Thought Prints

The Cool Air  lookouts of old sitting above the low trees semi-arid landscape Living on one of the highest points in our small city yields a very nice view.  The land falls away down a hill to an ancient trail.  This geography affords a view across several miles.  Sitting in my new favorite chair my gaze is drawn to a distant water tower.   teasing clouds playful dragons mock the earth farmers hope Beyond that tower are more miles of gently rolling earthscape.  Some of the area is sprouting homes, some is still fertile farmland.   Farmland bare following harvest.  Tilled and prepped with the promise of another year's crops.  Winter wheat is already planted needing rain to encourage growth. the blue sky now empty of the morning clouds fall in the cool air Continuing to set new highs for each day, the climate is not cooperating with the farmers.  Clouds form then clouds fly away,  Hope lost for the gentle water to nourish the earth's thirst.  But for this day the air is cool givi

oh the joy jasmine wafts on the breeze soul full That haiku was written in April, 2020.  In this year dominated by a worldwide pandemic the memory of the scent of jasmine brings comfort.  Doing what a mother does so well, nature nurturing. Anjali mudra breathing deeply peace Free write to spill out all the tangled thoughts.  Love, sadness, loss, fear, joy, excitement, dejection, failure, achievement all mixed in the whirlwind called life.  Diaphramic breathing brings prayerful calmness. worries written on parchment dissolve in flames Is the devil in the details or in the worry of things we cannot change?  Things that brush against our lives that leave stains on our thoughts, is that the devil?  Will I let go of the worries in the flames? sunrays in the arms of angels peace   

Three different types of rocks are on this blue orb.   Metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks are the types with the later being formed by the cooling of the liquid center of the earth. trickling waters smoothing the rock's edge languid eyes dreaming of creation rocks hold to eternity © petra domina

sitting in my empire buzzer on a clothes dryer acts like an umpire calling me out at home pray Ruth does not retire though some for that conspire the Constitution is on fire the orange cheeto just brays once reporters could inquire and not be called a liar droves continue to expire government giveaways the crow sits on a tire child's kite flies even higher secret deals still transpire the markets are up today siting in my empire news stations are for hire I'll never call him Sire he's an irritable bowel syndrome © petra domina

Endless searching till I thought I'd die Suddenly into the space my muse does fly.. How I have missed you, my sweet muse. Now I just search for the words to use. Welcome back my muse, my friend. Your warmth and presence inspires to no end. Please, stay for more than a little while. Write me a poem to make folks smile. Will it be about a hawk up in the sky? Just help me be inspired to once more fly How I have missed you, my sweet muse. In this space an embrace I sure could use. © petra domina

Spring storms have passed through the last few days.  Those storms have left behind an abundance of puddles.  Even in the open hallway outside some of the apartments.  The five level parking garage had its share of the puddles.  These puddles are not full of mud though there is plenty of pollen.  Pollen washed from the air and surfaces is just another harbinger of spring. Today is Resurrection Sunday celebrated by Christians.  With the clearing skies and nice breeze my early walk was a celebration of renewed life.  The feeling of childlike joy filled me as I listened to the birds singing.  The feel of the breeze through my hair.  With a Betty Boop face mask I embraced the childlike feelings.  I walked through every puddle that was in my path. spirits splashing in puddles rebirth © petra domina

Today, April 8 is my BFF's birthday.  Reba Jane's grandmother and my grandfather were brother and sister therefore we are cousins.  We have been friends from our days as toddlers.  We wandered creeks together.  We sat under trees in the fence row eating like queens.  Sandwiches made with white bread, plenty of mustard and bologna.  Maybe a cookie or banana for dessert.  On the birthday wish phone call we drifted through a few memories.  We spoke of current events.  Mostly we just felt the love of a lifelong friendship float between us.  Some things do not have to be spoken. gauzy curtains fluttering in the spring breeze soundless wave © petra domina

Carpe Diem #1808 LOVE acrostic challenge Dodoitsu is a form of Japanese poetry developed towards the end of the Edo Period. Often concerning love or work, and usually comical, Dodoitsu poems consist of four lines with the syllabic structure 7-7-7-5 and no rhyme or metre. An example of a Dodoitsu: One Night one night I searched for a star what I found was a full moon now my every day is full of shooting stars © Ben Gieske (2012) R ing on her finger says married O verjoyed with life ahead S urprised by a gift so large E dger not listed! © petra domina Thanks to our faithful teacher, Chèvrefeuille, for new and different challenges to improve and expand our writing skills.  Namaste.

Carpe Diem #1809 Wedding Bells Today's challenge is to write a choka.  Here is our host's explanation: "The choka can be of almost any length, because its form depends on alternating phrases (or lines) containing either seven of five sound units (onji). The end of the poem is signaled by two lines of seven sounds. So the form is five/seven, five/seven, five seven, .... , seven/seven." when my love is near the sight of him fills my heart my soul is engulfed with the love seen in his eyes my life is better because of his presence now rapture in his finger's touch © petra domina Thank to Chèvrefeuille for his dedication to haiku and this Kai!

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Wednesday #11 family tombstone Five years ago this very morning my mother died.  I had spent the night with her at the new nursing home we had just moved her to the previous day.  She was not happy.  Due to loss of eyesight in one eye, falling and breaking a wrist in less than 5 weeks she developed delirium.  She was still enough of herself that as we were getting her ready for bed she made one statement.  "I am gonna get up and walk right out of this place by morning."  Around 7 AM I left to get a cup of coffee and stretch my legs.  When I returned her life force was gone.  adding father’s name to the family tombstone with room for my own © Nicholas Virgilio saints gather to greet arrivals she ran to Dad's arms © petra domina

Carpe Diem #1804 New Beginnings ... candlelight instantly flaming candles fill the sky a new year instantly warm lips meet melting the cold flaming candles fill the sky smoke fills the air stars obscured a new year corks pop as flutes clink a sea of people © petra domina To anyone who stops by for a read the following was the challenge for today's work: "Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers, Yes ... another episode of our wonderful Kai, because I was late with our Monday episode, "snowdrops". Today I love to challenge you two times. I love to challenge you to create a "fusion-ku" with two given haiku and to create a Troiku with your new "fusion-ku". I have chosen two haiku by Jane Reichhold extracted from her online Saijiki "A Dictionary of Haiku", section New Year. Here are the two haiku to work with: a new year rising from wild seas a few stars filling the glass with candlelight champ

Carpe Diem #1802 New Beginnings ... without beginning Deathpoem by Shinsui (* - 1769) beginning first steps final breath © petra domian

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Wednesday #10 such a cold night kazuki fusu futon ya samuki yo ya sugoki lying down with quilts over the head such a cold night © Basho (Tr. Jane Reichhold) curled into his warming hold memories of young love unfold © petra domina

Carpe Diem #1801 New Beginnings ... first cry cold sparrows huddle dream of spring and  building nest hatchling's first cry  © petra domina Chèvrefeuille, our host of the Japanese poetry blog, Carpe Diem Haiku Kai, challenges us with 'first cry'.  Us members of the Kai invite you to join us in learning and writing this wonderful form of poetry.  Click here to visit the blog.

Carpe Diem #1800 New Beginnings ... first leaf falling breezy morn silently first red leaf falls moon set  © petra domina Simply click on the opening line of this post and you can visit the Carpe Diem Haiku Kai challenge of the day.  Home page can be reached here .

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #112 Transformation ... sketching from life (Shiki's Shasei technique)  WYSIWYG is a computer programming term meaning What You See Is What You Get.  It seems to me that the form of writing Japanese haiku known as Shasei is basically the same thing.  To understand better read the full prompt by clicking here . Our challenge today is to take a haiku written by Shiki in the Shasei technique and make it a tanka. Sketching from life — eggplants are harder to do than pumpkins © Masaoka Shiki (Tr. Burton Watson) orange circle with shaded ribs eggplants, defined by light © petra domina Be sure to join the fun of reading and learning about this wonderful form of Japanese poetry!

Carpe Diem #1799 New Beginnings ... a huge wave (Crossroads feature) "Today I have chosen two haiku written by her ( Jane Reichhold)  and I love to challenge you to create a "fusion-ku" and with that "fusion-ku" a Troiku ... (more on Troiku above in the menu). Here are the two haiku by Jane to work with: a huge wave thundering across the beach my birthday sky-clad the new-born comes wrapped in previous lives © Jane Reichhold (extracted from the online Saijiki "A Dictionary Of Haiku", section "New Year")" pain filled wave the future is now crowned as grandma smiles pain filled wave engulfing all who stand near just breathe the future is now crowned in the pink, chubby fist mom's finger as grandma smiles dreaming of future adventures seeing the past in that face © petra domina As I read the challenge and the two haiku I thought of my husband's birth.  He is in his 80th year. 

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Wednesday (9) I ate a persimmon Today's challenge is to take a haiku, add two lines of 7 syllables each to make a Tan Renga. When I ate a persimmon The bell rung The Horyuji temple © Shiki O bāchan gathers the fruits Cookies for tomorrow's tea © petra domina Hope you will stop by Carpe Diem Haiku Kai to join in the fun of all forms of Japanese poetry.

Carpe Diem #1797 New Beginnings ... First Snow I grew up in an area that was too far south to get snow 99% of the winters.  I would hardly freeze.  Then I met a man who grew up in the hills of Missouri.  Within a few years of our marriage we moved to his home town.  Our first winter there were six weeks where the temperature never reached 32℉, 0℃.  It snowed.  We did not have a sleigh so I used a paint roller pan to pull my two year old son around our yard.  I loved the snow.  Especially the early morning quiet of a snowfall. morning breaks winter's bleakness hidden first snow © petra domina Such a great place to enjoy haiku and other forms of Japanese poetry.  Be sure to visit Chèvrefeuille's Carpe Diem Haiku Kai to see what you can learn about this unique form of poetry.

Carpe Diem 1795 New Beginnings ... Rainbow What a wonder to my mind is a rainbow.  Imagine for a moment you are the Creator of all things.  You decide to paint the sky as a promise.  You look around and all you have is water, soil, air, a bunch of planets and a star.  A star so bright that it warms the soils and turns the water into a vapor. The vapor rises.  The vapor then gets cooler and begins to form droplets.  Clouds are formed from the droplets.  Now you make the droplets get bigger and become so heavy they begin to fall back to earth.  That star is at just the perfect angle to shine on the falling drops.  Almost by magic the droplets split the light from the star into all the colors of your imagination.  An arced painting appears in the air.  Imagine. wondrous colors spread across the heavens Creator's vow © petra domina © petra domina 2019 Japanese poetry especially the haiku is such a great way to get in touch with nature.  Stop by the Carpe

Carpe Diem #1794 New Beginnings ... new born In our 1999 Jeep Wrangler Hubby, Janer and I were bouncing along the country lane one early spring day.  Top down, enjoying every bit of nature along the way.  Just on the other side of a barbed wire fence we heard a sound.  The momma cow dropped a new baby. tender grass shoots embracing the new born calf tongue's caress © petra domina One of the most inviting and helpful haiku and Japanese Poetry sites on the web is Chèvrefeuille's Carpe Diem Haiku Kai .  Come join the fun and write a few lines yourself!

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Wednesday (8) New Year's Morning New Year's morning the first day begins in the same dream © Jane Reichhold (1937-2016) awakened to reality by rockets red glare © petra domina Enjoy haiku or other forms of Japanese poetry?  Would you like to learn more about the art of haiku?  Maybe you just want to read some nice poetry.  Come on over the Carpe Diem Haiku Kai .

Carpe Diem #1793 New Beginnings ... first day of spring Living in Central Texas our winters are very mild.  Sure we have a few days below the freezing point but most days are warm or warmish.  Today on the 6th day of January we stopped for frozen custard. Customers were in their shorts playing corn hole.  It surely felt of spring. custard melts kites filling the blue sky this first day of spring sticky little fingers  point to the swallows above © petra domina Learn about the art of Japanese poetry or just enjoy the work of these participants on   Carpe Diem Haiku Kai .

Carpe Diem #1792 New Beginnings ... New Year's Day © petra domina first sun rises glassful of mulled rice wine  toasting lion dance © petra domina From our Master's original post/challenge: " The theme for this month is New Beginnings and today we start with ... New Year's Day ... Our classical haiku masters wrote a lot of haiku about New Year's Day ... here are a few examples:" it’s play for the cranes flying up to the clouds the year’s first sunrise … © Chiyo-ni the first dream of the year — I keep it a secret and smile to myself © Sho-u New Year’s Day– everything is in blossom! I feel about average. © Issa Year after year on the monkey’s face a monkey’s face © Basho New Year's eve -- through the bare branches the wind as always © Chèvrefeuille Come join in the fun of haiku at the Carpe Diem Haiku Kai .