Japanese Tanka game

[symphony]

oops! sorry!

A Letter to a Distant Friend if u please. :)

[Il Penseroso]

My lady lifted
by this note, fulfill my dreams
and sway an eager
soul by thinking this exchange
higher power met by pens.


the whir of summer Fair lights

[TheFifthElement]

Though oceans apart,
and time may separate us
our hearts beat as one.
My special friend you live in
me, as I live within you.

[TheFifthElement]

Should have read the instructions first, hey?

Sparkling fairy lights
buzzing like bees round honey
highlight fairground rides.
Yet my mind is absorbed by
the summer smell of your hair.


Next : getting caught out in a thunderstorm

[TheFifthElement]

The sky, a growling
stomach flashes with temper,
crying frustrated
tears which dampen my thin dress
exhilarating my soul.


Next : Standing on a bridge

[littlewing53]

i remember when
a big bridge stood strong and wide
concrete unyielding
breathing wet they stood alone
crying im not coming home

a walkabout

[Il Penseroso]

Cities splayed gaping
in the dark, floating windows
as I walk the street.
Neon bulbs and lonesome lamps
kill starlight, from sidewalks seen.



Persian ruggery

[Riesa]

ruggery? you are soooo out of time. :) it's great.

Rugs complex as love
and magic, can fly! Ali!
edged in sultan's hair,
seeks out oasis hidden
low under Saharan stars.


next: autumn in the mountains

[atiguhya padma]

The shine of morning
Travelling over damp grass
The leaning shoulder
Soft beneath your warm fresh feet
The crisp air seduces breath

Home after an extensive holiday

[littlewing53]

perfect cup of tea
a view, a chair with purpose
forever now waits
the many skies visited
my own today is present

encounter with a grizzly bear

[Il Penseroso]

Thanks Riesa. I truly am an old man trapped in a young man's body. My friends agree, after just having this conversation today. I sometimes wish I was born back in the day when extended similes were accepted in five line poems (Shelley would've pulled it off).

The towering lunge
that tears his angry substance
through tranquil wooded
skies, looming ferocious bark
gnarled against resting leaves.


a camera portrait (old or new)

[Riesa]

I can see it, stately, walking slow and graceful around a garden in your hose and golden slippers, a sort of Scarlet Pimpernel, entertaining ladies with lines of clever poetry. they all giggle behind their fans. ;)

how spirit can be
contained within four corners
of absolute still.
life thinly sliced, his eyes have
the same look, his face has changed.

a black mamba snake

[TheFifthElement]

A sudden movement;
pity the mouse that lingers
playful in the grass.
A sudden movement signals
a sudden end. The grass stills.


A girl in a short skirt.

[atiguhya padma]

A girl in a short skirt.
Its lasso motion captures
Me. Whirlpooling my
Thoughts. Is she wearing anything
Else? For now who cares?


A world without cliche

[symphony]

There are now no truths
To be overtly said, nor
Cruel patancies.
Cliches have faded
In the ringing absence of
Conspicuousness.


an abandoned umbrella

[Haven]

the train pulls out from
the station. The umbrella
left on the train seat.
It is raining in London
Black clouds menace overhead

watching a play at the theatre

[Pendragon]

“A horse, a horse, my
kingdom for a horse!” Richard
Third. A noble play.
One wonders about Richard’s
sincerity: his kingdom?


Lovecraft's Innsmouth

[Haven]

Innsmouth decadent
A rotting New England town
Alien life forms
Half human creatures roam here
Shadows over the landscape




Bacchaus

[TheFifthElement]

Picture the scene, a
table overladen with
fine delicacies.
Wine overflowing the cup.
The fat man grins wickedly.



An empty vase

[littlewing53]

waiting patiently
covered in dust forgotten
dreaming of wonder
my only task this one task
to hold a stunning bouquet

a child's view of a parade

[Il Penseroso]

Tippy toe and awe,
gasping as the length unfolds
heads in procession,
the staggering of faces
upturned and facing forward.


a crippled leaf.

[atiguhya padma]

A crippled leaf is
As any other leaf for
It is without limbs
Lambs may lie crippled upon
Some litter of leaves, rippling
Survivals of last autumn.

Cracked panes in a church window

[symphony]

The cracked panes in a church window

In the morning sun
The cracked edge of glass becomes
Diamond for a mo’ …
A diamond with a broken
Mother Mary in its heart.


playing football in the rain

[Pendragon]

"Six! Thirty-seven! Hut!"
"He steps into the pocket.
It's another pass, folks!
And, Carl, that pigskin is slick!"
"Tom, rain is hurting Boston..."


Bluffing with a bad hand of poker...

[barbara0207]

Behind dark glasses
eyes on the opponent's face.
No, he must not call
so I smile to scare him off.
You know, I'm all in.

Hope I got the form right, this is the first time I've done a tanka.

Next: Looking in the mirror (not liking completely what you see)

[barbara0207]

It seems this thread has become somewhat "thread-bare", which is a pity. It's probably my fault. Obviously nobody wants to write about the subject I gave. So here's a new one:

temptation

Better?

[TheFifthElement]

The glass is full, thin
trails of condensation slide,
oh so slowly down,
down. On the edge a single
drop waits for release.



Next: Sunday morning

[atiguhya padma]

The bells beautiful
In rhythm and resonance
Tell the well-worn tale
The mantra of mind control
Through pulpit propaganda

Millenarianism

[Haven]

The Bible tells us
Christ will walk again on Earth
At the end of time
Judgement day for all our souls
Will it be heaven or hell?


Transsexualism

[Pendragon]

She is so lovely,
Watch how she dances on the floor
Poetry alive.
I think I'll ask her for a dance--
Whoa! Isn't that the guys restroom?


Spanish Guitar

[TheFifthElement]

With strings vibrating
without rest, without absence
of sound or motion
he plays flamenco, and she
dances like the wind.


Next : A long train journey :)

[atiguhya padma]

Rhein, Danube, Elbe.
Popper, Wittgenstein's perfect
House. Schoenberg, Mahler,
Europe's longest steel bridge,
Musil, Kafka, Doblin, Mann

Sudoku

[TheFifthElement]

Cross-hatched squares glare an
open challenge, confident
in superior
numbers. My best efforts fail
to reveal a solution.



A muddy puddle

[Pendragon]

Would Sir Francis Drake
So eagerly spread his cloak
On muddy puddle—
For dainty Royal Tootsies,
Had he known of loss of head?


Zorro

[atiguhya padma]

A sword? A pen for
A sword. Words come easily
When you write with a
Rapier. Swords are for fools
With more ink than ideas.

Folds of earth, layers of skin

[Pendragon]

“Dust to dust.” They say
As the folds of earth receive
Layers of dead skin.
Layers of skin must contain
Essence of the folds of Earth…


First faint hint of dawn…

[TheFifthElement]

colour spills wetly
at the point where land meets air,
pooling in tones, red,
pink, orange, yellow...the stain
spreads, and dyes the edge of clouds.


The Office.

[CdnReader]

clickety clackey
banging on typewriter keys...
reach the end of your
line and the bell reminds you
to sweep the lever over.


Mathematics.

[Pendragon]

Formulas, problems,
exasperating questions—
square root of two?
Binomial Theorem? I
dream calculus equations…


The Grim Reaper

[CdnReader]

he creeps into the
back row, hidden from your view,
clutching his cloak tight
nothing but darkness prevails,
waiting the chance to take you.


Amazon

[symphony]

the river or the .com ? :D

[CdnReader]

I was thinking forest, but no matter. You pick! :D

[symphony]

i'll like to cover both then :p

A visit to this
wonderful timberland gives
mud worms thick and slick.
A visit to the other
will mean bookworms meek and sleek.

the Sistine chapel

[Pendragon]

he lay on his back,
while painting wondrous splendor,
Michelangelo’s
brush creating a masterpiece—
like God touching Adam’s finger


The Da Vinci Code

[symphony]

Through Robert Langdon,
Brown has uncovered secrets-
secret brotherhoods,
secret rites and secret lives;
All were codes, brought back to life.


Artful Dodger

[CdnReader]

Guard yer possesions,
Hold yer watch-chain very tight,
The Dodger's about,
and he's lookin' ter make you
his next unwilling victim.


"sacrifice"

[TheFifthElement]

The pain was deep,
deep and empty, silently
creeping through her soul,
It remained unspoken, drowned
in a greater pain, called love.


A white wall

[Pendragon]

The Wall white and pure—
behind it, secrets unknown:
innocence, maybe—
or the utter lack thereof—
disguised hypocrisy…

Dragon Fire

[symphony]

a seething rage has
now found a sudden outlet
in fiery outbursts
in sparks, in flames, fire in air--
wrapped-in wrath is now unleashed.

teenagers :D

[atiguhya padma]

Wonderful to browse,
Through endless leaves, fine detail,
The complex textures,
Layers of meaningful time
Brought to you by Amazon.

Fractured self

[Pendragon]

Wonder who I am?
Myriad reflections caught
In the looking glass:
Soldier, Cowboy, Indian—
Split personalities…


A chrysalis

[Il Penseroso]

From black dreams she crawls
panting forth her neon pulse
breathing with the dawn.
Spoken from consuming gauze
a syllable laced with light.



the consious unconsious

[symphony]

The conscious unconscious

There, underneath the
First strata of thoughtosphere,
Lay flickering sparks--
Too close not to feel the heat,
Too far to touch the cold mind.


inflorescence

[CdnReader]

within my lostness
i reach towards the next step
hands and feet explore
my mind expands and blossoms
i am becoming anew


grapevines

[mazHur]

my heart swings with joy
when I see little toddlers
playing happily
on the Literature Forums
with imagery of words

[symphony]

my heart swings with joy
when I see little toddlers
playing happily
on the Literature Forums
with imagery of words

Very nice. But since u have to write according to the topic given by the previous poster, would u mind dropping this to the thread for tiny poems? :)

Grapevines:
the woody body
holding the leafy branches
stayed still while the wind
kissed it; but danced in delight
the leaning tiny black pearls!

halloween

[mazHur]

thank you, Symphony, for the guidance.
I now get your point on posting according to the previous topic ,,,

here is one on "Halloween'',,,,

don't hide your faces
by seeking quarter behind
thick,plumpy pumpkins
there is no need for beauty
to feign like vegetables


Eid

[symphony]

Look! The crescent moon
amongst a cluster of stars,
showering gala
o'er the breathlessly waiting
Muslims. Hey, Eid Mubarak! :D

Tomorrow's Eid (in Bangladesh). Though I'm not a Muslim myself, I'll like to wish each and every Muslim in here a nice day tomorrow, and to those who has already had it today, I can only hope u had a nice day. :)

Back to topic, the next subj. is: Weekends gone wrong.

[mazHur]

Look! The crescent moon
amongst a cluster of stars,
showering gala
o'er the breathlessly waiting
Muslims. Hey, Eid Mubarak! :D

Tomorrow's Eid (in Bangladesh). Though I'm not a Muslim myself, I'll like to wish each and every Muslim in here a nice day tomorrow, and to those who has already had it today, I can only hope u had a nice day. :)

Back to topic, the next subj. is: Weekends gone wrong.

Hi symphony

Thanks a lot for your Eid greetings. Yes, Muslims all over the world are celebrating this great annual festival of theirs. In here (Pakistan) Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. I wonder if you knew about it before I tagged.

thanks again for your kind wishes,,,

'' It must be pleasure
meeting my love yet unseen
at the Loveland tryst
but seeing her from afar
I knew my weekends gone wrong

[mazHur]

Next: sanguinary

[mazHur]

Retry:

I do not live by
moments that evaporate
like steam in the air
life moves on like floating clouds
what if some weekends went wrong

[CdnReader]

I really love this line..... :D



thick,plumpy pumpkins


sanguinary

within the borders
of exotic Myanmar
government rejects
the will of peaceful people
blood shed in confrontation


Nobel Prize

[mazHur]

Lessing got the prize
Al gore stashed it away too
who else I don't know
but dynamite made Nobel
repent his own invention

Next: Gog Megog

[Il Penseroso]

I'll work on gut reaction to this one; I don't happen to know what the hell 'gog megog is' :)


breathing from the limbs
this foreign infestation
blips from each eye.
spiral codes whip with each flash
flaxen heros' libidos.



a flaxen hero's libido :)

[mazHur]

flaxen heros' libidos
quench his thirst for holy things
love this crusader
the fire of love will kill him
lend him some of your orgasm

orgasm

[symphony]

Hi symphony

Thanks a lot for your Eid greetings. Yes, Muslims all over the world are celebrating this great annual festival of theirs. In here (Pakistan) Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. I wonder if you knew about it before I tagged.

thanks again for your kind wishes,,,


Of course I knew! It would've veen really funny not knowing about Eid while I'm living in an Islamic country with Muslims all around me as my bestest friends. :p


stirring the body
just underneath the warm skin,
the rising of a
dreamy desire, there's a
secret sun warming the soul....

An Irish Guitar

[mazHur]

Of course I knew! It would've veen really funny not knowing about Eid while I'm living in an Islamic country with Muslims all around me as my bestest friends. :p


stirring the body
just underneath the warm skin,
the rising of a
dreamy desire, there's a
secret sun warming the soul....

An Irish Guitar

Hi
this is superb poesy. I like it.
where in globe is your tiny green speck?
chow!


come let me pluck you
let me tune you to music
let me stir your strings
let me sing a song for you
let me fall in love with you

[Il Penseroso]

topic?

[Riesa]

nvm :lol:

[mazHur]

sorry, the topic is ''freedom''

[CdnReader]

from my high aerie
may i glimpse the wanderings
of the human race
creatures that enslave others
and cry then for lost freedoms


gambling

[mazHur]

love is a gamble
you never know when it turns
like a bloody bull
and attacks you with its horns
and rips you apart


Next: arousal

[CdnReader]

a light touch of your
fingers in my soft places
breathing slow and deep
minds and hearts full of desire
bodies respond in tandem


heaven on earth

[mazHur]

you and me alone
in the valley of lovers
walking hand in hand
immersed in the sea of love
found our heaven in this world


love without sex

[TheFifthElement]

I need nothing more
than the touch of your hand, your
voice entering me,
we are joined at the soul and
there is nothing else I need.


A ladder

[mazHur]

give me a ladder
and i will paint your visage
on the moving clouds
so that when you pass by me
i can always see you smile

[mazHur]

next: smile

[CdnReader]

a smile
given freely
and without expecting
anything but warmth in return
magic


Mars

[mazHur]

a smile
given freely
and without expecting
anything but warmth in return
magic


Mars

Hey, is this short poem,,,,certainly not tanka?

the day will soon come
when lovers with their luggage
of heart-melting love
will head for the planet Mars
away from this earth

[mazHur]

sorry next: intelligence

[TheFifthElement]

This endless buzzing,
this crackle and hiss of white
noise burning my mind,
does it offer an answer
to mystery, or to death?


A bowl of white roses

[mazHur]

imagination
like a bowl of white flowers
decorates your thoughts
you can keep them fresh and fine
in coffers of your brain's shrine

[mazHur]

wow, damn this senility!

Next: shrine

[Pendragon]

erect memory
of someone who gave their all
surpreme sacrifice...
for someone without thinking
of the cost they would pay: build

Halloween

[mazHur]

the death of pumpkins
weird faces covered with masks
tell different stories
spirits, ghouls and banshees
seem to fill the atmosphere


horizon

[symphony]

halloween again? :D lol Pen, great minds think.... ;)

Horizon:

the black skyline draws
me to it, who can tell what
awaits me there, will
i be able to touch, for
once, the brilliant blue there?

A Baffled Boffin

[mazHur]

Alec Griffin
you the man in the white suit
wearing your trousers
upside down, workaholic
are you inventing something?

[symphony]

hmm and the topic for the next tanka? :)

[mazHur]

'touch'

[mazHur]

touch

,,,,,,,
let us be honest
desist from Plutonic love--
the rot of mind
feeling a flower feels fine
when plucked by hand from the twine

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,







a shoal of sardines
swims in the darkness of sea
like a silver patch
thousand bodies with one soul
just to be consumed

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Next: 'the ultimate truth'

[Pendragon]

The Ultimate Truth—
chasing mystical knowledge,
secrets forbidden—
tapping unnatural energy,
seeking the creative force…

memory

[mazHur]

flowers will dwindle
redolence will whiz away
hues and colors fade
Time's a harbinger of ruin
a freak of forgetfulness

[mazHur]

next: forgetfulness:(

[TheFifthElement]

Once I knew this hand,
its lines familiar, each
bump and mark like home.
Now the veins lead to places
unknown, my map is broken.


a discarded newspaper

[mazHur]

nothing is wasted
wood turns into papyrus
for us to write on
It is used for packing too
to be recycled


earthquake

[Il Penseroso]

like a cinch the earth
tightens, convulsing each grave
and splitting roads carved
through dust by ragged joints of
men in search of final rest.


an office

[mazHur]

all chairs and tables
arranged in a business space
to hit a bargain
from the unsuspecting clients
to make them pay for coming

fish

[Pendragon]

how a rainbow trout—
(fish have excellent eyesight!)—
mistakes a dry fly
for insects swarming nearby—
must remove fish as “brain food” …

(with a tip of the Fedora to Patrick F. McManus, my inspiration…)

Camping

[mazHur]

camping may be fun
for those who can afford time
but it is no joy
for those wretched homeless folk
whom earthquake left no shelter


cyclone

[learntodiscover]

swirls of wind lift me
forces tearing me apart
freeing me from life
from the pain within my heart
of loving and losing you

next topic: the forest

[mazHur]

there comes Robin Hood
in the form of a tiger
meowing like a cat
the Redwood forest trembles
at the sight of marching death


cherry blosoms

[atiguhya padma]

I hate those blossoms.
They remind me of churches,
Also marriages:
Imprisonment manacled
With ignorance or sorrow

Gay Pride

[mazHur]

LGBT pride
is a protest against god
for mutilating
genders into transgenders
they must go up and complain


ornaments

[Pendragon]

draped in jewelry,
how does Mr. T manage to move—
let alone swiftly
loaded down with forty pounds
of purest golden necklaces?


Question Authority

[mazHur]

I know who you are
what you are trying to say
sitting at some throne
up, up, in the seventh sky
too far, my dear, to catch me!

sarcastic

[CdnReader]

he talks in riddles
cryptic, relentless riddles
why not speak clearly?
instead of innuendo
and thinly veiled sarcasm?


China

[mazHur]

he talks in riddles
cryptic, relentless riddles
why not speak clearly?
instead of innuendo
and thinly veiled sarcasm?


China

there was a veiled world
in a wide patch of this earth
separated by
just the Great Wall of China

canada

[CdnReader]

^^^ Hmmm.... a line missing, perhaps? ;)

[CdnReader]

Bounded by the seas
on east, west, and northern shores...
between lie prairies,
tall mountains, lakes and rivers...
variety of landscapes


amusing ourselves

[mazHur]

Oh, sorry,,,forgot to add

here it is

there was a veiled world
in a wide patch of this earth
separated by
just the Great Wall of China
small eyes, flat noses, short heights


(no offense meant to anyone)

[mazHur]

how can we amuse
ourselves in long winter
of your lovely home
no heaters to warm our hearts
no comforters to comfort!

Pakistan

[CdnReader]

a troubled country
violence just begets more
violence in a
downward spiral of grasping
for political power


treading on thin ice

[mazHur]

a troubled country
violence just begets more
violence in a
downward spiral of grasping
for political power


treading on thin ice


Love does not exist
for political power
or for worldly pelf
least cares the fairy of love
dwells where angels fear to tread


beach

[Pendragon]

Spring Break! Party On!
Amusing, confusing, fun!
Girls like flashing it—
Years pass like sand falls in glass:
"Mommy! I saw your video!"

Irony

[mazHur]

I cannot believe
time and space could separate
lovers from loving
east or west do not matter
in matters of heart and soul

soul

[CdnReader]

protect this one in
softnesses of silken cloth,
emerald green and a
brightness of spiritual
wholeness, forever safe kept.

assault

[mazHur]

if you walk alone
in the narrow streets of heart
you are quite destined
to meet an angel of love
lurking to embrace you there


rape

[Il Penseroso]

Hips shaken, swerving
on the rolling disco floor:
waves in neon light.
We lean on recreated
rhythms, dance to fill the dark.


whoops, that's soul (not rape)

rape

[CdnReader]

ripping, tearing shreds
life gashed, screaming voicelessly
driving violence
a darkness of the human
soul, emotional wasteland


live fast

[mazHur]

ripping, tearing shreds
life gashed, screaming voicelessly
driving violence
a darkness of the human
soul, emotional wasteland


live fast

there's not much time left
to waste in futile babbling
let us do something
get our wishes fulfilled
make most of the time wasted



shrink

[CdnReader]

tiny bits of life
tucked into hidden pockets
of shirts and aprons
shrunk to size, determined to
fit in smallest dimensions


fraud

[mazHur]

you broke your promise
went back on your given words
you are a stone heart
how can I love a feigner
why should I give you my heart?




frivolity

[symphony]

Lately i noticed only a few of us follow this actually:

The first three lines (kami no ku) usually present an image or thought and the last two lines (shimo no ku) shift the focus to a related idea.
But the tankas sound so much better if we do. :)

Aquamarine waves
Throb one upon other, form
Fleeting silver domes…
Preposterous waves, trying
To make it look sensible.


esprit de corps

[mazHur]

Lately i noticed only a few of us follow this actually:

But the tankas sound so much better if we do. :)

Aquamarine waves
Throb one upon other, form
Fleeting silver domes…
Preposterous waves, trying
To make it look sensible.


esprit de corps

lovely:)

what's in store for us
in this world and world beyond
the present moment
is all that we have for now
let's cherish its company


finch

[Pendragon]

tiny bird sings songs
in bright guilded dulcet bars
tiny beak Darwin
noticed evolution's mark--
others notice only pets...

valor

[mazHur]

soldiers, pick your arms
march toward enemy land
teach them a lesson
so they always remember
valor shines in battle field


gossip

[Pendragon]

tongue wags on both ends--
silence forgotten golden
telephone, tell all--
certain factual you bet!
I got it from the horse's mouth!

Diva

[mazHur]

mens' hygienic needs
do not require extra kits
to protect themselves
they can move their sticks freely
bounce their balls without cups

libido

[scarlet pain]

treacherous it may
fullfills but tiresome to say.
through time and years long
decay and hopeless gestures
burned ashes remain to wail.


depression and sadness

[mazHur]

nothing is the same
nothing pleases my sad heart
flowers look so dull
clear sky seems to fall on me
with all its stars- without you

satisfaction

[TheFifthElement]

Hunger has no home
here. Lick your lips, collect the
final little drops.
Sit back, relax, without guilt.
It was for you, all for you.

war

[Pendragon]

Ares’ spear bloody,
Violet lightning glistens bright
War personified.
The Red Horse Rider with blade—
And Death and Hell followed him…


Nexus of time

[mazHur]

Einstein overlooked
the significance of time
all he thought was light
but there is something beyond
faster than light and that's Time

solar plexus

[Pendragon]

Hands up, boy, all times!
Protect that lantern-jaw, hear?
What did I say, boy?
Protect my jaw, Boss. I did.
He hit my solar plexus...


King Kong

[mazHur]

it seemed
unnatural
as if a shadow lurked
as if a Himalaya moved
ding, dong!

subaltern

[Pendragon]

it seemed
unnatural
as if a shadow lurked
as if a Himalaya moved
ding, dong!

subaltern

This is a Tanka?

Subaltern

Chicken first or egg?
One might prove other's being--
But which proceeds which?
Arguement ensues hotly
Nothing becomes certain sure...

Ghoul

[mazHur]

Chicken first or egg?
One might prove other's being--
But which proceeds which?
Arguement ensues hotly
Nothing becomes certain sure...

Ghoul

he lay dead in grave
wrapped in a silken coffin
to keep off his smell
but hyenas are clever
they got him and ate him up!

[RoninKorii]

Hi everyone! Im new and it told me to make my first post so here I am... hi.

[mazHur]

Hi Ronin
you are welcome.

[TheFifthElement]

Maz - what's the next word?????

[mazHur]

sorry,,,,,
the word is well, 'word''

[Pendragon]

Word, dude! Whassup? Yo!
Ain't nothing but a thang, man.
Keeping it real, dawg.
Makin' Presidents, you dig?
If Almighty let me breathe...


Raindancer

[mazHur]

Hey, you ole scum,come
the stage is set for ole grits
to make most of time
youth gone will never return
enjoy the moment and die!

[Pendragon]

Maz not only did not leave a word for me, but I cannot see how his tanka ties into my word, which was "raindancer". So I will choose my own word, and that word will be insult

Cor, mate! In a twist?
Guy thinks 'es a ruddy twee!
Loose yer mum, now, Luv?
No glass. Baby needs bottle.
No, mate, called yer poofter...

the word is Raindancer

[mazHur]

sorry, Pen, I forgot to leave a word and it's okay that you used your discretion


BTW
rain dancer is (also) a festival where old grits make most of their time in jolly pleasure/entertainment. There could be other meanings but I don't know what was in your mind

old chimp
and a baboon
dance in the rain with joy
and sing a song of olden days
all wet

sorry got all mixed up - here is the tanka

drops of rain water
flush the visage of flowers
give them a new look
the garden shines with rubies
dancing in the atmosphere

insult

[TheFifthElement]

Your breath offends me,
the way you draw it in and
out oppressively.
Go, stop your ceaseless clamour
for life, end it for our sakes.


Sadness

[Pendragon]

sorry, Pen, I forgot to leave a word and it's okay that you used your discretion


BTW
rain dancer is (also) a festival where old grits make most of their time in jolly pleasure/entertainment. There could be other meanings but I don't know what was in your mind



Ah! I see you have down that you live at the edge of the Arabian Sea. You would not know then of Native American Raindancers. The Raindance is a ceremony preformed by a Shaman or other tribal leaders or special dancers intended to appease the Rain God and send rain to grow crops. I am pleased that you knew I didnot intend the insult tanka to be pointed at you, just a silly poem in Cockney!

Raindancer

The dancer's feathers
Brush moistureless barren soil
Voice chanting prayers
Head and eyes looking skyward
Send us water, Grandfather!

[mazHur]

Dear Pen

thanks for apprising me of the background of Raindance ---American style.We also have rituals to summon rain in times of drought in Indo-Pak subcontinent
and the world literally meant what you said. However, I know there is some esoteric background to it as well.,,,wherein old people try to relish the memories of their youth by merry making. Anyway,,,,,,

Since this activity is fun neither I nor you or any one else here has reason to get offended at such 'friendly fires' ( I mean the so-called insults or 'flirts !!!lol)

[Pendragon]

Sadness was the last word, left by Fifth.

Sorrow fills the eyes,
Tears travel along creases,
Drop like rain off chin.
Broken spirit reaches out--
Beyond veil of falling tears...


Live Oak

[mazHur]

towering
into the sky
shading the naked earth
the phantom with all its glory
lives on

krill

sorry, I mistook it for cinquin

here again,,,,,,

like a towering giant,
like a Big Foot trampling earth;
a cloud in the sky;
a many legged hydra ;
a phantom screws on

[Pendragon]

The tiny krill shine
Bioluminescence,
Very important
Creatures so small feed the whales
Never underestimate size...

Film Noir

[mazHur]

The tiny krill shine
Bioluminescence,
Very important
Creatures so small feed the whales
Never underestimate size...

Film Noir

this is a good one !

film noir
une tableau noir
let the whole world be black
but don't let 'film noir' wrap up
your heart

here again......


brightened by sunlight
is the visage of this earth
everything bustles
with the joy of life and love
keep darkness of night away



le poisson

[Il Penseroso]

I could be wrong, but that means "the fish" right? (learned by a quick google search)

Anyhow, I'll write my poem as if it did mean fish; if in case it doesn't I apologize.


Silver flop fashions
ripples to blend the heated
glare, cool blue infused
with rapid tale-flip motion;
spirals tease the looming sun.


the contours of a book

[Pendragon]

stiff straight leather spine,
nice hand worked inlaid covers,
protect the leaves--
rich parchment calligraphy
emblazed, a tome of value…


sleepy little town

[symphony]

peaceful hours of sleep
in this haven with neon
lights growing brighter
as the night crouches low, and
fills the dusty roads, and me.

The smell of dusty old books

[Pendragon]

every book lover knows
that entrancing, lingering
musk of ancient books--
smell of adventure hidden,
secrets undiscovered...

Superhero

[Il Penseroso]

damnit, this has fallen low enough. sorry Pen!

Red cape flaps agape,
his silver luster eyes stare
from perched horizons;
scanning evil networks, smog
tackling sky and scorched remains.




that homeless guy hearing voices on the corner.

[mazHur]

this whole world is mine
yet I stand on the corner
of the street and hear
voices dinning into my
ears: there is no room for you!

casualty

[crazefest456]

blood drips from her eyes
while she clutches the baby
life passes before her--
shrieking wails under bosom
open pale lids to see...dirt

aches

[mazHur]

the bones of my heart
crackle under time's brute load,
its joints are worn out
it stands on the corner of
the Love Street just sighing

contradiction

[crazefest456]

the bones of my heart
crackle under time's brute load,
its joints are worn out
it stands on the corner of
the Love Street just sighing


:( I wish no one felt this way. But alot, do.

[mazHur]

why? arn't we humans?? we feel, don't we?:D :)

[crazefest456]

why? arn't we humans?? we feel, don't we?:D :)

:nod: but it hurts though.

useless blathering
spews off her inflamed mouth. Words
laced with ignorance
awe her peers to mindlessly
worship faux intelligence.

Robots!

[mazHur]

Yes, it does.:(

angels are better
than us humans as they work
and do their wages
without ever feeling grief
or the slightest thought of love


destiny

[TheFifthElement]

On the corner of
the page I see words written
in a hand unknown.
Read on, silent voyager
they say, and so I read on.

An old newspaper.

[Il Penseroso]

Dried windy crackle,
faces printed to the curb
whipped with disinterest.
Streaked and filthy caravan
society's countenance.


the aftereffects of spinning

[TheFifthElement]

I've never seen stars
so close before; as I lie
against the cool grass
motionless yet in motion,
spinning with the Earth.


Early evening stars

[Il Penseroso]

Slowly filtered from
a sleeping mind, summer stars
robe a naked sky,
every silvered light a drop
taunting of a lasting touch.



down in the earth

[Il Penseroso]

Sparrows and the bones
of beasts decay alike to
our cerebral skull.
Pockets dug to carry change
ahead of dreams are empty.



a fruit carrying vine

[TheFifthElement]

Tangled leaves grapple
the stone, seeking holes, boring
tendrils deep within,
sapping life from dirt and air,
bursting, a glory of fruit.



sitting, doing nothing

[mazHur]

laziness has its
own rewards; you just sit
and do nothing yet
anytime and anywhere
a fly may enter your mouth!

flummox

[Il Penseroso]

hooorrah! participants!


Bulbs glare into night,
an encroaching awareness
of dim breaths behind
moths that scatter with the light,
this cloud of perturbation.



light spread through the atmosphere

[TheFifthElement]

It starts at the edge
of the clouds, spreading along
a dark horizon,
consuming like hungry ants
munching, until the sky glows.


children at play

[naomi moon]

Hey guys it's my first shot in Tanka writing so don't be hard on me while evaluating it ;)
Serene existence,
voices of little angels spread out
all aver the place,
at a complete ease
drowning my heart in happiness.

Flaws in perfection.

[symphony]

Hiya naomi, welcome to LitNet! :)
There're generally no criticisms here in the fun game threads (except in the picture and form poetry rounds), though anyone's free to express their admiration or confusion or anything on anyone else's pieces. :) Your tanka was very nice, though there was, i thought, some deviations from the given syllable format. But then, who said we always have to follow rules? :D


The waters ripple
the moon. And the trees, standing
so tall in the night,
are made blurry by the wind.
Time, tonight, is pocked with age.


Thats an interesting avatar, by the way, Fifth.

A dusty bible.

[Pendragon]

No time for God's word—
the leather bound forgotten
volume sits lonely,
companion to cobwebs and dust
when it should be read daily...



It's My Life...

[mazHur]

please leave me alone
let me drink joy from the cup
of my loneliness;
it is not only soothing
for the heart but gives me life !


''surrender'

[asilef73]

surrender is sweet
when you are willing to bend
to the will of love
but surrender is bitter
when all it achieves is loss.


"family"

[Pendragon]

Here we all belong
Unity is very precious
Knowing who we are
People we completely trust
People whom we dearly love

"lost"

[mazHur]

My friend my heart used
to be but it's my friend no
more; what has gone wrong?
my heart has totally changed
sides and speaks for you!

barbarism
--------------

[asilef73]

barbarism:

brutal and savage.
religious fervor the cause.
or that's what we're told.
but can we trust what we're fed?
politicians can corrupt...


time

[mazHur]

it will spare no one
it will come and pass in haste
it is your friend but
at times more than a bitter
enemy whom you can't stop




Himalaya

[symphony]

The wars of sages
are all destined to travel,
to meet challanges,
on that one behemoth: Tell
tales of heaven, where gods dwell.


Einstein with his violin

[mazHur]

The wars of sages
are all destined to travel,
to meet challanges,
on that one behemoth: Tell
tales of heaven, where gods dwell.


Einstein with his violin


this is fabulous ! Congrats BKJ !

non-living things speak
when they are fully stretched and
taut and struck at a
particular point; four strings
told him the secret

[symphony]

thanks but u forgot to give the new topic... :)

[mazHur]

kaleidoscope
----------------------

[symphony]

I take my brush, stand
watching the canvas go mad,
with blending colors,
blinding colors... I have lived
my dreams therein.


Curtains drawn back to let in the morning

[TheFifthElement]

Nothing can prevent
the sun's light spilling in, framed
by two closed lids.
Open your eyes, home, let me
know warm stars in the daytime.


A broken cobweb

[symphony]

The rest is blurry
in carefully woven mists.
It seems we cling to
vulnarability, which,
when broken, shows the world clean-cut.


Ladies' hairpins

[Oniw17]

Waved and versatile
Practical and clean looking
Changing with the times
Made of green stone or white bone
Decorated with solace

Self-cultivation

[asilef73]

wisdom is hard bought
years spent in acquisition
lessons as we grow
the young will never listen
we all must self-cultivate


freedom

[Oniw17]

Won through many wars
Father of all tyranny
False pretense for greed
Freedom causes arrogance
Yet it must be what we need

Memories

[asilef73]

fleeting images
our past in tiny fragments
time is suspended
once more our youthful freedom
once more our errant lovers

laziness

[TheFifthElement]

Sigh; stretch your body
into depressions still warm,
still familiar.
Don't worry, there is nothing
left to do that will not wait.


abstainance

[asilef73]

withholding pleasure
requires strength of spirit
and stern discipline.
it's a task i have achieved
but not one that i favor.

selfishness

[Oniw17]

Dionysus's form
The reason for ambition
Trait of many lords
Great ones,villians and victims
Cause for the poor sand-sifting

ambition

[asilef73]

i hunger always
this unquenchable burning
the need to be more
i cannot be satisfied
how do i find contentment

intelligence

ok nobody seems to like this topic. lets try love instead :)

[Il Penseroso]

eyes together spark
constellated, meeting in
starlit fantasy,
enraptured exchange of what
is hidden by moon travels

quantum mechanics

[Il Penseroso]

too hard? :)

waves unthought of
and unseen, shock by mirrored
happenings, no thing
controls an event but strings
that sense what we seek to know

(not very poetic, but...)

spring rains

[qimissung]

the gods spring cleaning,
Hera washing windows and
cursing faithless Zeus;
Demeter weeps and rejoices,
Persephone-home again


the inconstant moon

[Il Penseroso]

gaping crescent, cold,
an indifferent stare, leaving
radiant the sea,
sinking horns nailed into the
waning pool - reflections cease


a feeling you've experienced today

[CdnReader]

coffee cup, left cold
toast growing stale on the plate
my mind is busy
painting daydreams, ignoring
the pressing needs of today


leaving

[Pendragon]

the door slammed shut
I guess this time is final
she will not return
get out the rum and branch water
got to deal with it somehow...


the beach

[qimissung]

a blue on blue world,
punch-drunk giant swings wildly
leaving me reeling;
hot sand, battleship listing,
distance expands, war begins.


a civil knife

[Il Penseroso]

cushioned split of skin,
the needle prick softened pain
to pillow-kept dreams.
cradled in the numbing wash,
thought blurred from a silver edge


a misfound sexual innuendo

[Il Penseroso]

oh god I can't even come up with a poem for that topic!

how about...

late night in a diner

[qimissung]

Thank you, Il Perseroso. I started to ask you what that meant, then didn't. These are a little harder to write, but I hope someone will take you up on the challenge. :lol:If not, then I will. I really enjoy writing them-occasionally!

[asilef73]

the crackle-flicker
of dying fluorescent bulb
illuminates the
old stains of coffee mugs and
nicotine coated counters

the flight home

[qimissung]

good one asilef73!

[asilef73]

thanks qimi :blush:

your turn!

[qimissung]

Challenge accepted! O.K., here goes...

weary, game over
my ears buzz unpleasantly
who can sleep under light?
unbidden, my eyes swivel
a grotesque gargoyle watches


Sunday morning 4 a.m.

[Oniw17]

It's cold as hellheat
Without the sun I'm useless
But still observing
Though I can feel the burning
Mithra's light I cannot see

writing

[mazHur]

first came papyrus
then the pen scribbled on it
speech got solid form
literature, history, science,arts
knowledge got preserved by hand

madness

[asilef73]

curled into a ball,
eyes fixed in a glassy stare,
humming tunelessly,
and sweaty hair a tangle.
lost, separate from the "sane".

lost at sea

[mazHur]

suddenly i met
a girl untrodden paths
she was beautiful
prettier than she looked in dreams
I looked at her in silence


dream unfulfilled

[symphony]

i did cry out, young
as i was, young and yearning,
yearning and turning
to the everafter lands,
cried and slept, to dream again.


misheard lyrics

[mazHur]

I'm a sailor man
Hey Ho, I'm a sailor man!
come aboard my ship
we'll dance and dine all night
promises the tailor-man!



ocean garden

[Riesa]

oh god I can't even come up with a poem for that topic!



You've just gained a layer of soul for admitting that.

[Riesa]

light elevated,
my swizzling, make-believe ride,
that sun, heat so bright,
limpid whispers, tentacles,
blooms, waves of shadow, sea - shells.

a bridge over a freeway

[asilef73]

hissing and rushing;
a mechanical deluge
dividing our worlds
rages below this concrete
span. i would cross if i dared.

idle hands

[mazHur]

with nothing to do
my eyes fixed on your picture
I think and wonder
about the hands that made you
idling with your eyes and lips


humbug

[qimissung]

vipers, in human
attire, are attuned to prey's
emotional heat;
while a moth shyly lies,
disguised as its' protector.


Janus

[mazHur]

do you
have a watchman
deputed at your door?
somebody can break in and steal
your figs




'Epimetheus'

[qimissung]

good one, mazHur.

[qimissung]

Epimethius
Provoked Pandora-Do not-
Please!- open this box!
In the bleak thereafter
Was left a glimmer of hope.


fireflies

[mazHur]

thanks, Qimiss.

rather than
be a burning
sun or a moody moon
be a harbinger of mild glow
in dark


mosquitoes

[Il Penseroso]

that's a cinquain!

miniscule buzzing
thickly echoes in the folds
beyond dark-lighted
eyesight, mysterious sound
and itches before they bite


your favorite dwarf

[mazHur]

sorry, it all got mixed up ! lol

[asilef73]

sour demeanor
and gruff exterior hide
the true dimensions
of your Grumpy little heart;
shattered at Snow White's demise.

tangled sheets

[TheFifthElement]

Squeezed old rags, or the
tangle of tendons; off-white
cotton scent of you -
depressed, impressions linger
unmade: a slatternly space.


butterflies

[asilef73]

gossamer prisms
that float on Spring's breath and kiss
every flower they pass.
beauty and fragility;
fleeting...they are so fleeting.

a long walk in the rain

[qimissung]

the soft rain thrumming
pelting my face with fairy
fists-my spirit drinks
the moon a benediction,
I walk amidst the singing


a revelation

[Il Penseroso]

Tingling strips of thought
are strung together in songs
for symphony strings,
pipes, and reeds to weave clear notes
to always expectant ears.


a lost item afloat on waves

[atiguhya padma]

I know its somewhere
Surfacing light-reflecting,
Buoyantly direct
Yet non-existent, like dreams,
Pointing to creative ways

Surprising illuminations of the routinely mundane

[Il Penseroso]

a circle in light,
treading uphill each morning
with tranquil green trees
a path grown steadily worn,
course through which our thoughts open


a cathedral

[mazHur]

Come to house of god
pray , sing hymns, make confessions
congregate, disperse
not a trace of god you'll find
nothing but humans like us.


fall

[Uncle Lar]

My friends have a new
baby girl to love, honor,
and raise in this world
of ours, which has its ups and
downs; never a dull moment!

[mazHur]

Frolicking mongoose
on the beach wall said to his
girl friend, 'My diddle
darling ,come and play with me
let us make our lives full!


desert

[Pendragon]

Hot alkali dust
Searing the desperate throat
Begging for water
Heat waves have you turning circles:
The Natives called it “Death Walk”…



Haunted...

[TheFifthElement]

Oh eyes! See not thee
this ghostly apparition.
Begone - troubled soul,
foul memory of death. Peace.
Leave me to untroubled sleep.


a frosty morning.

[gwyndd]

eyes that blink away
tears that obscure the vision
must close to rewrite
the script that has now fallen
into the valley of mist

ink

[TheFifthElement]

Something like fear, close,
in murky water, stirs the
reeds and seaweed slow.
Reach out, white flash moves too quick;
disappears in a black cloud.


A violent crowd

[SleepyWitch]

I've never done this before, but I'll give it a try :)

a violent crowd

arms and elbows jostle
pouring wine down smoke-dry throats
fists clenched around stones
high on the roof a sniper
props up his noiseless missile


(I hope the le in jostle doens't count as a syllabic l? does a weak a like kind around count as a syllable? bah, I suck at counting. why do the lines with 5 syllables end up longer than those with 7()

an oasis

[Pendragon]

To be or not be
Is it fantasy, mirage?
God I need a drink
I see trees, grass, all signs
Let this be an oasis...



Heatwave

[mazHur]

Let this be an oasis.
date trees swinging all around,
a crystal spring
a well full of sweet water
you and I away from crowd

Gosh! sometimes you get carried away!
anyway thanks for reminding, Symph!

verbiage

[symphony]

erm... u didnt need to continue with the last line, but with 'heatwave'.
But anyway, the new topic? :)

[qimissung]

you have a river
of thoughts, a whitewater of
ideas that threaten
you camouflage yourself in
your honeysuckle bower


ghosts

[windblown]

First chill of winter
Rustling in the autumn wind
Copper-coloured leaves.
You talk of everyday things.
Why do I hear ghost stories?


windows

[Pendragon]

open panes of glass
mirroring thoughts from within
giving you away...
you cannot hide, the windows show
the deeper depths of your soul

skeleton

[asilef73]

this brittle white frame
under fleshy folds is hid
entombed in its task
of bearing thankless organs
and shaping formless tissue

zombies!!!