I have been practicing some 31-syllable poetry called Waka.  It is really neat form of Japanese poetry. I just wanted to share some with you all. :)  This was todays verses on the weather:

Cold rains mare the day
The sun hides her face behind
a gray fan of clouds
Dreary skies weep icy tears
that wash away winters snow

I like it.  Thanks Lisabelle

PreciousLocks Thanks! http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/9971/encore.gif

Very nice!

Pretty!  I can see it in my mind as I read it.  Burrrr!

I like it too! :)

Oh, that's really nice :D Great job Lisabelle :)

I agree with Sakina, you're making me cold! :)
I like it. It's a nice rhythm
Meg

Oh my!  Thanks everyone!!  here is another I did one the really windy night we had. Picture a girl in long flowing kosode,sitting on the tatmai floor of her room alone in the dark...

A cold windy night.
Crowded beside my brazier,
embracing it’s warmth.
Dark clouds race across the moon
Trees thrash the air like demon wings

I think I see you running out of the gate with this!!  Great job!  I really like it :) ;D

Thanks Curlygirl64  ;D  I have been writing poetry on and off for years.  Waka is new to me though and I find it very addictive. ::)

You're good at it ;D I can see why it's addictive!

Your poems really paint a picture in my mind.  Wonderful!

Curlygirl64, Silvermaine Thanks so much! http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/950/curtsey.gif

Keep'em coming :)  Not to rush you or anything.....when the "creative juices" start flowing,we're listening..... ;D

Very nice!  It's amazing how something as few as 31 syllables can still make you see and feel the scene.

Thanks everyone :D  Here's a romantic one.  Picture this, a man comes to woo a women who plays a Koto late one night, he answers with his flute.

Stillness of the night
My fingers pluck a soft note
It floats on the breeze
A sweet scent comes to my nose
The note of a flute answers

Very nice :)

wrote on Mar 20^th, 2006 at 4:17pm:

Very nice :)

Thanks!  :)

Here's one that is a reply to another. It speaks of the short life of a warrior (bushi) compared to cherry blossoms who bloom and die quickly.

Swift and short it is,
the service of a bushi.
Blossoms speak their tale
like drops of blood on the snow.
Tears stain my sleeves – life so short

Very deep...I like it :)

wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2006 at 9:27pm:

Very deep...I like it :)

Thanks! it was a responce to another  poem from a different board.  it was started with the cherry blossoms and I add the samurai idea to it.

Ah,the cherry blossoms.the samurai.  Speaking of which,did you see Memoirs of a Geisha?  Very good movie......I really liked it.

wrote on Mar 28^th, 2006 at 7:59pm:

Ah,the cherry blossoms.the samurai.  Speaking of which,did you see Memoirs of a Geisha?  Very good movie......I really liked it.

Thanks curlgirl64!  Yes I did see Memoirs, I read the book years ago and loved it.  I just got a copy to watch again night. ;D

I got the book,too,but still haven't read it.  Some say the book is different and better than the movie.  When I can get the movie on DVD I'll add it to my collection. :)

The book and the movie are very different in many ways. Alot of changed scenes and things left out as well.  I am going to by the DVD too! ;D

And now for a bit of Heian romance. When a man stays the night it is proper for him to leave before dawn discreetly so the womens honor is not tarnished.  But sometimes they linger on...

Waking to a sound
Morning light peeks through my screen
He is still asleep
But not a sound does he make
Only the mourning doves coo

At last he awakes
I turn away from him, annoyed.
Heartfelt farwells said
the sun is rising higher
I wish he would not delay

Just like all the rest of your poetry,I love this one,too. :)

wrote on Apr 10^th, 2006 at 12:16pm:

Just like all the rest of your poetry,I love this one,too. :)

Thank you! Arigato gozaimasu!  :D

;)

This poem reflects a story I wrote long ago about a warrior god named Hikaru (shining one) who comes to earth in human form from the heavens to defeat an evil foe on earth called Ankoku (darkness).  Here his human lover laments over his defeat.

Silent battlfield
My bushi is defeated.
Cold tears stain my sleeves
as blossoms fall to the ground,
to mingle with rain and blood

And just for a visual, this is a drawing I did of the character. it was done on a program called a Oekaki, drawing with a mouse on-line.  ::)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a90/Lisabunnie/acherredo.jpg

You are soooo talented!  Excellent!

Thanks BB!!! 8)

Great job! :)

Thanks Curlygirl64 ;D

Here are some romance waka's between the character I mentioned pervious and his human lover Mya.

Hikaru:

A gentle flower
Filled with the life of springtime
My heart weakens so
For the rarest of blossoms
Who is so close to me now.

Mya answers:

A prince or angel,
Whose name is the shining light.
What comfort you are,
here in my garden of dreams
Where my cheeks glow pink with joy

I'm still smiling :)  Very nice work :)

Thanks! ;D

Heres one that speaks of hunting with a underlying message, can you guess the true meaning??

Arrows fly like birds
Hoof beats rush across the snow.
The hind dashes on
The hunter pursues his charge
All is silent in the trees

Now where has she gone?

Makes me think of a fox hunt.  I'm not sure of the underlying message,but "sly like a fox " comes to mind.....

wrote on Apr 21^st, 2006 at 4:48pm:

Makes me think of a fox hunt.  I'm not sure of the underlying message,but "sly like a fox " comes to mind.....

Almost  ;D  On the surface it's a hunting scene but underneath it a man pursing a shy and crafty women. ::)  The arrows are him wooing her, the hoof beats is he comes to her house and yet she advades him. Neat aye?

I was wondering if you had a request, a subject you would like a poem on?  This goes for everyone as well as it helps me practice.  Thanks!  ;D

Very cool! 8)  As a matter of fact I do have a request.  Something for lovers,cherry blossoms and eternal love.  How does that help your creative juices?? ;)

Great!  I'll get working on it! ;D

Curlgirl64, here we go I hope you like it! ;D

We live in a dream.
Nothing could part our souls, nay.
Together, so close.
Cherry Blossoms on the wind
dance to our eternal love.

Thank you so much,it's beautiful;I love it! :) ;D

wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2006 at 10:19pm:

Thank you so much,it's beautiful;I love it! :) ;D

I'am so happy you like it!  ;D http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/9971/encore.gif

:) ;D ;D

Here a sad one about a lover who had broken contact with his lady.

A fan hides my tears
Flowers wither in a vase
The ink stone sits dry
My brush silent, unmoving
Old letters lie in the dust

Shall I ever hear from you again?

Sad,but I really like that.  I can picture this scene and it's stirring....

wrote on Apr 26^th, 2006 at 6:23pm:

Sad,but I really like that.  I can picture this scene and it's stirring....

Thank you, I so happy you like my Waka's :D  Here's another one.

The Caller

Many letter you send
Carriage always at my gate
Intentions too bold
Riches and wealth you do flaunt
My coldness you try to turn

The gate will not open so easily sir.

Ooohh I like that one,too! ;D  I can see this lady is not so easily woo'd.  She'll give that suitor a run for his money!!

wrote on Apr 27^th, 2006 at 11:00pm:

Ooohh I like that one,too! ;D  I can see this lady is not so easily woo'd.  She'll give that suitor a run for his money!!

Hee heee ^o^!!

Here's one I did after a walk in my backyard, of which, is part of a wildlife park.


The outing

Spring time in the marsh.
Cattails dance on the warm breeze.
A bird’s nest I seek
among the tangled rushes.
Yet a fox blocks my path there

He scampers closer
to the nest, Blackbirds take flight,
calling to there mates
in high pitch trills overhead,
waking a slumbering owl.

I follow to see
if the trickster will succeed.
Parting the reeds I hear a peep.
In there nest the tiny chicks
are unharmed, the fox is gone.

Perhaps the fox god spared them for me?

Very very nice!! ;D

Thanks!  ;D

I am currently working on some more and will I have one for Curlygirl real soon!  8)

Thank you ;D  I've been missing my daily fix of "alittle poetry anyone" ;D ;D

Here's the one for Curlygirl  ;)

Once more in your arms
Many years have passed me alone
Moon grows old and white
And so have we, but our love
Is still young and fresh like spring

and here's a sad one, the lady has waited too long and has become a nun (grey sleeves)

With each passing moon

Sad autumn nights, alone
Give way to winters chill air
My sleeves turn to grey
The clouds of spring weep with me
I have wondered where you were

oh perfect!!! :) thank you! I love both of them!  When will you be published??????

Curlygirl. Thanks so much! I really enjoy writing these and am happy you like them. http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/b/coolgleam.gif

I do!  There are a nice thing for me to do at anytime of the day is to sit and read your poetry and reflect! :)

wrote on May 15^th, 2006 at 1:53pm:

I do!  There are a nice thing for me to do at anytime of the day is to sit and read your poetry and reflect! :)

;D I'am so happy you like them. If there's anymore you would like just let me know! ;D

Whenever the creative moment hits you is fine by me!  I'm always listening ;D ;)

;D

Here's one that shows how lovers courted each other in Heian times.  The men would come discreetly to the lady at night and they would play music to each other.  

Stillness of the night
My fingers pluck a soft note
It floats on the breeze
A sweet scent comes to my nose
The note of a flute answers

;D :)

Thanks!  ;D

Here's some more I wrote last night the first on talks about the problems I have and the second is about the squirrels who live in my roof.

Autumn skies grow dark
a chill in the air
minds struggle for peace
held tight in the dragons teeth
no balance in the darkness

Squirrels work the ground
nuts and seeds they do sow
within my empty garden
well hidden till spring time comes
were they will be found once more

Beautiful and soothing.  Right now my life is reflective of the first poem.  Thank you, Lisabelle.

Ah,yes that's what has been missing!  A little poetry!  Thanks Lisabelle!

Curlygirl, Sakina, Thank you so much!  :-* I've been doing alot of contemplating and placing it into verse helps me understand my emotions.   Doing the tea ceremony helps as well.  I also found meditation classes at my local library!  There on tuesday nights for an hour and a half and are done by and East Indian teacher from the local temple, he is amazing! The classes are free to libaray card holders or 10 bucks a class, however, if you don't have money they will let you join anyway. :) And the best part is the library is 10 mins walk away!

Meditation classes, lucky you, and how nice is it to have them so close!!   And the walk to and from can also be meditative.  I love peaceful walks alone where I can just think.  

I was thinking again about the tea ceremony as well.  I told you that I felt it would be difficult for me to do because there are so many steps but now, I can see how the ceremony could be beneficial in cultivating patience.  It seems that you're on the right track ;)

I hope so! :) ::)

Lucky you Lisabelle,I wish there was something like that here!  I just do my own reiki,meditation and yoga, when I feel "off".  Getting the atunements and proper certifications gave me an insight to things that the regular person who enjoys those things may not be aware of yet.

Curlgirl64 wrote on Oct 10^th, 2006 at 5:03pm:

Lucky you Lisabelle,I wish there was something like that here!  I just do my own reiki,meditation and yoga, when I feel "off".  Getting the atunements and proper certifications gave me an insight to things that the regular person who enjoys those things may not be aware of yet.

We have a large east indian population here and they have lots of classes and stuff. 8-)  I love yoga and tie chi.  I do my tie chi from a video or from a TV show.  The TV show has lots of Marital Arts in it like kicking and fighting with swords.  I just sit that stuff out! ::) I did try some exceises with my katana but I wound up with sore wrists and broken knicknacks!
[smiley=lolk.gif]

oops! for the broken stuff!  Those wrists sure do let you know when they are sore though!! :P

Oh yeah did they hurt! :P The katana is a heavy sword and not for indoor use! (silly me) ::)

Oh well,we sometimes learn either the hard way or just by having that "aha" moment!
But ya had fun(atleast I hope ya did) and had an experience,no?

Heheh! Yes I did! ;D

;)

Early morning Waka..


Still in my futon
Night leaves the skies with the mist
The suns warming glance
Tries to wake me from my rest
Dreams drift in a bowl of tea

And now a little something Goth....

TORPOR

Deep in the darkness I wait
Lost in the grasp of an eternity
Swallowed in a silent scream
Alone in the vast, unforgiving darkness of the soul
Sitting at the fringe of madness
Hand in hand with death
Waiting for the hour
That precious hour
When I will be released from this waking hell
To join my lover of the night
In the feast of blood and life.
  http://smilies.sofrayt.com/aiw/vampire.gif

Ah,now that's what's been missing!!!!!!  Thank you Lisabelle for the poetry!! :)

Cheers! :)