in adapted sijo style

This winter, I look forward like I hadn’t ever before.

Sweet Autumn, forgive me this; an urgency has arisen.

The packed space - just too hot to bear; and the lethargy drives me nuts.

Is it me? I ask myself; and the answer’s far out of reach.

Morning breaks with rays of hope; yet when it’s time, I dread it so.

Not Autumn, surely you’ve been kind; as always and now, but it’s hot.

Terribly so I confess; seasons no bar, except winter.

The long days, the longer months, and the short nights my only time.

How eerie! Strangers’ eyes on me, as I talk about them and me.

remembering dad - a haibun attempted

There were no last words, just a weak wave of his left hand I remember. It must’ve been a message - perhaps wishing us well, when I think of it now. The look he gave us before closing his eyes to sleep that night was his last look at us; and we had no inkling of it. There had been no sounds of pain, the whole month that he was at the hospital. “Is your stomach aching, dad?” we’d ask and he’d say, “No.” The doctor had diagnosed colon cancer and told us to keep him happy for the remaining days that he had to live. He didn’t have much time, the doctor informed us. We told dad nothing of the diagnosis. The figure lying on the bed that we looked at early next morning was a still one, we discovered. Dad’s face looked so peaceful, as if dad was just asleep. And, we had actually drawn up a list of names of people we were going to request to come and see him, and chat with him. I stared at the piece of paper in my hands, feeling incomplete. My tears fell silently on it, drowning the names.

letting go of love

and those memories so fond

- a dear soul set free

more sijo

Presence felt despite absence – the real power, now gone, no more.

You chose it, we accept it; your memories though unforgotten.

The river flows despite everything, the joy of flowing who’s to feel?

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He embraced her full blown Love in Night’s shelter, out of Danger.

In wait lay Morning and Light to reveal them to Seeking Eyes.

Mother Earth understood it all; she slowed down her move graciously.

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I walked out; the sun was bright, the day too hot and I wondered

why again the rising heat and yet normal, people so cool?

September came with the answer, spraying the air with perfume of love.

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September, as you arrive August seems far and forgotten;

yet it feels July dropped by just yesterday, gifting us heat.

And love says it will visit soon; I wait and wonder when and why.

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Faceless Fear, you walk about conquering all with your soft touch.

Robot-like, we wait for more; our steps not ours, heavy, noisy. 

September, you visit and leave; do we even say hi or bye?

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The morning brought great sunshine, promising smiles, and then you came -

your Self strong; the energy travelled so fast, my soul hit hard.

The sun hid, perhaps the effect of those silent cries it hears well. 

I attempted Sijo!

I shared this as well at the 1st Bloggers Conference, 30th August 2015.

When I meet people with similar passion (for writing) on facebook, I sometimes enjoy a fun ride with them writing my poetic thoughts. One such fun ride recently was the Korean Sijo form... a more or less prosy 3-lines-stanza...the first two stanzas 3-4-4; the third stanza 5-3-3 with a surprise element.

The moon shines bright as the sun, not competing, each in its time.
But we say night has fallen, the day rises; and in both we.
Darkness first, then a faint light greets at the end of it; dark is light.

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Within lies the big secret - in nothingness whole you and me.
Selflessly our doors open and love enters into the empty.
But this glass is too full for more and water’s flowing free to nowhere.

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The green fields running for miles as far as these eyes can travel;
in my mind, fresh milk on boil for evening tea – Ah! The flavour!
How many? I ask of life’s miles that the universe holds secret

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The day’s robbed of its light soon as the night falls sooner each day.
Yet the heat persists too long and my windows remain open.
How is it that you love me still when my love runs cold in Autumn?