Two Haiku (not really, I just liked the rhyme—but it is a short post)

This post is part of ThinkKit by SmallBox.

January 8, 2016 prompt:   “Communal Circles:   What new circles have you formed? Any unexpected ones? Did you start a book club or hang out in a tea yurt? Maybe you re-upped with existing friends. Explore your kumbaya moment from 2015.”

Two Haiku (not really, I just liked the rhyme—but it is a short post)

I had a lot of fun with my tongue -in-check response for the post yesterday—just shy of 2,500 words of fun. The post today is much shorter.  I’ve written two 5-7-5 verses (not true haiku because , although they have the requisite meter, are not capitalized, not punctuated, and not titled,  they don’t imply a seasonal turning point).   

The first 5-7-5 verse is about the bane of my existence—techy stuff. I’m determined to learn and conquer this stuff. Even if it kills me—and it very well may. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing on line. I think I need to befriend an 8-year old to be my own personal tech support, because it's here to stay (and change faster than the speed of light).  

instagram, blogger

facebook linkin and twitter

cyber connections

The second 5-7-5 verse is about my live communal circles—the friends with whom I find relaxation and inspiration. Whether it’s at weekly card or board games, bunco, singing in the church choir,  trying new artistic endeavors for which I have no aptitude or talent, or encouraging and supporting my writer friends, each connection either calms me or pushes my creativity.

writers and artists

card and game enthusiasts

friendship therapy

Z Is For Zulu (A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015)

Today is the last day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. It’s  ze-end. I’ve read some entertaining and enlightening blogs,  and met interesting people along the way.  I’ve learned a  lot this month. Foremost:  blogging is fun, but it’s also work. It’s a challenge to come up with topics and share your thoughts and ideas (or even scarier—your feelings) every day.  I’ve met some wonderfully talented bloggers. I’ve read interesting, enlightening, and entertaining blog posts, I’ve been encouraged by others who have taken the time to drop a line or two. I’ve been exposed to a variety of blogs—the differing blog set-ups, writing styles, and personalities have given me much to consider about my own style, site, and content. It’s been a fun month of learning, and I look forward to doing this again next year. Now to capitalize on this learning and momentum...and continue to consitantly blog.

For this last blog, I wanted something profound or meaningful to blog about. The problem, as always, is what should that be? Coming up with just the right Z-word  presented itself as a puzzle, a conundrum, dare I say it…a challenge…
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Zebra, Zinger, Zaire, Zipper, Zapped, Zany,  Zither…these are just a few of the Z-words filtering through my head. But nothing spoke to me. I wanted something to represent ze-end. But I didn’t want it to be  a made up word like ze-end.  I wanted a real word.

I thought about it before I went to sleep last night, and when I awoke, I was still floundering.  Then, it hit me as I drove to work—I get hit by a lot a great ideas while I drive to work.

Zulu. Not the South African Tribe or the language—the International Radio Communication code word for the letter Z—the last letter of the English alphabet.  The only problem is:  I don’t know anything about the International Radio Communication Code, so how could I write about it?  

I did what I always do when I need information, I Googled it and found the formal name of the code is actually the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet; however, most people know it as the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Phonetic Alphabet.  By the way, since I was reading about codes, I found out the Morse Code equivalent of the letter Z is _ _ . .  (dash dash dot dot).

If I had come up with zulu as the inspiration for my last blog earlier, I might have developed a code or a riddle for today—that would be kind of fun…humm…maybe next year…. 

But this year, as the A to Z Blogging Challenge ends,  I’m in a melancholy mood, so I leave you with  my favorite poem format:  the Haiku.

Z-day Haiku

zulu day arrived
a to z blogging  challenge
end is bitter sweet

End code Haiku

dash dash dot dot is

morse code for the letter zee
simply put       ze end

This blog post is my final contribution to the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015, in which bloggers from around the world, representing every skill level and interest, blog every Monday through Saturday during the month of April, using successive letters of the alphabet as the daily inspiration.  I look forward to participating again next year—hope to see you then if not sooner!

S Is For Sleep, Short and Sweet (A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015)

Too many late nights mean the post today is short and sweet—and I can’t think of anything shorter than Haiku or Limerick—or more fun.

Sleep Haiku

presence requested
please come visit me tonight
elusive slumber

Sleep Limerick

Each night I’ve been unable to sleep.
I’ve tried warm milk and counting sheep.
Without some rest soon
I’ll go looney-tunes
And fall right off into the deep!

 

When I walked Bandit this morning I thought of a really cute Limerick—but I didn’t take paper and pen—and of course it’s hiding from my mind now.

This blog post is my contribution to the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015, in which bloggers from around the world representing every skill level and interest, blog every Monday through Saturday during the month of April, using the letters of the alphabet as their inspiration. Tomorrow is T,  and as usual,  I'm clueless as to what I might write about....

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

 

 

H is for Haiku! (A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015)

I love Haiku. I don’t really know how to write it, but that doesn’t stop me from writing it—albeit badly.  Maybe I enjoy trying to form complete images in exactly 17 syllables because I’m usually too wordy.

My rudimentary understanding of Haiku is this:

Haiku is a Japanese art form made up of 17 on or morae (word symbols) which paint a sensory picture of a moment, or evoke a poignant feeling, which usually involves nature or a seasonal reference. Typically it includes a juxtaposition of two differing images which leads to a kireji (cutting word or turning point) that evokes a realization of how they relate to one another.  The break is usually after the second stanza; however, can be after the first.

The English speaking form of Haiku is a poem of 17 syllables, typically divided into three stanza composed of 5-7-5 syllables respectively.  English Haiku is frequently non-rhyming, and is not as strict at involving nature.  It uses no punctuation or capitalization, and it may or may not have a title.

I usually don’t involve nature. I also may or may not express idea juxtaposition. I frequently am happy just to have whittled the idea down to exactly 17 syllables.  In the truest sense of the word, I do not write Haiku. I write pseudo-haiku.

Just for fun, here is my pseudo-Haiku on what I take away as the composition of English Haiku…

 

juxtaposed word art

five seven five syllable
idea fusion