Summer streams through open door,
wandering crane passes through. Dust
drift in ochre disturbs meditation. No
immortals here – fly south to Jade Peaks.
~~~
Moonlit frame, wandering fox investigates,
idles, scampers away. On waking paw prints
line the dirt. Slumber,
or some vulpin forage?
~~~
Autumn wind brings golden maple to
my empty door. I go to sweep, long
ago friend at my gate with wine. Both
of us let this moment unfurl, and unfurl.
Ashen giants turn black, yellow flash,
echo’s blast. Darkened doorway,
Dragons contest Heavenly realms.
I return to my afternoon slumber.
Roll and clatter disturb reading. By
my door an imperial carriage lost in a
confusion of pines. I tell them where to
go but they must find the way.
~~~
Morning mist ambles through open door,
sleep clouded. Awake I sweep what the
willows missed. Yellow dragonfly zips through
fog. Mind wanders – what to plant, and how.
~~~
Stream song by night, jeweled candles
drift past empty door. The town celebrates
the lantern festival, colours flow out to
sea, lights guide me home.
~~~
Forage on mist peaks. Herbs line
my basket fragrant swirls on night streams.
arriving late to find a poem
fluttering on my empty door.
Willow catkins tumble through my
door, geese prints mark first snows.
Tea smoke beckons me – later I’ll
see where the geese flew.
Clatter of ploughs tumble from water
buffalo. Trailing farmer slips, and amidst
tumbling rain and soggy robes, an invite
for tea. From my door, they graze under pines.
~~~
Our cup of wine outlasts the
Shihyu wind. Many legged dragon saunters
by, breath of fire crackers. By the open
door we laugh like five willow sages.
~~~
Inspired by a comment by K (http://manicddaily.wordpress.com/ – an excellent blog. You should go there sometime. You know, if you want to.) about how some drafts of mine seemed like different views outside a hut. So I ran with that. Again K, a thousand thank you’s to you.
Some poems that inspired me: http://skyraftwanderer.blogspot.com/2012/02/poems-of-china.html
Pictures (It’s a long one):
First picture: http://nigensha.co.jp/kokyu/en/sr10.html
Second picture: http://www.atlantisqueen.com/front-page/2011/12/26/animal-totems-the-fox.html
Third picture: http://noemata.net/1996-2002/680.html
Fourth and Tenth picture: http://www.art-virtue.com/painting/history/sung/sung.htm
Fifth picture : http://history.cultural-china.com/en/50History9366.html
Sixth picture: http://yeahverygood.com/Chinese-Scroll-Painting-Butterfly-Flowers-by-Ma-Quan-1002.html
Seventh picture: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2011-02/15/content_12018825.htm
Eighth picture: http://www.chinaonlinemuseum.com/painting-tang-yin-landscape-5.php
Ninth picture: http://www.xabusiness.com/china-resources/ming-dynasty-paintings-3.htm
Eleventh picture: http://www.5d8z.com/dragon/ChineseDragons.htm
These are beautiful haiku – each one acting like a window into yourmind and the nature that surrounds you. The illustrating pictures are absolutely lovely, but your words so well chosen, I find that the mental images your words create are even more vivid than the pictures. For some reason the willow catkins and traveling geese was my favorite of so many which had me oohing and ahhing. Maybe the contrast between smooth flowing, whispering willow reeds and waddling, honking geese caught my imagination with humor, delight and serenity. Nice work!!
Thank you for the comment.
If my words are standing alone now, that’s very pleasing. I’ll still use the pictures though. Like them too much not too.
Buddy this is a good orientalist poem, I guess. I like this very much. Lines and imagery are so powerful. Nice!
Thank you for the comment.
Yup, it’s Orientalist. Inspired by Chinese poems and poets. Hopefully one day I’ll be a quarter as good as they were. In fact I’d settle for one tenth.
Brilliant. The images are so specific and vivid, but at the same time so suggestive of magic and otherness.
Thank you for the comment.
When I run through these, I do think of those landscape pictures. And who really knows what occurs in those misted valleys and peaks.
Very good, skyraft– You’re amazing, continually original and unique with your words…
You know, I get it good every once in a while.
This pulled me in and I wanted to read on – a lovely rhythm and sense of travelling through the poem.
Thank you for the comment.
I may be writing more of these. The open door leaves lots of possibilities.
I’m so glad you came by to visit. Your hut is AMAZING. I really enjoyed the journey through the writing and paintings. I really enjoyed the herb gathering and catkins and geese poems. *sigh* I really like them all. They’ll be even better a second time with a cup of that tea you mentioned.
i feel like i have journeyed the day with you capturing little snippets along the way…the unfurling by the door, loved…
There’s probably lots of things that happen outside of doors. I’ll have to pay attention from this point onwards.
Thank you for the comment.
I also like the catkin one. Just because I got to use the word catkin. It’s so wonderful.
And tea is an amazing thing. Should be drank at all times.
Well, here’s a big thank you to K for inspiring such a wonderfully penned and beautifully depicted journey. This is quite honestly, fantastic! Very much enjoyed 🙂
Thank you for the comment.
It’s fun seeing how many times one idea can be repeated. It’s a lot of fun. May do some more. No right now, but some time.
A great journey !
Thank you for the comment.
On occasion, I have my moments.
Very glad you chose this one for dVerse tonight. It deserves multiple viewings. 🙂
It got some views. Which is nice.
I really enjoyed reading the words whilst drawing from the pictures. For me this felt like an abstract journey through the seasons. Every time the door opened , whether it be night or day, a new element could be seen heard, or touched. Loved the form , made for a lovely flow that had my eyes falling for the next line.
Thank you for the comment.
I’m happy the concept of change showed in these. And the comment about flow is pretty nifty. I just wrote 11 poems. To see them come together like this is pretty great.
a lovely interpretation of the images combined ~ Rose
Thank you for the comment.
The images have become more involved over time. Mainly because it’s so much fun to find them.
Why bother taking aim before a slender arrow is loosed, just so?
No fear of failing to conjure this ephemeral world.