Thought Prints

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'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 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 #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 wa...

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 .

Tan Renga Wednesday (5) White Crane Today's challenge from our host at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai is to use the following: "The haiku I (Chèvrefeuille our host) have chosen written by Kikaku is one of his most beautiful haiku in my opinion. He wrote it to comfort Basho in his last days of his life:" how I wish to call a white crane from Fukei, but for this cold rain. © Kikaku yet here is one white quill write away death's dark hold © petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for his consistent faith in us poets.

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Wednesday (4) crystal dewdrops (hineri / with a twist) distant lightning reflect on storm clouds rainy night delight                             (petra domina) pink morning glory in full bloom covered with crystal dewdrops                         © Chèvrefeuille If you enjoy haiku and other forms of Japanese poetry be sure to visit: CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI

Carpe Diem #1755 Sheperd's Purse (1st anniversary prompt) Inspiration haiku from our host, Chèvrefeuille, as we begin a month celebrating seven years of the Carpe Diem Haiku Kai . yoku mireba nazuna hana saku kakine kana looking closely: a shepherd’s purse blossoming beneath the hedge © Matsuo Basho (Tr. Barnhill) in the shadow filled with seeds of hope shepherd's purses © petra domina

Carpe Diem #1677 Troiku Month (6) Chasing A Fly I need for you to go read the original challenge post to fully appreciate the genius of Chèvrefeuille.  He has been my inspiration and guide in the way of haiku.  Thanks be to Chèvrefeuille. Challenge haiku: chasing a fly in silent meditation mode eyes fixed © Chèvrefeuille ------------------------------------------------ About 4 decades ago we were sitting in a restaurant with my parents and our young son.  Suddenly our son shouts, "There is a fly in my tea".  Rather than allow him to further disturb the entire restaurant, we all shushed him.  But there was no shushing this young man.  In even a louder voice he yells, "No, really, THERE IS A FLY IN MY TEA."  This time I responded I would get him a new glass of tea.  That calmed him.  If only as a mom I had remained calm and addressed the real problem, a fly in his tea, there would have been no further interruptions. chasing...

Carpe Diem #1481 Coffee Break found on Tumblr In the small farming community near my Hubby's home town coffee was served year round.  I was befuddled by this as I was from the 'iced sweet tea' drinking south.  Never did I see coffee served to the field hands during summer months, always water with that huge chunk of ice.  When I asked Uncle Pete why they drank coffee instead of a cool drink his answer was quick.   "A hot drink makes it feel cooler outside." that aroma floating on the summer breeze signals break time ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1480 Sound Of Wind gusty wind whispers an empty promise of rain ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1365 Silk with nimble fingers fine silk cloth is woven the sash is loosened hands trembling frenzied anticipation ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1364 Tian Shan Mountains (Northern route) Tian Shan Mountains (image found on Pinterest) mountain winds singing heavenly songs blowing a wish ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1352 Horaizan (a Japanese Fairy-tale) Special CDHK Logo for the 2nd part of January 2018 sadness sets sails east of east called by change held by youth's grip humanity squanders ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1347 Theme Week ep.1 The First Voyage of Sindbad adrift saved by chance fortune of grace  ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1340 The Story of the first Old Man and of the Hind This month we are exploring the stories of the Arabian Nights.  Click the title at the top to read the inspirational text. blemished hind sight ©    petra domina Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI  

Carpe Diem #1270 desert travellers (Karunesh) weary camels rest sparks spiral skyward day's warmth retreats  skirts whirl through dreams to the music of the desert ©    petra domina To hear the music that inspired this post click here .  The music is toward the end of the post.  A facinating article about desert nomads making a yearly trek is here . Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI