and instances of dental shaming, including from my father who said that the only people who get cavities are those who eat too much sugar and don't brush properly all contribute to my aversion to dental procedures. The garbage icing on this raw sewage cake is my delightful case of vocal cord dysfunction. 

What the hell is vocal cord dysfunction, you wish to know?

Glad you asked! Also called paradoxical vocal fold motion, this means that instead of opening when I inhale, my vocal cords close. Because of course they do. Heaven forfend anything should work properly in this shit show of a body. 

Physicians frequently misdiagnose vocal cord dysfunction as asthma because the person dealing with it feels like they are unable to breathe deeply. I was misdiagnosed with asthma for decades. If I have asthma at all, it's mild and allergy-related. One of the tells is the fact that I never found much relief from using an inhaler. I do have allergies. I take Singulair and Zyrtec, which mostly make it so I can breathe through my nose.

A laryngospasm can be triggered by various stimuli, such as cold air, GERD, post-nasal drip, and your friend and mine, 

When I'm at the dentist, I jump on a vicious cycle driven by this guy. You might correctly surmise that he doesn't give a fuck about comfort or safety.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

The vicious cycle process goes a little bit something like this.

I get anxious, in this case about having dental work done.

Instead of opening when I inhale, my vocal cords close.

Feeling like I can't take a good breath makes me feel more anxious.

The more anxious I feel, the more intense the focus on my breath becomes.

I start to feel like I'm choking, which makes me feel even more anxious.

The anxiety builds to the point where I have a panic attack.

Benzodiazepines (I swear I will never be able to spell this word properly), which are what dentists typically prescribe for anxiety, either work paradoxically on my contrary nervous system, elevating my heart rate and causing panic attacks (most benzos) or the amount of adrenaline coursing through my body overwhelms them and they don't work at all (diazepam). 

I certainly have a restful sleep if I take diazepam, but it doesn't do jack shit to counteract my dental anxiety.

Nitrous oxide helps a little bit sort of, unless the claustrophobia prompted by the mask triggers a panic attack, which is what happened the last time I tried it.

IV sedation for dental procedures really should be covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Severe dental anxiety isn't uncommon, and it prevents people from getting the care they need. Dental health impacts the rest of the body. If people knew they could sleep through the procedure, they would be less likely to put off getting dental work done. 

I always opt for IV sedation where possible for medical procedures. Going under anesthesia scares me shitless, which is a poem for another time. Also, intubation could exacerbate my vocal cord dysfunction, and I sure as hell don't need that.

Dee Snider wrote Under the Blade because being anesthetized and having surgery sucks. The clowns of the PMRC decided the song was about bondage and rape, but at the end of the day, that's all right. The Parental Advisory stickers ended up being a joke, increasing the sales of "naughty" albums. This is exactly what John Denver predicted would happen.

"That which is denied becomes that which is most desired, and that which is hidden becomes that which is most interesting. Consequently, a great deal of time and energy is spent trying to get at what is being kept from you." --John Denver

Like John Denver, I am vehemently opposed to censorship.

I'm feeling mighty generous today, Folks. Here's the 2002 VH1 docudrama depicting the PMRC hearings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZRS6Avu0cg

~Ornery Owl Has Freely Spoken~

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

“It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.”

― George Orwell, 1984

Rituals

 

In Holy Smoke by Chinh Le Duc

I miss my rituals

though I am unsure

they amounted to anything.

I miss having something to believe in

but I can't accept

rigid dogma

notes

Today's Haiga-esque creation was inspired by the following prompt.

https://experiencewriting.com/2023/10/02/oct-2-prompts-what-are-your-creative-rituals/

I'm not following these prompts to the letter. You can if you wish, but I'm not up to it. 

Text art and effects were added to the base image using Pixlr. You are welcome to share my Haiga thing, but please credit Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl if you do. A link back to this blog would also be nice.

Most of the time I let my poetry speak for itself, but sometimes I've got to pop off. This is one of those times.

You're welcome to believe, not believe, or not be sure of what you believe. I have no interest in making others be or think like me. We have all experienced different things both in this life and potentially whatever lives we had before. You are not me and I am not you.

I wouldn't wish some of the things I've gone through on my worst enemy. I understand that other people's experiences may not have been as contentious so they may not get where I'm coming from. I don't ask you to agree with me, I ask you to try and understand rather than attacking or arguing.

I'm not interested in debating you. If your beliefs serve you well, good on you. Don't try to convince me that I must believe as you do. I don't take well to proselytizing. Conversely, I'm also not keen for acerbic atheism. By this I mean I don't much care for those who mock anyone with spiritual beliefs.

I'm a devout agnostic. I've seen some shit, and most of the time I think there is something of ourselves that continues after the death of the body. I have no irrefutable proof of this, but the idea of absolute nothingness and the idea of a punitive paternal figure who sends anyone who doesn't worship him properly to eternal hell are both incredibly depressing. Since moderate depression is my baseline state, I find it's better if I have something to sort of believe in, and it's best if that thing isn't a sadistic parental figure.

I was a devout Catholic until I turned 18. After that, I fell into New Age philosophy for about 25 years. I found no peace there because I discovered that New Ageism holds to the same old my way or the highway philosophy as other major religions, it just puts an esoteric spin on the dogma. 

During my New Age phase, I spent thousands of dollars to end up feeling worse about myself. The movement is rife with toxic positivity and victim blaming. New Ageism is poison for anyone with a history of trauma as well as for those living with chronic health issues. 

New Age thinking postulates that people bring all their problems on themselves by sending out the wrong energy or not believing in themselves enough. This is just prosperity gospel repackaged. Prosperity gospel preaches that bad things happen to people who don't pray the right way or tithe enough of their earnings to their local megachurch, Joel Osteen, or whoever the latest shiny veneered grinning face of prosperity gospel may be.

I recommend following @JoelDongsteen on Twitter--excuse me, X. At least you'll get a good laugh during this lifetime, and the joviality you feel may even follow you into the afterlife.

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

Not Evergreen + Bonus Poem (Fear)

 

Fallen leaves by Kristian Seedorff on Unsplash

heart not evergreen

if a soul is not nurtured

its dreams fall away

notes

The Haiga was inspired by a prompt from Carpe Diem Haiku.

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/11/carpe-diem-38-green.html

Text art was added to the base image using Pixlr. You are welcome to share the Haiga, but please credit Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl if you do. A link back to this blog would also be appreciated.

We are now at the end of our 30 Days of Haiga project for 2023. 

I don't know if there will be an OctPoWriMo this year. 

https://octpowrimo.blogspot.com/

Grammarly wants to correct OctPoWriMo to tapeworm, to which I can only say:

Maria Berg will provide prompts on her site, so if that sounds interesting, I encourage you to check it out.

https://experiencewriting.com/

Here's a bonus poem just for all six of my readers.

Fear by Alex Mihu on Unsplash

afraid of the dark

afraid of the light

afraid of death

afraid of living 

afraid of the unknown

afraid I know too much

Fear stands for Fuck Everything and Run

sometimes I do that

other times I say fuck fear

what the hell do I have to lose?

more notes

As above, so below. Text art and effects were added to the base image using Pixlr. You are welcome to share my picture poem (I don't think I can call it a Haiga) but please credit Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl and maybe provide a link back to this blog. Gracias!

https://odysee.com/@FullAlbum:7/Ben-Howard:5?r=GTwnGJ4fFBQfzuJgpHVpfKBKaC9b8B16

I want to share this wonderful music with you. The details about the album are from Wikipedia. I hope you enjoy it.

Is It? is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Ben Howard, released on 16 June 2023 via Island Records.

The album was created before and after Howard suffered two transient ischaemic attacks in 2022. The strokes, which affected his memory and speech, influenced Howard's songwriting on the album. Created with DJ-producer Nathan Jenkins (aka Bullion), the album features a distinctly electronic leaning. Glitches and loops populate the mix alongside "radiant" guitar ripples. The album combines treated vocals and atmospheric drum machines, to "create the story" of Howard's experience. The opening track playfully recalls this experience. The interlude "Total Eclipse" features manipulated language to render the effect.

The album was recorded at Le Manoir de Léon in Léon, Landes, France; and at Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire, England.

The lead single from the album, "Couldn't Make It Up", was released on 20 April 2023, with the album announced the same day. A second single "Walking Backwards" was released 19 May 2023. The third single, "Life in the Time", was released on 7 June 2023.

Benjamin John Howard (born 24 April 1987) is an English singer songwriter, musician and composer. His self-released debut EP Games in the Dark (2008) was followed by two more EPs, These Waters (2009) and Old Pine (2010). Signed to Island Records, his debut studio album came in 2011 titled Every Kingdom. The album reached number four on the UK Albums Chart and was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Howard later released two more EPs, Ben Howard Live (2011) and The Burgh Island E.P. (2012).

At the 2013 Brit Awards ceremony he received two awards: British Male Solo Artist, and British Breakthrough Act. He performed at 2013 Glastonbury festival on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday 29 June. He released his second studio album, I Forget Where We Were, in October 2014, peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

As of 2017, he is a member of the band A Blaze of Feather with India Bourne, Mickey Smith, Nat Wason, Rich Thomas and Kyle Keegan.

Howard's third studio album, Noonday Dream, was released in June 2018. It debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart, and received favorable reviews from music critics. His fourth album, Collections from the Whiteout, was released in March 2021. He released his fifth album Is It? in June 2023.

Benjamin John Howard was born on 24 April 1987 in Richmond, south-west London, England, and moved near Totnes, Devon when he was about eight. He was raised by musical parents who exposed him to their favourite records from singer-songwriter artists from the 1960s and 1970s at an early age, such as John Martyn, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkel, by whom he was strongly influenced.

Howard began writing songs when he was eleven. In an interview with American Songwriter, he stated that when he was a kid he started playing guitar because he liked to put words together and make stuff up. "I was quite an imaginative little kid I guess. So your standard little love songs turned into your standard adolescent love songs. I think you start getting your own take on things when you're a late teen. That's when everything changes." Besides playing the guitar, Howard also played other instruments as a kid. He easily picked up the drums and contrabass, but after some time he decided to focus on the guitar. After attending King Edward VI Community College and Torquay Boys' Grammar School he began studying Journalism at University College Falmouth. Six months prior to completion of his course, Howard decided to focus on making music full-time, making melodic rootsy folk music, with progressively darker lyrics. His reputation grew around Devon, and soon spread to other areas of the UK. After a month of sold-out dates across Europe and the UK Howard was eventually asked to sign for Island Records.

Due to his association with the town, Howard was chosen in 2014 to appear on the 10 Totnes pound note.

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Image by Chrystal Elizabeth from Pixabay

Ornery Owl is ageless and ev-er-greeeen.

Okay, maybe not ageless.

Also, possibly teal.

For those who are interested, here is the Pinterest for Writober 2023.

https://www.pinterest.com/mariaberg1213/writober-2023/

I could get myself ahead of the game by writing my horror drabbles for potential inclusion in the annual Dragon Soul Press drabble anthology, which would mean I won't be sharing them on this blog. 

Sometimes I like the way I think. But then I almost die from shock, so that might not be a good idea. 

Anyway, you should check out this year's horror drabble anthology, The Damned. It's good. It contains five of my drabbles.

http://books2read.com/DamnedDrabbles

If you're interested in submitting for potential inclusion in next year's horror drabble anthology, The Fear Doctor, here's the link to what you need to know. 

https://dragonsoulpress.com/drabblecalls/

Dragon Soul Press also publishes an annual poetry anthology and multiple short story anthologies every year. Check 'em out! Maybe one of your stories will be published next. If you submit it, that is.