Trying to add a few twists and turns and not just have this a straightforward ode to spring joy. Hold onto your seatbelts. I have no real plan, just going where the flowers take me!
National Poetry Month, Day 8, Verse 8
Tag Archives: photography
National Poetry Month, Day 7, Verse 7
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to see this little conglomeration of some of my favorite wildflowers on my walk the other day. I actually almost walked past it, but I stopped and went back to snap a picture. I had the haiku pretty much written by the time I got home. I love it when it happens like that. Matsuo Basho said something about writing poetry which unfortunately has not stuck with me, but it was something about not allowing space between inspiration and writing. To just write the thing. (Can’t you just imagine Master Basho standing over you with his cane and yelling, “JUST WRITE THE THING!” lol)
So that’s what I did.
National Poetry Month, Day 6, Verse 6
I got up this morning and looked at the illustration I was working on last night (a bit late) and it wasn’t finished and I panicked…until I remembered that I started that one for tomorrow because today’s was already finished! This is what happens when you stay up too late being creative. Especially at my age!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. I had fun playing with it since I did have some extra time. It’s a bit different for me. I used some different iPad “brushes”.
National Poetry Month, Day 5, Verse 5
Not much explanation needed for this one. I found these rather jovial flowers while on my walk the other day. They remind me of court jester hats. I fell in love, of course, and had to add them to the spring renga.
National Poetry Month, Day 4, Verse 4
Back to the two lines, four syllables thing. You’d think it would be easier, but I have to consider what’s coming next in this linked format as well as what came before.
National Poetry Month, Day 3, Verse 3
My renga continues…
National Poetry Month, Day 2, Verse 2
I actually wrote an entire haiku before I remembered verse 2 is only fourteen syllables and two lines… I’m not totally unhappy with the edits.
National Poetry Month Renga Day 1, Verse 1
Y’all, snow and ice is harder to draw than you’d think.
National Poetry Month Starts Tomorrow!
I’ve been debating about how to celebrate National Poetry Month. I always do something on here to make the month special. I’ve written a poem a day. I’ve written and illustrated a haiku every day. This year I want to do something special because this year is special to me. It’s my first year I’ve actually had ambitions for my poetry.
I’ve been studying renga recently. It’s sort of an early form of slam poetry invented in Japan where poets would gather for a renga “party” and try to outdo each other with every verse. Haiku (and we all know I love haiku!) actually grew out of the renga format, which featured alternating verses of 17 and 14 syllables.
So I’ve decided to write a (sort of) renga over the course of April. Renga were normally written in honor of a celebration and, in a way, I’m celebrating a new beginning in my life in April. I think the title of the renga will be “Thawing”. Each verse will be illustrated. I will follow the format of alternating 17 and 14 syllables and at the end, I will (hopefully) have the first thirty pages of my next illustrated poetry book, Hypercreativity.
So join me tomorrow for verse 1. And we’ll see where we go from there.
LOL: A Poem for the lovers
BREATHE: Michelle Garren-Flye 