ysabetwordsmith: (gift)
This poem is posted as a birthday present for Anthony Barrette.


"A Walking Song"


I walk in the morning, the sun at its rise.
I walk up the hill, and I there feast my eyes
On gardens and fields, and the grass growing green:
The loveliest sight that I ever have seen.

I walk in the midday, the sun at its peak.
I walk through the valley to find all I seek.
I pick the sweet berries, I taste the green leaves,
I gather the nuts underneath forest eaves.

I walk after lunchtime, the sun heading west.
I walk by the river, where fishing is best.
I catch a few catfish to hang on my string
And forage some cattails where young blackbirds sing.

I walk in the evening, the sun sinking low.
My baskets are full, and my heart is aglow.
The fireflies flicker, the fox and deer roam;
I walk down the hill toward the lights of my home.
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This haiku collection is spillover from the March 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] scrubjayspeaks. It also fills the "Wisdom" square in my 3-1-25 card for the Tolkien Bingo Fest. This collection has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This haiku collection is spillover from the January 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. (I oopsed a book again.) It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] scrubjayspeaks. It also fills the "WILD CARD: The Peacock Fan" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Bingo fest. This collection has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette.

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ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
This is today's second freebie, prompted by [personal profile] jake67jake.


short poetic forms
are like truffles: always leave
readers wanting more

* * *

Notes:

A traditional Japanese haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count. Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression.

ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
Today's freebie is courtesy of new prompter [personal profile] dreadlordmrson from a previous discussion. It also fills the "Honey" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. It belongs to the series Lacquerware.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
These poems came out of the January 2, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. They were inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] scrubjayspeaks. They also fill the "West-Running Brook" square in my 1-1-24 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. These poems have been sponsored by Anthony Barrette.

Warning: These poems are all about various types of violent weather and other natural disasters. If that's a touchy topic for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

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ysabetwordsmith: A paint roller creates an American flag, with the text Arts and Crafts America. (Arts and Crafts America)
This poem came out of the January 2, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] greghousesgf. It also fills the "Hands" square in my 4-1-23 card for the Gothic Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by [personal profile] janetmiles. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.

Warning: Do not read with mouth full. It has a punchline.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
These haiku were written outside the regular prompt calls. They have been sponsored by Anthony Barrette.

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ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
Today's freebie was inspired by new prompter [personal profile] batiferrite. It also fills the "charcoal" square in my 7-1-23 card for the Fireworks Bingo fest. It belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics. Shane first appears in the poems "A Heartbeat at My Feet" and "Basking in the Light."

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ysabetwordsmith: Damask smiling over their shoulder (polychrome)
This poem is spillover from the February 7, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl. It has been sponsored by Strawberry Ryan (he/him) of [personal profile] the_broken_tower. It belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.

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ysabetwordsmith: Damask smiling over their shoulder (polychrome)
This poem is spillover from the January 3, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] siliconshaman. It has been sponsored by Strawberry Ryan (he/him) of [personal profile] the_broken_tower.
This poem belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.

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ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
This is the second freebie, thanks to new prompter [personal profile] greghousesgf.  It also fills the "I Feel at Home With You" square in my 1-1-23 card for the Public Domain Bingo fest.


"I Feel at Home with You"
-- an indriso


I feel at home with you, my heart and soul
Flung wide like spider silk across the sky
To span the gap between us, pole to pole.

We are two willows dancing, you and I,
Athwart a forest spread between us, whole
And green beneath the summer sun's keen eye.

The miles part us. Tears fall two by two.

Yet through it all, I feel at home with you.



* * *

Notes:

The indriso is a condensed version of a sonnet.

ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
This is today's freebie. It was inspired by a backchannel prompt from my partner Doug. It also fills the "snow" square in my 12-1-22 card for the Wonders of Nature Bingo fest.

Warning: Do not read with mouth full.

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ysabetwordsmith: (gift)
This poetry was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "WILD CARD: New Year" square in my 7-1-20 card for the Winter Fest in July Bingo. It is posted here as a birthday present for Shirley Barrette. This concludes the 2020 haiku book of 500 kigo.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This poem came out of the January 5, 2021 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] siliconshaman. It also fills the "Hope" square in my 1-3-21 card for the Fresh Starts Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by [personal profile] librarygeek. It belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.

Warning: Salty language ahead.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This poem came out of the January 5, 2021 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by [personal profile] librarygeek. It also fills the "Learning a New Skill" square in my 1-3-21 card for the Fresh Starts Bingo fest.  This poem belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.

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ysabetwordsmith: (gift)
This batch of poems was written outside the regular prompt calls. They are presented here as a holiday gift for Anthony and Shirley Barrette. This batch is the fourth of five seasonal sets of haiku based on my favorite kigo page. Begin with the spring, summer, and autumn batches.

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ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This batch of poems was written outside the regular prompt calls. They were sponsored by Anthony and Shirley Barrette. This batch is the third of five seasonal sets of haiku based on my favorite kigo page. Begin with the spring and summer batches.  Continue with the winter batch.

ExpandRead more... )
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls, inspired by a comment from [personal profile] zeeth_kyrah.  It has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette.


"What Hatred Never Learns"
-- a villanelle


Wisdom often teaches what hatred never learns:
War is not peacekeeping, and safety never comes.
If you fight fire with fire, the whole world burns.

Some leaders bark and bicker, while the chaos churns;
They think the land will prosper underneath their thumbs.
Wisdom often teaches what hatred never learns.

These are the wages that abuse of power earns:
What the leadership does, society becomes.
If you fight fire with fire, the whole world burns.

If leaders wield compassion, acting on concerns,
Integrity will flourish; tyranny succumbs.
Wisdom often teaches what hatred never learns.

Priests or kings or generals tramping down the ferns,
It doesn't really matter whence the power comes:
If you fight fire with fire, the whole world burns.

Peace will always flee from the hand that grasps and yearns,
But wait a bit -- you'll find it, sitting down like chums.
Wisdom often teaches what hatred never learns.
If you fight fire with fire, the whole world burns.

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