Today’s Throwback poem was written when I was on a tour in China, and here we were in Beijing, at an ancient family home (500 years old) being entertained by the lady of the house playing traditional Chinese music on her antique Guzheng instrument. “Zither”, was the winning Haiku in a Haiku competition run by Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine, in November 2018
Nov 2, 2018. Editor, Brian Geiger. For those of you who didn’t know, I hosted an October haiku contest a couple weeks ago. I’m happy to reveal our winner: Submitted by Ivor Steven. Zither
Many of you know of my friendship with Derrick Knight … last night his property was lashed by gale force winds and in response to his article about the damage to his wonderful garden, I wrote this Haiku. >> https://derrickjknight.com/2023/12/21/fearing-for-the-weeping-birch/Please Note; All photos reproduced on this post, were taken by Derrick
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – W.B. Yeats
One Butterfly (a Rhyming Haiku)
One white butterfly
Quietly fluttered nearby
Breathless! I said Hi
“Song Of Wandering Aengus”A poem by W B Yeats
I went out to the hazel wood Because a fire was in my head And cut and peeled a hazel wand And hooked a berry to a thread.
And when white moths were on the wing And moth-like stars were flickering out I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the ground I went to blow the fire a-flame But something rustled on the floor And some one called me by my name.
It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands I will find out where she has gone And kiss her lips and take her hands.
And walk among long dappled grass And pluck till time and times are done The silver apples of the moon The golden apples of the sun The silver apples of the moon The golden apples of the sun.
Yesterday afternoon, we took a drive out to the Bannockburn Golf Club, (where I used to play before my last two strokes put an end to my playing days.) The course is situated inside a State Forest surrounded by native bushland, where kangaroos graze and graciously share the fairways with those ‘crazy golfers’. At the moment the Club is undertaking the huge task of installing 18 new greens. Frankie and I inspected a few of the new greens. Frankie quickly adopted the place as his own and thoroughly enjoyed the vast expanse of grass and the many trees that he was able to explore …
I have been busy today reloading my computer with my printers and scanner, then adding all the necessary apps that I use to organise to my poetry website … Our spring weather was again atrocious today, but despite the appalling conditions we still managed to go out for our ‘walkies’ … Images Below: in the right-hand photo, I am sure the big grey cloud was laughing at us, for being the only ones, crazy enough to brave nature’s fierce winds …